Archos cancels Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for G9 tablets

The Archos G9 series of tablets first hit the streets in 2011, and they’re still available for purchase from the Archos store. They feature TI OMAP 4 processors, the Google Play Store, and a few other features that help set them apart from the company’s earlier tablets.

Archos originally shipped 8 inch and 10 inch G9 tablets with Android 3.0 Honeycomb, and later upgraded the tablets to support Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. But now that looks like it will be the end of the line.

Archos 101 G9

In a comment on Facebook, an Archos representative says that “after many months of analysis and testing,” the company has decided not to release an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update.

As ArcTablet reports, that represents a change of heart: the company had earlier said it would offer a new software update for these tablets.

Archos points out that it has issued 15 firmware updates for the Archos 80 G9 and Archos 101 G9 tablets over the past few years which have added new features and fixed bugs, among other things.

But if you want to run a newer version of Android on these tablets, it looks like you may have to look to the user community: There are custom ROMs that let you load unofficial builds of Android 4.2 on these tablets, including CanogenMod 10.1 and Paranoid Android.

In other words, it’s not that the software won’t run on the tablets… it’s that Archos is focusing its attention on newer devices like its Titanium and Platinum lines of tablets.

Posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2013, 10:28 am by Brad Linder | 11 Comments

Lonnie Preis

I understand that companies cant support their devices in perpetuity but lying about support does not imbue customer confidence.
Robert Jakiel

Anyone else not surprised by this?
End User

That’s the downside with these things for end users. You can’t just go download an ISO if it’s a free OS or buy a CD and install new versions. Also, Google doesn’t push security patches/updates like desktop OS’s either.

That’s why, for my tablet purchase, I plan on getting a Windows 8 tablet running Clover Trail or its next iteration. I hope OEMs come out with a 7″ device with an active stylus. I’d rather put up with a desktop UI and be able to use full blown Windows software anyway.
buzz86us

I just buy whatever is cheap with a good developer base… for example just last week you could get a 1st Gen Kindle Fire for $70 which has a lot of active development.
Anon

Who will buy another, or their first Archos device, if it is not supported by updates?
I for one, was looking for the update for the Archos 80 G9 Turbo (that might be easier to update)… And, was going to recommend an Achos Tablet to someone.
But, now, will not ever mention the word Archos again, no recommendations, but I will say that they are not dependable and that updates will not be in the wind most likely for any of their new devices… so, the word, is STAY AWAY FROM ARCHOS.
Anon

Get a Google Nexus, and put Ubuntu on it. I’ll bet that will at least be supported, and it will run already out of the box a lot of native Linux apps.
Joe

Rather not have a very buggy beta build of Ubuntu. Also, as the name he used suggests, he’s an end user who likely wants to do very minimal work to get everything working and stable.
http://jameswilliams.be/blog James Williams

Not me. I’ve seen it before when they released the Archos 7 Home Tablet, decided to release a second edition a year later with a newer Android version while leaving the buyers of the first out in the cold. Said never again.
GUTTED

WELL WHAT AN UTTER CUNT!
Archos 80 G9 turbo Owner

I have Archos 80 G9 Turbo and I am happy with it, but I was waiting for the upgrade. After the recent news of cancelling the upgrade to Jelly Bean, I guess I will upgrade to Nexus 7. The only reason they do that so they can sell the newer models. Remember they don’t make money on upgrades.
Eric

I don’t understand why the can’t sell the updates? I mean, if you want to stay lets say on Windows 7 you can or buy 8. Easy cash for the company if a consumer wants to upgrade. Devices last a long long time above their current software.

Archos cancels Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for G9 tablets

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