The reviews of the EverSolo DMP-A6 look very promising so far. The one question I have concerns the long term functionality of its Android OS. All the streaming services depend on an updated OS. Will the firmware and OS be updated on a consistent basis for years to come?
This is indeed a good question, BUT... 1. sooner or later the A6 will achieve state-of-the-art of its functionalities; and possibly all bugs will be fixed. 2. such SOTA status will be, one day, achieved with some specific releases of the relevant applications (together with internal system updates by Eversolo) From that day on, if you do not upgrade on your own decision (risking to break things...) the system WILL KKEP RUNNING. Only thing possible is the following: Some services, such as Qobuz / Tidal / Apple Music could, in the future, declare obsolete some protocol / API that has been perfectly working, breaking backwards compatibility with older Android versions. This would probably rise a lot of concern on the internet, and possibly have things restored (maybe just having you silently agreeing on any possible security leak or whatever...), but there is still the possibility that this won't happen, rendering your A6 useless (to some extent). It all depends on how things go on with Eversolo... If the A6 has also the possibility to update the underlying Android, then there should be no problem. If not... we may all be screwed that day (well, _you_ all, not me, as I don't own one - yet ).
Thanks Nutul for that info. I guess the question now is: does the A6 update Android? And, if it does, how long will it continue to do so? At some point, I imagine that the hardware will no longer support updates. Will that be in 2, 5, or 10 years from now? I don't want to purchase something that will stop working in 4 years.
Indeed this is the question; and your fear is legitimate... see what @Nice Monkey may say (thanks in advance)
In fact I hear 2 questions. - Will Android be updated and how long? My educated guess is the Android version will remain unchanged. Zidoo boxes never got a new Android version enforced by Realtek policies. Their SDK is platform specific and remains fixed per OS release. May be different for Eversolo? As it relies a lot on API's and APP from streaming providers the importance of the OS version may be a bit more relevant here? - How long will the FW be supported and updated? This is for the Eversolo part almost independent from the Android OS version. It is a stripped Android OS in this case. As long as there is not coming a replacement model updates will keep coming. After that sporadic (once a year) but being bigger updates with proven goodies implemented on the newer generation. This during 1 or 2 years. This entirely based on Zidoo history. Other brands media players are doing more or less the same.
Thank you @Nice Monkey Actually, the question is related to this, in short: - Suppose some time in the future, say Tidal APP stops working due to changes in Tidal API - Tidal releases a new APP dealing with the relevant changes of the new API - The Android version on the A6 is obsolete, and cannot be updated any more. - The new Tidal APP does not support the old Android version of the A6 - The A6 Tidal APP cannot be updated This results in the A6 suddenly losing Tidal streaming support. Is it so, or do you think that being a stripped Android version, in the future Eversolo will provide some sort of support for these use-cases? I said Tidal, but I could have mentioned Qobuz, Amazon, Spotify... Roon...
What I see is that providers hardly ever make an update requiring a very recent Android version. They then cut themselves from many smart-phone users too which is not that smart an action. So the case can happen but how likely it is? Eversolo fixing it by themselves is not so likely as these things mostly run via the SDK of the chipset maker.
Based on what I have seen other manufacturer do and based on Eversolo history my personal belief is that Android will remain forever at version it is today, that is Android 11. As long as this is their latest and greatest music streamer, the updates will come. At some point, once a new one is released this will see less and less updates. It is how things work everywhere else, there is no reason to think that it will be different in this case. However, based on the software support they will offer, the customer loyalty will be built or destroyed. If customers see great support that will last say 5-7 years, the loyal customers will upgrade to a newer Eversolo product. If they abandon us too soon, our hard earn cash will go to someone else. It is all down to Eversolo behaviour regarding software support and customer respect.
This is the main reason I profoundly hate anything based on Android: without it, sooner or later the A6 will just be an expensive paperweight, apart from being possibly still able to play local music.
I share the same thoughts, thus I think A6 is at a nice price point to have a 6" screen as it seems large screen streamer is almost always Android base
I don't think Volumio is Android based... but it's true they don't have displays on their embedded players... There is a Raspberry Pi version, though, and there you can have a 7'' touch display... If the A6 was based on a SBC it could be cleaner, faster, and rely on a longer life-span, IMO Nevertheless, it supports Linux to some extent, being Android based on it... I think that in the near future somebody will figure out how to completely reflash its OS...
Hi I wonder about the lifespan of the A6 if not updated with firmware in the future will it still work or will it turn to a brick in a few years reading some info here on the forum about this can someone please share the truth and not some stupid gost story
I think I have already pictured it all. but to summarize: 1. all the stremaing services APPs could eventually not work on the (eventually) obsolete Android of the A6 2. possibly nothing will affect the playback of local files (on SSD / NVMe / NAS etc.) Of course, Roon could be the salvation (although I believe that also Roon needs some sort of an APP running on the A6 to properly work, and it might as well become obsolete on older Androids... I may be wrong though) Anyway, focus on the points 1 and 2 above; I see no other scenario.
If support is your primary requirement, then suggest going back to the traditional Hi-fi vendors like NAD/BlueSound, Cambridge Audio etc. Even they do not guarantee support of superseded models and updates for them. So, why the (unfair?) expectation that Eversolo/Zidoo can do more than other Hi-fi vendors?
Exactly, every piece of computer technology has an infinite timespan, gee my iPad Air no longer gets iOS upgrades and some apps no longer works ,that is part of an expected obsolesce cycle(yes i dont agree .. but that is the industry). Some may say that this is a piece of hifi kit and so is a different expectation. Well that half right, and that would be the dac and pre amp part of the box. The rest is pure computer functionality…. That reminds me, time to get my Betamax serviced…
I wouldn't worry too much as the Qobuz app for instance runs on Android 6.x or newer. Similar logic applies to Tidal. Those streaming plattforms want paid subscribers so they make it as accessible as possible. In the worst event, you're stuck with Android 11 and the feature set you paid for. Most likely streaming would also work. Anything beyond 5-7 years, we cannot tell. Look at car navigation systems in older Mercedes S-Class or BMW - those ancient systems will still get you from A to B but you won't get new map material. However, they're still useful...
