Any time a platform gets an update, they go through their obligatory “rollout” phase which only grants the (official) update to certain phones. This way, if a bug or a glitch happens to accompany said update, the company can fix the problems before the update is sent out to millions of subscribers. Are you the type of person who immediately upgrades their software?

There are pros and cons to each side of the update spectrum. On the one hand, by updating your phone as soon as it rolls out to your device you’re able to (hopefully) experience your device to its fullest potential at this point. However, on the other hand, you might end up being a test dummy and may be in for a very bumpy ride when it comes to your phone malfunctioning beyond your control, subsequently ending up in a trip or three to your carrier’s nearest store.

And then of course you also have people who go a completely separate route from the “now or later” route when it comes to software upgrades, because you also have people who are just fine with the software they currently have and have no interest in updating. I was a pretty big fan of Gingerbread but not so much of a fan of Ice Cream Sandwich on Android initially. I think it was just a case of being unfamiliar with a new interface, but there were actually some functions of ICS that I was not impressed with, so I stuck with Gingerbread for a long time. Jelly Bean looks a lot more promising though, so I’m happy to say I’m back on board with the direction Android is going.

Personally, I’m still running a jailbroken version of iOS 5.1.1 on my phone.  iOS 6 hasn’t come out with an “untethered” version of the OS, so until that comes out I’ll probably stick with what I have.  I like to be able to maximize my personalization options to the fullest potential (que iOS vs Android jokes here) so deciding whether or not to upgrade to the newest software is really based on if I’m able to root (on Android) or jailbreak using that newest version or not.

Even in regards to other systems like iOS, version 5.1.1 isn’t that much different than 6 is, especially when it comes to the iPhone 4S. A couple of different color schemes, sure, and a maps system that’s been known to send people up, down, left, and right at all the wrong times. Exciting stuff! To me, updating to iOS 6 wouldn’t be that big of a difference, and I’ll probably stick it would with 5.1.1 for a good while longer on my phone.

Even if you take out the fact that I wait until a new software update is root or jailbreak friendly, I wouldn’t upgrade my software until I’ve done a lot of research on it and know that more updates have fixed all of the initial bugs. I’ve had more than one instance where I’ve decided to update as soon as the notice popped up on my phone, and I got more frustration out of it than enjoyment. My phone wouldn’t charge and my Micro SD card slot wasn’t reading my card. Yes, those were some good times. So, I applaud those with the patience and dedication enough to test out the new software, because if it wasn’t for people like you, people like me would have ripped out all of our hair by now.

So readers, are you the type of person to update your software as soon as it’s available to your device, or do you like to wait it out until the software becomes more stable? Let me know your preference in the comments!