Motorola blames diverse hardware for lack of Android updates
One of the most common complaints about Android devices is the lack of updates from the manufacturers. Usually, we attribute this to the manufacturer's custom software skins, but Motorola has come out blaming the wide range of Android hardware for delays in updates. In General Manager Christy Wyatt's own words,
I'd say it's the hardware that's the long pole in the tent…dealing with the software is not the hard part."
It seems clear that Motorola is trying to divert attention from their decision to continue using their custom skins on their devices, because a commonly proposed solution is for them to ship with stock Android and differentiate with hardware. So, if hardware is actually to blame for the delays, then there is less of a reason for users to want custom UIs removed. (Other than the fact that they simply aren't any good.)
However, this argument doesn't make any sense at all. Developers who work only in their spare time can often get incredibly stable ROM's based on the latest software out within a couple months. So, while diverse hardware certainly adds to the problem, software customizations are still one of the main holdups. Hopefully the Google acquisition will result in Motorola shipping stock Android, but until then we need to keep the pressure on Motorola and other manufacturers to ship stock Android on their devices and update existing hardware in a timely manner.
[CNET]