Android updates are a bit of a tricky subject for all involved parties. Obviously consumers and Google are on the same page in that they want Android updates to roll out to individual devices as soon as possible. But for manufacturers and carriers, updates are costly to customize, quality test, and roll-out. Further complicating the issue, it's unclear exactly who's to blame when updates take longer than expected.

A good illustration of all these complications: the Android 2.2 update for the original Samsung Galaxy S series. At launch, Samsung promised a Froyo update to the SGS series in a timely manner, and yet it took many months for the update to ever land. Most people blamed Samsung directly and many owners swore off Samsung products for good, yet some consumers were quick to point out that the carriers also have a hand in the updates and could be at fault. Still, a look back in time suggests manufacturers are the main culprit - some seem to be better about updates across the board than others.

With all these factors in mind, do you take a manufacturer's update history into consideration when making a purchase? Sound off in the poll below, and share your feelings via the comments.