This was one of the big motivating factors for me getting a nexus 6 (aside from the size) and putting it on the fi network. I got 2 updates in the period of a week.
I think the problem is vendors and carriers wanting to modify and inject their crapware and custom UIs into Android. Google is happy to provide upgrades to the OS in a timely fashion (and are going to start monthly updates), it's the vendors/carriers that delay these updates or don't even bother to port them over to devices.
Google is moving much of the core Android functionality over to specific apps that they can update as needed from the play store, instead of integrating them directly into the OS. This is good, because it allows them to push the updates quicker. They run the risk that carriers will get sick of the lack of control over the "experience" they can provide, and fork android, but it's a necessary step in many ways to ensure things like this MMS exploit can be patched on some devices at all, as vendors abandon some phones quickly, leaving users vulnerable.
If every vendor and carrier used stock nexus android without modification, the updates could be pushed out in days. The linked article blames google for these problems, but that is, in my opinion, misguided.
I think the problem is vendors and carriers wanting to modify and inject their crapware and custom UIs into Android. Google is happy to provide upgrades to the OS in a timely fashion (and are going to start monthly updates), it's the vendors/carriers that delay these updates or don't even bother to port them over to devices.
Google is moving much of the core Android functionality over to specific apps that they can update as needed from the play store, instead of integrating them directly into the OS. This is good, because it allows them to push the updates quicker. They run the risk that carriers will get sick of the lack of control over the "experience" they can provide, and fork android, but it's a necessary step in many ways to ensure things like this MMS exploit can be patched on some devices at all, as vendors abandon some phones quickly, leaving users vulnerable.
If every vendor and carrier used stock nexus android without modification, the updates could be pushed out in days. The linked article blames google for these problems, but that is, in my opinion, misguided.