Google's official Android blog announces product launches and features such as Android Pay, Project Fi, Google Fit, and new Android versions.
HN commenters mostly cite it for product announcements, with some criticism that the blog needs JavaScript to render and that features like Google Fit integration lagged.
We can only judge by devices that are out of support.
Galaxy Nexus: released in November 2011, last release: 4.3 in July 2013. Update Window: 1 year and 8 months.
Nexus 4: released in November 2012, last release: 5.1.1 in May 2015. Update window: 2 years and 6 months.
Nexus 5: released in October 2013, last release: 6.x (?), probably April/May 2016. Update window: probably 2 years and 6 months.
(Granted, the Nexus 4 received security updates for a longer period.)
They have recently announced a better policy:
Nexus devices will continue to receive major updates for at least two years and security patches for the longer of three years from initial availability or 18 months from last sale of the device via the Google Store.
Source: http://officialandroid.blogspot.de/2015/08/an-update-to-nexus-devices.html
But 3-4 years is definitely false. Up to now ~2-2.5 years, in the future 3 years.
Only one of the three things you mentioned is comparable to F.lux: iOS Night Shift.
> Kindle added "Blue Shade"
Blue Shade is, unfortunately, an exceedingly half-assed implementation; I wouldn't be surprised if an intern wrote it over the course of a month or two. Unlike F.lux, (or Cf.Lumen on Android), it doesn't change the color temperature of the screen—instead, it uses the same naive implementation as apps such as Twilight or Lux, which is a semitransparent reddish overlay that causes black colors to turn red. Considering that Kindles are running a completely customized Android ROM, Amazon could have done so much better.
> Android announced "Night Light"
This is only for Google Play Books, and nothing else. [1]
[1] http://officialandroid.blogspot.com/2015/12/silent-night-with-night-light.html
I think that you hear whatever you want to hear, but the truth is very different: Google's apps and APIs are just cloud endpoints and weaving them into AOSP doesn't make sense and just delays updates, as the same author previously scribbled: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/09/balky-carriers-and-slow-oems-step-aside-google-is-defragging-android
As for "strong-arm tactics", what is referred to is explained in this post: http://officialandroid.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-benefits-importance-of-compatibility.html
As Andy Rubin puts it, Google will not encourage non compatible forks, it is in their interest to have Android developed apps run on all Android devices. Anyone can still have a go but Google won't encourage it.
It's a very flawed and overwritten attack piece, seemingly coming out of nowhere.
"It's always a good idea to have your site degrade gracefully. This will help users enjoy your content even if their browser doesn't have compatible JavaScript implementations. It will also help visitors with JavaScript disabled or off, as well as search engines that can't execute JavaScript yet."
Are Google going to follow their own advice here? Try visiting the official Android blog with Javascript disabled
http://officialandroid.blogspot.co.uk/
In fact, try visiting a whole bunch of *blogspot.co.uk sites with Javascript disabled and see how "gracefully" they degrade. Remember, these are blog sites with mostly text content. And yet Google won't serve them up without Javsacipt enabled.
Google has too much authority over Android Platform itself like Apple and Microsoft :
While Android remains free for anyone to use as they would like, only Android compatible devices benefit from the full Android ecosystem. By joining the Open Handset Alliance, each member contributes to and builds one Android platform—not a bunch of incompatible versions
source : http://officialandroid.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-benefits-importance-of-compatibility.html
Google announced the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA)[0] at CES 2014[1] with car manufacturers Audi, GM, Honda, and Hyundai, and chip manufacturer Nvidia[2].
[0] http://www.openautoalliance.net/
[1] http://officialandroid.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/new-partnership-to-bring-android-to.html
[2] http://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2014/01/06/were-joining-google-audi-gm-honda-and-hyundai-to-bring-android-to-your-next-car/