We have an app that also needs to be able to run on Android, so we are held back by the shitty Java Google implements for Android.

You can use [limited] Java 17 with Google's Android. The compiler converts Java 17 -> Java 8 bytecode.

I agree that many companies are “stuck” (through their own choice really)… but at least Java is moving now.

In many ways Java’s boringness is a feature that keeps it easily maintainable, at a low - easily recruitable - skill level.

At least you can now run Minecraft 1.7.10 on Java 17 - https://github.com/GTNewHorizons/lwjgl3ify

What a marvel of engineering.

A lot of Apache projects still use Java 8 :(