Another company fails to come remotely close to Samsung’s software update game
Update: The Edge 20 series will receive at least two Android OS updates and at least two years of bi-monthly security patches — Motorola representative clarified in a follow-up statement to Android Authority.
Original story follows:
Samsung’s been crushing it with firmware updates lately, and it doesn’t seem to plan on slowing its pace down in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately — for non-Samsung customers — some Android smartphone manufacturers don’t feel the same way Samsung does. And while the latter company is now offering three major Android OS updates for many of its phones, Motorola’s firmware policy has just folded and crumbled, much like the new Razr (2019) did when faced with the Galaxy Z Flip.
Motorola just took three new phones out of the oven. They run Android 11 and none of them will benefit from more than a single Android OS update — presumably to Android 12. It comes as a bit of a surprise yet feels like deja vu to many Motorola customers.
The company originally intended to cut firmware support last year before it had a change of heart following backlash. But despite Motorola’s efforts to keep fans happy last year, no such efforts will be made for the new Edge 20 trio of smartphones moving forward. And while these phones cover different price points, they’re all subjected to the same one-update policy.
Motorola isn’t the only smartphone manufacturer to cut corners in terms of firmware support. OnePlus adopted a similar support strategy with the Nord series — though it’s now trying to catch up again — and other OEMs such as Sony simply can’t keep up with Samsung’s pace. The only Android smartphone company that stands a chance is Google itself, mainly due to a recent rumor hinting that Google could start offering five Android OS updates for future Pixel phones.
