For Motorola, no matter how hard they try, it just doesn’t seem like they can get an A+ when it comes to software updates. I think we can all admit that the company did do an amazingly good job with updating the recently released DROID RAZR HD and DROID RAZR MAXX HD, though. Both of those devices were (very) recently updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which actually lined-up with what the company promised when the phones were officially unveiled. So, that’s good news all around, right? Well, yes, but at the same time it can’t help but indicate that some other devices are getting ignored.
Still.
When the official Android 4.1 update began rolling out for the DROID RAZR HD and DROID RAZR MAXX HD, my Twitter feed was filled with people flabbergasted that Motorola had managed to keep to their time frame. As we’ve seen in the past, that’s not always that easy to do (for any company), so it was good to see the big ‘M’ following through. So, for anyone out there who purchased the upgraded versions of the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX, the brand new software was a welcomed addition.
This is where too many devices poses a problem, though. One instance, out of many. You see, late last year, back in November, Motorola and Verizon worked together to launch the DROID RAZR. It was running Android 2.3.x when it launched, better known as Gingerbread. Then, in January, Verizon and Motorola launched the DROID RAZR MAXX. It, too, landed on store shelves with Gingerbread out of the box. However, both devices were updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in June of this year, which meant that owners of the devices were now closer to being “up to date,” but not really at the same time.
(After all, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was already out and about, and Android 4.2 was right around the corner.)
I will admit that Motorola updated the DROID RAZR MAXX pretty quickly, which is great, but that can only count for so much when it’s still out of date. And, for me, personally, while I can make a case that being up to date doesn’t matter that much, Android 4.1 has Google Now, and that’s a feature that everyone should have.
So, my Twitter feed. The DROID RAZR HD and DROID RAZR MAXX HD were getting Android 4.1, but the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX were seemingly left to wait. I had several people on my list reaching out to Verizon and Motorola, asking as nicely as they could when their devices would be seeing the Android 4.1 update. After all, they’re able to run them, right? They came out first . . . So why wouldn’t they already have the update? Or, at the very least, be getting updated right after the newest devices?
As it stands right now, since October in fact, Motorola has the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX listed as “will be upgraded to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).” No dates, or anything even remotely specific that owners can bank on. It’s just there, with, “Yes, your phone will be updated. But, don’t hold your breath.” That’s not something new to Android updates, of course. Still, I understand why it would be frustrating to owners of those particular devices.
Oddly enough, I think it was the update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich that delayed the update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX. With Motorola working on that 4.0 update for the devices, there had to be a delay before work could start on getting the devices optimized for the newer software. So, you can have nice things, but not too many at once. Wouldn’t want to spoil you!
Motorola did a great job upgrading the DROID RAZR HD and DROID RAZR MAXX HD. They get a lot of points for those two devices. (No, it isn’t Android 4.2, but we can’t get too nit-picky here, can we?) But I know there are still a lot of people out there who own the DROID DRAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX who would like nothing more than to have a date they could tentatively circle on their calendar for when they can expect their next software update.
You know what would be an awesome bonus, though? Something that could potentially make owners of those devices not mind waiting all that much? If Motorola announced, unexpectedly, that they would be getting bumped up to Android 4.2! Now, that would earn so many brownie points!
Do you own the DROID RAZR or DROID RAZR MAXX? If so, did you try to reach out to Motorola or Verizon to find out when you’d be getting the Android 4.1 update? Or, are you perfectly content with your Ice Cream Sandwich that you don’t much care about Jelly Bean? Let me know!
