The Motorola Moto Z4 will get Android Q, but not Android R

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Nowadays, how well an OEM performs in the software experience front is a testament to the quality of their devices. After all, we’ve seen countless examples in the past of how software can make or break a smartphone. Of course, a key part of this software experience is consistent updates. One OEM that used to have the crown here is Motorola. Back in 2013-2014, when Motorola was part of Google, it was notorious for its close-to-stock Android software and timely, Nexus-like update support. After the Lenovo acquisition, the company has taken a nosedive in terms of updates and now it sounds like the latest victim is the Moto Z4.

Moto Z4 XDA Forums

While under Google the company provided up to 2 years of updates to all phones in their range, Lenovo-owned Motorola has only kept that promise for the flagship phones, leaving midrange devices and everything else under it with just 1 year of updates, and in the case of lower-end phones, it might not even get an update whatsoever. Now, it seems that Motorola is cutting back on that promise. The Motorola Moto Z4, which was first thought to be the company’s flagship, will only get one major Android OS version update. Since the Moto Z4 launched with Android Pie, this means that it will get Android Q, but that’s it.

Motorola confirmed to Digital Trends that only one version update is planned for the Moto Z4. The “planned” phrasing does leave the door open for the possibility of more updates after that, but we wouldn’t hold out for it.

This is in stark contrast to other companies such as OnePlus, which now offers up to 3 years of major updates: they have released Android Pie for the OnePlus 3/3T and have confirmed Android Q for the OnePlus 5/5T. Google also offers 3 years of updates for their own devices. Given how this is supposed to be Motorola’s higher-end offering (since there is no Moto Z4 with a Snapdragon 855 SoC), and how Motorola uses near stock Android, there is no excuse for offering just one year of updates.

What do you think?

Source: DigitalTrends