Let me simply preface this by saying: No, the saga we’re about to dive into is not in any method associated to April Fools’ — so far as I can inform, anyway. After all, we’re initially of May.And but, certainly one of Android’s best-known phone-makers is placing out a brand new machine with such eye-rollingly off-the-mark claims, I am unable to assist however marvel if perhaps they received combined up on months and meant this to be a joke. It’s so hilariously and clearly ironic, I’m simply undecided what else to make of it.So right here it’s: Motorola’s received a brand new business-aimed Android cellphone known as the Motorola ThinkPhone. It’s the primary time the corporate — which has been owned by Lenovo since 2014, when Google broke our hearts and pawned the model off after a wonderful 20 months of management — is bringing a basic Lenovo title into the Motorola and Android area this prominently.And talking of prominence, Moto’s principal messaging across the new ThinkPhone is that it is “the best phone for cybersecurity” — with a “complete suite of security and support features that deliver seamless protection.” Oh, and let’s not neglect in regards to the “software and processes that ensure the security of the entire device,” too.Pardon my cackling. I attempted to maintain a straight face whereas saying all of that — I swear.[Get level-headed Android analysis in your inbox with my Android Intelligence newsletter. Unrestrained honesty and unmatched perspective — guaranteed.] Don’t get me improper: Motorola’s ThinkPhone appears completely good on the skin. It’s definitely a uniquely designed Android machine, and the implementation of the basic ThinkPad styling (together with even a callback to the trademark purple ThinkPad nubbin-thing, by way of the cellphone’s additional {hardware} button) actually is an impressed contact. Motorola
The Motorola ThinkPhone and its trademark purple ThinkPad nubbin-thing.
But Goog almighty, am I the one one who sees the large white elephant within the room subsequent to this factor? The unavoidable Motorola-Android asteriskIn all of the oohing and ahhing early reviewers are doing over the ThinkPhone, I’ve seen a near-total dearth of dialogue across the large honkin’ asterisk any enterprise — and even particular person consumer — can be loopy to not think about with this machine.Plain and easy, Motorola is completely terrible at offering post-sales software program assist to its Android merchandise. Time and time once more, for years now, it is proven us that it merely would not care about supporting its units and placing in even the teensiest effort to get essential present software program updates out in a fairly well timed method.This is not some off-the-cuff, subjective evaluation, both. I’ve been fastidiously monitoring Android upgrades for effectively over a decade now. And with completely no exaggeration, Motorola has been flailing and failing at sending necessary updates to its telephones for ages.And imagine me, we’re not talkin’ slight delays. We’re talkin’ flat-out fails, with the corporate receiving single-digit “F” grades on all of my current Android Upgrade Report Cards — for Android 13, Android 12, Android 11, Android 10, Android 9…the checklist simply retains going. In every of these instances, the corporate didn’t get a single software program replace into the palms of its highest paying prospects effectively over six months after the replace’s launch.With Android 13, we’re now a whopping eight-and-a-half months since that Android model’s arrival — 260 days! — and nonetheless, house owners of flagship-level Moto telephones in America are ready at nighttime, with a now-nearly-19-months-outdated model of the working system on their telephones and no significant data about when final yr’s software program may attain them. As occurs each single time with this cycle, Moto’s boards are overflowing with offended inquiries and requests for refunds from prospects who clearly do not learn this column or they would not have put themselves in that place within the first place.Even Moto telephones that someway earned a spot on Google’s wildly unreliable Android Enterprise Recommended checklist aren’t faring any higher (however that is one other story for an additional day).Now, look, I get it: To an off-the-cuff Android consumer, all of this will seem to be a lot ado about nothing. But anybody who research Android carefully or cares within the least about sustaining an optimum stage of privateness and safety safety on their cellphone is aware of that Android working system updates completely matter for rather more than their surface-level interface enhancements and have additions. The most necessary a part of an Android replace is sort of at all times the under-the-hood enhancements it supplies within the areas of privateness, safety, and in addition efficiency. Virtually each new Android model has a laundry checklist of developments in these areas — essential adjustments that tackle weaknesses, strengthen the software program’s capacity to maintain your knowledge protected, and additional prohibit how apps are capable of work together with all kinds of delicate data.Particularly in a enterprise setting however even simply in a daily ol’ client state of affairs, working a couple of months behind on system updates needs to be regarding. Running effectively over a yr behind — with no clear finish in sight — is totally unacceptable.So after I see Motorola declare its new Android-based ThinkPhone is “the best phone for cybersecurity,” with “software and processes that ensure the security of the entire device,” I am unable to assist however giggle on the sheer absurdity and embarrassing lack of knowledge surrounding that assertion. Unless Motorola have been to make a transparent promise of well timed ongoing software program assist for this cellphone after which truly present us that it is keen and capable of ship — which, to be clear, it has not — the ThinkPhone is gonna be among the many worst Android units on the market for optimum safety and enterprise use. And identical to all of Motorola’s different Android merchandise, it is just about unattainable for anybody who truly understands Android to advocate it as a fair remotely advisable buy.The complete factor could seem to be a weirdly late April Fools’ joke, however you’d higher imagine Motorola is severe. And the individuals who purchase this cellphone definitely aren’t gonna be laughing once we’re six, eight, 16 months after the launch of this yr’s Android 14 replace they usually’re nonetheless ready at nighttime with no phrase on if or when it’d attain them.Get plain-English perspective on all a very powerful Android information with my Android Intelligence e-newsletter. Three issues to know and three issues to attempt each Friday — straight from me to you.
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