Motorola’s poor software support may be on purpose

It’s hard to quantify how frustrated I’ve been with Motorola over the past few years. We’re desperate for smartphone competition in the United States; Google seems unable to mount a coherent challenge, while LG left us in the middle of the night. And while some overseas phones are cool, they pose a problem for most state carriers, leaving us without much choice outside of Samsung phones — again.




Motorola seemed poised to offer some hope with the Razr’s impressive new hardware, but the company seems to be plagued by an old nemesis: lack of software support. At first, I wondered how he could dig up something so basic. Then another thought entered: What if it’s about people who don’t care about updates? If you want an update, buy the next phone. This saves the company money and a segment of the public won’t care, but I have complaints.

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Updates aren’t just about security

I want a smooth experience

While timely patches for exploits are appreciated, they are no longer the sole function of software updates. Companies use them to optimize devices over time to keep them running well.

Despite its problems, Google did a fantastic job dialing in the first generation of Tensor chips in the year after its launch. The Pixel 6 was a disaster at launch, marred by overheating issues and poor battery life. And while they couldn’t take away the initial pain, software updates helped save what could have been much worse for owners.

Motorola needs to give us a reason to believe that spending over $1,000 on one of its products is a good idea. I realize it’s the Razr’s 20th anniversary, but the phone economics have changed a bit in that time.


Phones no longer cost $200 with a two-year contract with a carrier. What was once almost a disposable product is now a major investment for most people. We deserve to have that financial commitment protected, and software updates maintain performance, fix problems, and preserve value when it’s time to trade in or resell.

It’s hard to defend yourself

We are not seeing the money

An argument for the lack of software support could be made if Motorola lowered its prices. If the new Razr+ came out at $800 to match the rumored $1,100 price of the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6, there would at least be some discussion. I still wouldn’t agree, but for casual users who like the style of the Razr+ and don’t really care about updates, it might make a case.


But we’re not seeing any of that money. Last time I checked, I didn’t wake up and wear a Motorola shirt to work and my last paycheck didn’t have any company branding on it, so the end of Motorola isn’t my concern. It takes a subtle lack of awareness to deny cost-cutting features but still charge full price for your products.

Some might draw a line between Motorola’s aggressive sales throughout the year and the money saved from software updates. Maybe, but devices like the Motorola Edge are overpriced to begin with and the Razr+ (2023) doesn’t have the raw power of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The company doesn’t get a gold star for lowering product prices to where they should have been already .

It has been a trend

Motorola wasn’t exactly a straight-A student


Unfortunately, Motorola has been terrible with updates for as long as I can remember. I’m confident that my ThinkPhone will get all the promised improvements, but I’ll probably be applying for Social Security benefits when Android 15 hits the devices. The promised bi-monthly patches shouldn’t take more than 90 days to deliver, and it’s disgusting that buyers have to go to Reddit and other forums to ask for updates after waiting a year or more.

Motorola’s lack of updates is particularly concerning given its heralded AI efforts. Moto AI promises to bring various improvements like Magic Canvas and Style Sync, allowing you to match the theme of your phone with your current outfit. As AI seems to evolve daily, Motorola may find itself quickly behind the curve, quickly overtaken by the likes of Samsung Galaxy AI and Google Gemini.

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It must matter to you

And I will fight even if you don’t want to

You don’t have to understand or care about how anti-lock brakes work for them to work properly and improve the safety of your car. Similarly, you don’t have to worry about updates as they are important to provide a better overall phone experience.

Even if you’re getting a Razr+ purely for your style, you’re no less entitled to quality software than the hardcore enthusiasts who dig patch notes when updates are released. If Moto doesn’t put these savings back into our wallets, it doesn’t get a pass that offers less than the competition for the same money.

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