What you need to know
- Motorola has quietly added a new support document for “What’s New in Android 14,” hinting at the update’s imminent release.
- Razr Plus 2024 and Razr 2024 users have started to see Android 14 appear on their devices, although not all device owners have received the update.
- Android 14 will arrive on Motorola foldables starting in 2023, roughly a year after they were first unveiled and just days after the new Razr phones were revealed.
Motorola recently unveiled its next-generation foldable phones, which are set to launch this month: The Razr Plus 2024 and the Razr 2024Those devices will launch with Android 14, but when Motorola showed them off, the current-generation Razr Plus 2023 and Razr 2023 were still stuck on Android 13. The company is finally changing that, as the Android 14 update is rolling out to some Razr owners about a year after their phones first launched.
Several users have seen the Android 14 update appear on their Razr Plus or Razr phones over the past few days, but it’s not rolling out to all devices at this time (via 9a5Google). YTechB I also noticed that Motorola quietly released a Supporting document Explaining what’s new in Android 14 for the Razr 40 Ultra. This is what the Razr Plus is called outside of North America.
“Better late than never” is one way to look at Motorola’s slow pace in supporting Android 14 on the Razr Plus and Razr. Another viewpoint could be that the lack of urgency in updating Motorola’s foldable flagship is just another reason not to rely on the company’s software support. Android Central editor Derrek Lee has been using the Razr Plus 2023 as a daily-use device for the better part of the past year, and It has been a somewhat mixed experience.Software compatibility, in particular with Android 14 but also with the Gemini app, is a key aspect when using the Razr Plus 2023.
Now that the Android 14 update is rolling out to Motorola’s 2023 line of foldable phones, it feels like a bug has been fixed. But at the same time, I’m not sure this justifies Motorola’s slow pace of rollout of the update. For reference, the 2023 Moto G Stylus 5G received the Android 14 update before the 2023 Razr Plus, and the former phone is a budget device that sold for $400. What’s the point of paying for premium Motorola phones if those customers aren’t a priority?
I finally received the Android 14 update on my RAZR after several months of waiting 🥲🙌🏽 of r/razr
Motorola promises that the 2023 Razr Plus will have three years of full OS updates and four years of bi-monthly security patches. The company is delivering on the first OS update of that promise with Android 14, and it may yet hold up its end of the bargain. I’m not sure if this is what Razr owners imagined when they bought their smartphone, though.
The Razr phones are already in a strange situation since they were introduced in the summer months, with most of us already waiting for the next Android update. The Razr Plus 2023 and Razr 2023 launched with Android 13, with Android 14 arriving just a few months later. This same scenario will play out for the Razr Plus 2024 and Razr 2024, which will launch with Android 14 a few months earlier. Android 15 debuts.
The problem wouldn’t be so bad if Motorola released Android updates quickly. In fact, even though Samsung launched its foldable phones after Motorola, this release schedule hasn’t been a problem. It’s only a problem because Motorola takes so long to roll out Android updates. If I were a prospective buyer of the 2024 Razr Plus and thought that Motorola wouldn’t be able to give that phone Android 15 until July 2025, that would certainly influence my purchasing decision.
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At first glance, it’s easy to criticize Motorola for not providing efficient, reliable, and extensive software support for its premium smartphones. But it’s never that simple. In its effort to bring Android 14 to its 2023 foldable phone lineup, Motorola made a lot of good decisions. For starters, it decided to bring some of the new software features that debuted on the 2024 Razr Plus to the current 2023 Razr Plus. These features will be available on current models from now on, and that’s before The new models are now available for purchase.
The list of new features includes improved cover screen software, new panels, and better fonts. Motorola also added an always-on display and the ability to use the camera flash to indicate unread notifications. That’s not to mention all the core Android 14 features that Google added to the Android Open Source Project build that Motorola’s MyUX is based on.
It’s not a given that companies will push new software features designed for newer phones into older ones. In fact, Motorola might be better off bundling exclusive features into 2024 models to make them better value for money or a more compelling upgrade. Of course, the fact that they haven’t done so should be commended. There’s no technical reason why these improvements couldn’t run on the 2023 Razr Plus, and it’s nice that they’re moving to that model with Android 14.
This only further complicates the software situation. On one hand, Motorola’s slow rollout of Android 14 should be an immediate red flag for those considering purchasing one of its newer phones. On the other hand, adding the Razr Plus 2024’s features to the Razr Plus 2023 with an update is a consumer-friendly move that Motorola deserves credit for. At the end of the day, buyers need to decide whether Motorola’s updates are worth the wait because speed and longevity are not the company’s strong suits.