GoKawiilRyan Haines / Android Authority
I’ve been reviewing Motorola devices for a long time — practically since I started here at Android Authority. In that time, I’ve seen significant growth and improvement, from reintroducing the Razr series (twice) to leveling up the Moto G family. And, while I’ve found a lot to praise in that time, I’ve never shied away from a few of Motorola’s more persistent issues.
Of course, Motorola has been fairly responsive to my concerns (and those of others) over its last few generations, so my list of persistent issues has dwindled to just one remaining. If you’ve read any of my recent reviews, you’ll know what’s coming, but here’s what Motorola needs to improve as we head into a new year.
Yes, you guessed it: More software updates
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
I mean, it really is this simple. Until Motorola brings its Android update commitment in line with its closest rivals, it will be tough for me to recommend buying a Razr, an Edge, or especially a Moto G. There’s just no way I can sit here and tell you to spend up to flagship money on a phone with half the shelf life of its closest competitors. Unfortunately, that’s not an exaggeration, either — there are Galaxy A devices that will get double the Android support of the $1,300 Motorola Razr Ultra.
So, for everyone’s sake, Motorola needs to make a change. Even if it’s not completely revolutionizing the Moto G series with six or seven years of support, it at least needs to provide three years of Android updates and four (or possibly five) years of security patches, which the current flagships receive. That Razr Ultra, though… that top-shelf foldable needs top-shelf support. Anything less than six years when you’re spending more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max costs is simply unacceptable.
The price of one Razr Ultra update is more than double its top Android rivals.
I, of course, know that an improved update commitment isn’t as easy as simply waving a hand. I know that doubling the length of support would put quite a bit of ask on the development team, which might stretch the rock-bottom price of something like the Moto G Play (2026). Honestly, I think it would be worth it.
Right now, you’d pay just $179 for that phone with its two Android updates and three years of software support. If you were to bump the price to an even $200 and add one or two more updates, you’d actually drop the cost per update, enabling the phone to stay current and remain in your pocket for longer. Maybe Motorola wouldn’t be able to sell you on a new phone as quickly, but it would build a better relationship through the one that’s already in your pocket.
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