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Droid Bionic Owners Deserve Some Android 4.0 Answers Too

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Last week, I wrote a post wherein I unleashed my anger about the whole situation surrounding the silence in regards to the HTC ThunderBolt Android 4.0 update. I argued that HTC and Verizon both owe answers to ThunderBolt owners in regards to the update. I don’t care if it’s about the update not ever coming out for the device, the ThunderBolt should have been at the forefront of the Android 4.0 announcement that HTC made last week.

Same goes for the Motorola Droid Bionic.

Yes, folks, there is another phone whose launch was nearly on par with the disaster that was the HTC Thunderbolt’s.

The phone I speak of is the Droid Bionic that was released in September 2011 after a lengthy, lengthy delay. The Droid Bionic was the first 4G LTE device to hit Verizon’s network with a dual-core processor on board.

Droid Bionic Owners Deserve Some Android 4.0 Answers TooIf you recall, the first phones released on Verizon’s 4G LTE network were lacking in the spec department, HTC ThunderBolt included, and that’s why the Droid Bionic was such a hot topic. It had 4G LTE and it had the internals.

It seemed destined for greatness.

Thing is, Motorola and Verizon completely blundered the launch.

The Droid Bionic was originally announced at CES 2010 with a release projected for just before summer. However, due to some still unexplained mystery, Motorola re-designed the phone and released it way beyond its original release date.

We’re talking months and months later.

And then it arrived.

And we loved it.

The Droid Bionic is a solid phone.

(Read: Motorola Droid Bionic review.)

Soon though, it became clear that the delayed release had thrown a wrench in Motorola and Verizon’s release cycle as a new device, which later turned out to be the Motorola Droid RAZR, was soon rumored for launch.

For launch? A month after Motorola and Verizon launched the Droid Bionic and subsequently flooded TV and the web with tons of advertisements promoting the power of the Droid Bionic?

Really?

Yes.

The Motorola Droid RAZR launched on November 11th, 2011, at 11:11am.

If I had bought a Droid Bionic, I would have fainted in disbelief. And then I would have awoke stark raving mad, ready to storm into the local Verizon retail store demanding an upgrade or refund, neither of which the employees would give me.

Thing is, I didn’t buy a Droid Bionic but I know people that did. Just like I know people who own the HTC ThunderBolt.

What I am getting at is that I believe that these two phone should be the first Android devices upgraded to Android 4.0. I’m serious. You saw what Apple did after people started complaining about the antenna on the iPhone 4, a problem that exists in all smartphones.

It took care of its customers.

Motorola (and HTC) should do the same.

Back in October, Motorola said that it would share the timing of the Droid Bionic’s Android 4.0 update after Google released the latest version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

What have we seen since the release of Android 4.0 and the Galaxy Nexus?

Silence.

The same silence that HTC is treating its ThunderBolt owners to.

Droid Bionic owners deserve better.

Customers deserve better.

I said that better communication was one of the things I wanted from mobile tech in 2012 and so far, I am seeing a bunch of excuses and the same culprits at work.

Sure, both HTC and Motorola have pledged better and more timely smartphone releases for 2012 but both companies still have to deliver some answers about phones from 2011 if they expect anyone to buy into the future. I for one am going to have a tough time buy a phone from either company this year.

Am I blowing this out or proportion?

Or do any of you feel the same way?

Hopefully Motorola (and HTC) give us some new, concrete information soon.

21 Comments

21 Comments

  1. ZacHastings

    02/13/2012 at 3:40 pm

    You are absolutely spot on! I am a Bionic owner and you hit the nail on the head. We got the Bionic, giddy, happy little owners and then a month later, the rug gets pulled out from under us with the Razr release and we are stuck with a buggy, problem laden phone and no compassion from either Verizon or Motorola. I’m livid as an owner. But then comes the salve from both Verizon and Motorola saying not to worry. The Bionic wasn’t as smooth as it should have been but they are going to make a mend with it by providing us with ICS very soon and to stand by for further information. (insert the sound of crickets here) As you said, I’m now VERY leery to move forward with another Verizon/Motorola purchase. I’ve had Motorola phones since day one. The original Razr, followed by the Q, then the original Droid, and now this Bionic. I’ve never had any issues until this phone. My feeling is, Motorola is putting out far too many phones a year and Verizon is not ready, nor capable of handling the increase, especially on the highly touted 4G/LTE. My advice to them is slow down with the phone roll outs, 2 a year, tops and get focused back on what made us love them in the first place – excellent customer service. It’s a novel concept but it’s one we have GOT to get back to!

    • Brant

      02/17/2012 at 8:51 pm

      Bionic is better than RAZR, RAZR is wider (bigger) but the screen is smaller than bionic battery too, and Bionic has had more updates RAZR is probably more buggy being a newer phone, that’s how it works folks.

  2. Tvdinsmore

    02/13/2012 at 5:14 pm

    I agree, even if they told us it would be XX months it would be better than what we have now.  I have news for Moto and Verizon.  If for some reason I don’t get my upgrade I will take them both to small claims court.  I bought the Droid Bionic based on the advertisements that they Moto and Verizon would be upgrading the Droid Bionic.

    • Jbell

      02/14/2012 at 3:30 pm

      i never seen those ads….plus no phone besides the nexus has ICS…

      EVERYONE…lets be patient now.  I love my bionic without ICS, so when ICS comes (as it will) it will be even better.

  3. Anonymous

    02/13/2012 at 5:20 pm

  4. Thuan Kong

    02/14/2012 at 6:25 am

    That’s why I dumped Moto, HTC and Verizon.  I’m on AT&T and Apple, and couldn’t be happier!

    • Bill_jones12

      02/14/2012 at 3:31 pm

      wow jumped from the frying pan into the fire.  PROUD OF YOU!!

    • Brant

      02/17/2012 at 8:54 pm

      And you get updates ~once a year still, and iPhone is always 2 years behind Android in non UI features like tag reading and voice, lol

    • phontek642

      05/30/2012 at 7:09 pm

      Wow hows your 4G service on that iPhone?? I bet its real fast on the downloads…ENJOY!!

  5. Anonymous

    02/14/2012 at 6:27 am

     https://lnk.co/IHOTL

  6. Joshua

    02/14/2012 at 2:00 pm

    I have lost all faith in Motorola products and starting to loose it with Verizon Wireless too. I will never own another Moto product and will most likely ditch my Razr for the SIII and AT&T when it comes out. LTE for VZW is too soon for them and too many problems. I live in a major 4G LTE market, no excuse for the drop outs I get on my phone.

  7. Pdfrogs

    02/14/2012 at 3:31 pm

    I have to disagree with your article because none of the other Verizon phones have been upgraded to ice yet so as far as you saying that there’s silence when it comes to the bionics upgrade, its actually perfectly normal. You for not want, neither moto or Verizon talking about specific dates when the update is not ready. Good things come to all that are patient and eventually the bionic along with the razrs and the tablets will get ics so why don’t you just give them a break. As far as Verizon not having the best Lte network in the states is pure BS. Nor art or sprint or even T-Mobile are close enough to have the kind of 4g coverage that the big red has.. I’m happy with Verizon and motor and for now I’m happy with 2.3.6 and ill be waiting patiently for ics.

  8. Mrml4l

    02/14/2012 at 9:41 pm

    I just want to run stock android. I want a east option to do so. Every android device should be able to run stock android at the press of a button.

    • firesun

      07/03/2012 at 7:54 pm

      I agree with this!!!! I want the updates when Google rolls them out, Not when motor and vzw says there version is ready!!

  9. Wishuknew

    02/15/2012 at 7:11 pm

    I think that they are delaying ICS for 2 main reasons.  First, in the android hacking world ( which i am proud to be in) there are people chomping at the bit to get their CM9 for their phones.  Myself included, They have released a source code, but not all the applications for the new and improved ICS.  I belive that they are trying to do is to encrypt so much, that even the boys at ASOP cant crack googles handywork.  Don’t get me wrong, motoblur is a fine operating system, but i love the option of being able to change themes, colors, fonts, whatever i want on my phone.  Second.  They want your revenue.  They need all manufacturers to be able to release a brand new phone cranking out their android 4.0… which means Motorola, HTC, Samsung, all the big guys…You will see a new phone epidemic, soon….as soon as they release android 4.0.   Being a bionic owner, i would love to get 4.0, but i know that CM9 will out do motorola’s operating system, and i will get it anyways…

  10. Ohhellyeslv

    04/14/2012 at 3:10 pm

    I completely and utterly agree. (DROID Bionic)

  11. chris

    06/11/2012 at 7:36 am

    I had the OG moto droid and was extremely happy with it for the time I had it. It was a wonderful phone. I had one major failure on it with in a two year period and verizon took care of me on the spot. If the phone was not stolen I would have it to this day.

    I opted for an upgrade to the iphone 4 based on all the raves. I have had it for little over a year and a half. I guess I am not the majority here but I hate the thing. I have had speaker problems, screen problems, and lost calls. I also hate being tethered to Itunes for System updates. It is really light years behind because there is no 4g, no removable storage, and no removable battery. The screen is great when it works, but it is soo easy to snap the thing. VW sends you to the apple store for any type of repairs. The reason why everyone likes the apple Iphone is because of the wonderful interface. I find it dumbed down somewhat. Also Apple updates happen to fix somethings but break others.

    I just reciently sent in an upgrade to VW and ordered the bionic for free. I like the idea of the battery being removable, storage being removable, and the idea of the 4g. Even with all its problems, android is the way to go. If ICS comes anytime soon it would also be nice… but I would rather it perfected … rather then cause more issues

  12. Vinny

    06/29/2012 at 3:24 pm

    Have my Bionic for 7 months now. The phone has gotten MUCH better over that time due to FW upgrades from Moto. The GPS with Google is the best I’ve ever seen anywhere. The voice recognition is far better than iPhone.

    Why do I NEED to have ICS? I am very satisfied with my Bionic as it is now.

  13. Mark

    07/15/2012 at 2:08 pm

    I’m a Bionic owner and wouldn’t trade it for a RAZR if I could. I particularly like my extended battery, and the Bionic has all I want.

    But I agree with your article. Moto took a trust ding with their Bionic/RAZR gameplay. And if they turn Bionic owners into second class customers (behind RAZR) by delaying ICS, then I will consider Motorola a hardware-push company only, with little interest in software and overall customer satisfaction.

  14. Steve

    07/15/2012 at 6:15 pm

    Verizon and Motorola didn’t just blunder the launch.

    They LIED! I was told by the Verizon salesman last September that 4.0 would be available on the Bionic I was buying the following month.

    Needless to say, that was a baldfaced lie. Having to buy the extended battery so the phone would stay alive over 7 hours was adding insult to injury.

    I used to buy only Motorola phones. But now I know the company cannot be trusted. For all I know, they may have misinformed Verizon. They are certainly taking long enough — they are falling behind the technology curve.

    Perhaps that’s why Apple plays softball with Motorola while using the heavy artillery on Samsung.

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