A Counterpoint Research recently ranked your favorite smartphone vendor as the worst among the top 10 device makers in the world when it comes to rolling out software updates.
“High-priced devices are often updated first, but having the latest software is as important to mid and low-priced products as it is to flagship devices,” says Research Analyst Abhilash Kumar. However, brands like Tecno, whose parent company commands a massive 37.4% of the African market, lag behind because they have “broad portfolios, mostly in the sub-$200 [Kshs 20,000] segment, and the lifecycle of their models tends to be short.”
According to Kumar, products like Tecno Mobile’s “often transition from launch to end-of-life in as little as six months, which means they have less incentive to provide long-term updates,” something we can truly attest to with the recent launch of the Camon 12 series, the third refresh in about a year and a half.
These revelations, kings and queens, couldn’t be more perfect, if you ask me.
Admittedly, Tecno Mobile has captured the market with their devices that have carefully been crafted to target buyers at various price points. However, the company has always struggled in one major area that is software updates.
Sure, they did wow owners of the Spark 3 Pro, including yours truly, with a beta update to Android Q back in May, but until today, the original build hasn’t received any updates. Even more annoying is that the company isn’t saying anything about it, something I have already thrown tantrums about in an earlier post.
Oppo’s Realme, a very popular brand in India, recently admitted that the Realme 3 Pro won’t be receiving any update to its initial Android Q build that came out in May alongside the Spark 3 Pro. Instead, those uninterested in the old beta can roll back to the latest Pie stable as they wait for the stable update to Android 10.
Is that too much to ask, Tecno?
The Tecno Spot forum is full of disgruntled owners of various Tecno Mobile devices venting their anger at the Chinese company with what they feel is neglecting their devices with respect to software updates. Some say they’ve never seen a single update for over a year, which is pretty shocking given that even the Nokia 1 is set to be upgraded to Android 10.
It’s no wonder Nokia tops the Counterpoint Research with 96% of its devices currently running Android 9 Pie. The Nokia 8.1 is also set to open the floodgates for other Nokia devices to receive Android 10 in the coming weeks.
In comparison, Tecno Mobile comes last on the list with a mere 5% of its devices running Android Pie. The majority is still on Android Oreo (47%) and a good number are running Nougat, Marshmallow, and Lollipop. Heck, there’s even some room for KitKat users, so yea, the story speaks for itself.
It’s unlikely that any Tecno device still on Nougat and older versions will be receiving any OS update. While several of those using devices with Oreo are expecting updates to Android Pie, Tecno hasn’t given any indication that it is actually working on these updates.
The company’s rush to add the Spark 3 Pro to Android Q beta program was seen as a mockery to the many users waiting for updates to Android Pie. Below are some of the comments in the forums.
Hahahaha people have been asking for pie for their phones.
I guess it’s true what they say you don’t support your other phones you gotta buy a new one to be at an advantage (to enjoy new features) what a waste ???
A big joke, most of their devices are yet to get pie update and they are here talking about Android Q beta. Funny bunch.
One obviously unhappy forum member by the name Kuss08 seems emotionally hurt by Tecno’s actions of denying his Tecno Camon X Pro regular updates and restoring fonts that went missing for several devices in a previous update.
I have owned a Tecno device. My relationship with them ends. Well, it might not affect them. But it will ease my life from the heartache that is poor customer care. My Camon X Pro has been one of the best phone devices I have held, but it will be my last one, unfortunately. Not out of my will, but because Tecno has refused to restore fonts, update devices to latest Android and allow old model phone users to experience a better HIOS. To enjoy all those one must buy a newly released device.
Goodbye Tecno. I will be moving on to Huawei.
As I write this, I’m thinking about rolling back my Spark 3 Pro to Android Pie now that there seems to be zero progress in the development of the initial Android Q beta. At this rate, the stable Android 10 may arrive in 2020.
Tecno Mobile needs to step up with software updates and do a better job. This is especially since other players that have been closing in on the African market with equally value phones akin to Tecno’s are doing better in this aspect, among them the aforementioned Nokia, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, and even Vivo, which arrived in Kenya a few weeks ago.
Tecno might be taking advantage of the low consumer awareness by further not talking about software updates, but this won’t last forever.
