Essential Phone gets Android Pie update ahead of bigger-name rivals
Android Creator Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone, which was the first device to introduce the now ubiquitous display notch, is leading the charge for third-party Android Pie support, with an update ready for day one of its release.
While Apple’s control of its ecosystem means it’s able to deliver the latest version of iOS to all of its devices worldwide more or less simultaneously, Android updates are a much more hit-or-miss affair.
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Google’s own devices, such as the Google Pixel or Google Pixel 2, reliably get the updates when they’re first released, but if you’ve got a phone from a third-party manufacturer, like the Samsung Galaxy S9, then it can take months to see your device updated, and that’s if it gets the recent version at all.
So it’s great to see a manufacturer like Essential get on board with offering the latest updates in a timely fashion. The Verge reports that it’s already been making each beta available within hours of Google’s official release.
Making the Essential Phone a more essential purchase
Then again, Essential needs to work slightly harder these days to convince people its phone is worth buying. With the company reportedly having shelved plans for a second device, and allegedly considering a sell-off, there’s some justified uncertainty about its future.
If it can’t finance releasing a new device on the market, then keeping its current flagship updated might be the company’s best option to drum up sales.
If you’re keeping score, there are a few other devices that have confirmed Android Pie support on the way, including the HTC U11, Moto G6 and OnePlus 6.
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Android Pie isn’t the most dramatic update in the world, but it does offer a few small-yet-significant upgrades for Android users.
Chief amongst them is a new group of ‘Digital Wellbeing’ features which are designed to cut down on the amount of time you waste on your phone, but there are also a host of AI-powered features that are expected to speed up performance and optimise battery usage.
Would speedy updates encourage you to buy an Essential Phone? Let us know @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.