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Motorola Marketed the Moto E 2015 On Promise of Updates, Stops After 219 Days
An anonymous reader writes: Over the past few years, Motorola has emerged as one of the best manufacturers for low-to-mid-range Android phones. Unlike many other major manufacturers, they keep their version of Android close to stock in order to keep OS updates flowing more easily. When they began marketing the Moto E 2015, updates were one of the features they trumpeted the loudest. But after the company published a list of devices that will continue to get updates, Android Police found the Moto E to be conspicuously absent. The phone launched on February 25, a mere 219 days ago. According to an official Motorola marketing video from launch day, "...we won't forget about you, and we'll make sure your Moto E stays up to date after you buy it."
Moto E is a low end phone. Maybe it doesn't not satisfy the Marshmallow hardware requirements?
The advertising said you would have at least one update. There was one.
The claim was fulfilled that's not false advertising. Specially not for such a cheap phone, that already has Android 5.1
IMO since we're entering the IoE (Internet of Everything) age, I think it's probably worth having some kind of legislation that every company that sells a consumer product that is network connected must provide free security updates for a minimum of 5 years after the device's end of manufacture date (i.e. when the last batch of product hits channel.) If not, we're looking at a new era where the whole world is under a constant threat of botnet DDoS, spam, and identity theft.
This could be enforced with hefty fines and civil liability in the event the device owners are targeted after 90 days of a known exploit and no patch is available. If they can't patch it, then a recall is required. If the company folds, then whoever buys the biggest portion of its assets assumes responsibility. If it folds and nobody buys its assets, then the source code for all components (including signing keys) must be released to an escrow company (no, open sourcing it all isn't practical for various reasons) that can fulfill the security updates for the remainder of the 5 year period. The escrow service would be paid by some kind of insurance (or bond) that must be paid prior to the company being legally allowed to sell network capable products to consumers within the US.