Motorola Razr Fold will get new replace, however Android 17 continues to be lacking

For a cellphone that prices almost $2,000, the Motorola Razr Fold has been getting some moderately budget-friendly therapy within the software program division. Homeowners have watched cheaper and older Motorola handsets transfer to Android 17 whereas their newer, premium foldable stays on Android 16. A contemporary replace is lastly arriving, nevertheless it isn’t the one they’ve been ready for.

A latest Reddit thread reveals the Razr Fold receiving software program model W3WBS36.36-123-2-1, whereas the carrier-locked Verizon mannequin is receiving model W3WBS36.36-123-5-1 with the October 2026 safety patch. Nevertheless, as a substitute of delivering Android 17, the replace is one other upkeep launch primarily based on Android 16, a lot to the frustration of homeowners hoping for a serious Android improve.

The replace isn’t solely unwelcome. The Razr Fold had been caught on the August 2026 safety patch, so the newer safety fixes are a much-needed enchancment. However for a cellphone that prices a small fortune, receiving one other safety replace whereas cheaper Motorola gadgets are already working Android 17 is hardly the software program expertise homeowners anticipated.

That’s the place Motorola’s rollout technique will get complicated. The corporate has already delivered Android 17 to the Razr Extremely 2025, whereas extra reasonably priced fashions, together with the Edge 60 Fusion and Edge 60 Professional, have additionally obtained the secure improve. In the meantime, its significantly dearer book-style foldable stays on Android 16.

The absence of Android 17 is especially puzzling as a result of the Razr Fold joined Motorola’s beta program months in the past. In a response to customers on Reddit, its assist workforce pointed to the extra work wanted to optimize Android 17 for the Razr Fold’s two shows, significantly multitasking and transitions between the quilt and inside screens. The corporate additionally stated testing was nonetheless underway, although it didn’t verify when the secure launch shall be prepared. That’s from two weeks in the past, although.

In fact, foldable software program comes with challenges that standard smartphones don’t face. However these challenges aren’t precisely a shock for a corporation promoting a premium foldable. And whereas there’s no purpose to hurry an unstable replace, Motorola’s determination to prioritize less expensive gadgets makes the Razr Fold’s place within the rollout tougher to defend.

An even bigger query additionally hangs over Motorola’s latest flagship, the $1,600 Signature 27. The corporate is promising as much as seven main Android upgrades, a formidable dedication on paper. However the Razr Fold’s scenario highlights one thing patrons ought to contemplate past the variety of promised upgrades: how lengthy they’ll even have to attend for them.

For now, the Razr Fold is getting the safety consideration it badly wants, however Android 17 continues to be lacking. Motorola has already demonstrated that it could actually ship the replace to different gadgets. The query is why one in every of its most costly telephones continues to be ready in line.