14 DAY TRIAL // While everyone is now concerned whether or not their high-end smartphones will receive the highly anticipated Android 5.0 Lollipop at some point, there are some who will be pleased if their device gets a previous version of the operating system.
Back in January when Huawei showcased the Ascend Mate2 4G at Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Chinese company was a bit confused when asked whether or not the phablet will eventually receive an Android 4.4 KitKat update anytime during the year.
For those unfamiliar with Huawei’s phablet, the Ascend Mate2 4G ships with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box, which is a bit weird considering the smartphone was meant to strengthen Huawei’s position on the US market.
Anyway, the Ascend Mate2 4G made its debut in the US only in June, about six months after its official launch on the market. Obviously, the smartphone would still run Android 4.3 KitKat and Emotion UI 2.0 on top.
Lots of customers purchased the smartphone due to its low price and decent specs sheet, in the hope that Huawei will offer a KitKat update at some point down the line.
Unfortunately, Huawei officially confirmed that Ascend Mate2 would never receive the long-awaited KitKat update and it would remain on Jelly Bean forever. Here is the official statement of Huawei’s Ecommerce team:
“Thank you to all our fans for your continuous support of the Mate2!
“We’ve received word that unfortunately we will not be updating the Mate2 to Android KitKat. Our Mate2 is the first of many products we’ll continue to offer in the coming months, and you can expect superior hardware with the latest software going forward.
“Our team will continue to support and engage with all our fans, and we will continue to monitor all of your feedback and share your feedback with our global teams.
“Thank you again for your support. “
Even though the phablet was launched in the US in June, it will remain on Jelly Bean
Huawei’s decision to skip the Ascend Mate2 from the Android 4.4 KitKat update will definitely bode well for the company’s future plans in the United States.
Lots of Huawei customers in the United States are discontent, to say the least, by the fact that a 2014 product will not be updated to a newer version of Android, although Google is clear that high-end smartphone should receive major OS updates for at least 18 months.
While Huawei seems to avoid explaining the reasons behind its decision, the company’s officials keep saying they have a new lineup of devices waiting to be released in the United States, though we can’t help but wonder who would want to buy another Huawei smartphone in light of the new events.