Vivo Oreo update: All news about Android 8.0 OTA

Vivo can produce really good phones, with a software that’s more solid that you’d hope for. But, there is something that Vivo clearly doesn’t like: Software updates. Err, some correction, actually not the whole of software update stuff, as they do provide you bug fixes from time to time — it’s just that they don’t seem to think it’s a nice idea to provide their users Android OS version update.

Look at any phone they have released in last two years, whether that be a premium one from them, or a mid- to low-budget one — they device hasn’t received a bump in Android version from the one it was released on.

They could launch the device in 2017 with Android 6.0 on-board — for perspective, know that Android 7.0 was released by Google in October 2016 — and would still not update it to Android 7.0 no matter what.

And the same company would seem it fitting to release some phones with Android 7.0 — heck, they even have phone with Android 7.1.1 and Android 7.1.2 pre-installed, of course with full integrated custom skin of theirs, the FunTouch OS, but they won’t release these upgraded builds to devices with Android 6.0 or Android 7.0.

If it’s confusing, then that’s because it is. No explanation really! Actually, there’s is a good explanation.

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But jump into real world scenario, and you do find some really practical and believable reasons behind Vivo opting for such an software update policy. For one, not-so-techy users seriously do not want updates. Mainly updates that changes things — and Android version updates (that we just love) are all about changing things.

The majority of users in countries where Vivo has huge presence or wants to grow its market, do not want updates that change the way phone used to work. And they aren’t wrong — in any gathering I go to where people know about my Android thing, I find myself mostly surrounded by people wanting to know how to disable software update notification because they don’t want it, or how to roll back to previous software because the phone was better before update.

I think Vivo completes understand that most people do not want their devices changed after an update, hence they are intentionally staying away from preparing and pushing out major updates for their phones, flagship or not.

Personally, I think they have got it right. If you want regular updates with new features and stuff, buy a phone from OEM that believes in it — you can look at OnePlus 5, which is a phone from Vivo’s sister concern, the OnePlus. yes, there is a company called BBK Electronics in China, that owns Vivo, OnePlus, and one more smartphone name you have heard of, Oppo.

It’s not uncommon between Chinese OEMs to take a hard stance on software updates. For example, even though Xiaomi kind-of has a weekly update program, but they won’t release more than one Android version upgrade version for their latest devices.

Of course, you also have Huawei that does only one major Android OS update, which is why our Huawei Oreo rollout roadmap doesn’t feature a ton of devices under the Android 8.0 supported list, but really, this is in stark contrast to what non-Chinese OEMs like Motorola, Samsung, Motorola and LG do, and is expected of them. They do give you two major updates on not only their premium devices, but also some more. For example, the Verizon Galaxy Tab E Nougat update is now rolling out, which is incredible given that the tablet was launched with Android 5.1.1, and was updated to Marshmallow last year.

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Vivo Android 8.0 update list

Give the above, which gives you a solid view of what Vivo thinks about software update, it’s fair enough to say that we do not expect any devices in Vivo’s current lineup to receive Android Oreo. That, of course, is subject to any surprise that Vivo can throw at us — like announcing the Oreo update for its Vivo V7 Plus, or X 20, or even X9 handsets.

The only way you could get Android 8.0 on Vivo phones is by buying the phone that comes pre-installed with Oreo, and right now, as on October 9, there is no such handset. That’s said, there software on Android 7.0 (or 7.1.1/7.1.2) is already solid and stable, which means you cannot factor Oreo as the deciding factor in buying, or not buying, a Vivo phone.

Having used Vivo V7 Plus for the past few weeks, I can attest to the phone performing super fast on their FunTouch OS 3.2 build, which runs atop Android 7.1.2 on this particular smartphone.

So, there is no device on the list of Vivo smartphones which would be receiving Android 8.0 Oreo update.