Maybe its just me but when Motorola had like 6 months and multiple delays with the DROID Bionic you’d have thought it would be pretty stellar out of the box, and it was (see our review) but it also had a slew of minor bugs and issues that need fixing. Motorola has acknowledges some of these and promised an update in November. Now we are finally getting a small update and while that is good, the November time frame isn’t looking as great.

At least we have an update coming for the many small bug fixes and glitches from the rather long list linked to above. Today a Motorola forums manager has confirmed that as of today the update is being tested and should be available within the next 30 to 60 days — So basically between now and the end of the year. I’m hoping this bug fix update doesn’t see a few delays like the Bionic did, but you never know with these things.

Apparently the acknowledged issues and bug list is quite large and you can see it here. We’d love to hear if any of you are experiencing these problems and what seems to be the biggest on your list, as well as anything not included in that post so we can bring it to attention. Hopefully this update comes on the earlier part of those projections so users wont have text app force closes and those high pitched wines coming from their handsets, just to name a few.

On a more serious note, with that large bug list I can see why the update is taking so long. Maybe they should just skip right to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich because Motorola promised late last month it was coming, they just didn’t say when. We can dream about that right? Motorola recently released the source code for the Bionic so users will be able to try things like CM7 dual-boots and such soon. Stay tuned as we’ll bring you any and all updates on this pending over the air update.

[device id=1476]

[via Droid-Life]

36 COMMENTS

  1. My Bionic is a lemon. The update should be now, it should work, or I should get a full refund. These are not small problems.

  2. Thank goodness..i was ready to go back to my ThunderBolt. App force close especially on the browser itself was reminiscent of the Droid Eris..all 3 of them..that i had. Hope the fix comes sooner than later. Otherwise..incredible device (8

  3. 60 days?  that’s longer than it took them to introduce the razr after unloading the half-baked (but long overcooked) bionic on us

  4. I am very upset about this. I am losing data connectivity several times a day. I have lost emails and use of my apps and visual voicemail services. The togo for Airplane Mode works sporadically as well as powering down. Motorola refuses toadmit to me that there is an issue and keeps telling me to Factory Reset my phone. Verizon says it’s a Motorola problem and they cannot/will not do anything. I paid alot of $$ for this phone, ontop of the case, car kit and the extended battery that they jammed up my a$$ upon release day. This is unnacceptable to me and the fact that Motorola would not try to find a way to reimburse or exchange these phones for working ones is beyond me. Heck, the fact that they won’t even admit to me that there is a problem is pathetic. Now I have a phone I am stuck with for 2 years. rest assured Motorola my next one will not be one of yours. Don (currently and soon to be former Droid, Droid X and Droid Bionic owner)

  5. My droid issues:

    1.  3g to 4g to wifi issues.  When moving from one to the other (ie, leaving home) it’s anyone’s guess what will happen — sometimes it works, sometimes it works eventually, sometimes you need to go in and out of airport mode, and sometimes you power cycle.

    2.  The battery life is shorter, by far, if I am in a 4g area.  IT doesn’t matter than I’m using Wifi indoors; if it’s 4G outside, the battery life can be as short as 6 hours.  Strangely, it seems to be a bit longer if you actually use it for voice while in 4G???

    3.  There were many out of box items that weren’t thought thru that make it less-than-iphone.  IE, how about a BB-style sleep mode?  How about a barcode reader if the cell phone provider is promoting bar code use at Indycar races?  There should have been no reason for me to be looking for new apps and a rootkit on the first day just to get it configured!

    4.  Inconsistent look and feel between apps, but that’s an issue with any FOSS-style O/S.

  6. I am so disappointed in Motorola and this Bionic.  This phone is full of bugs, and to keep us waiting for an update up to 4 months after the phone’s release is unacceptable!  I’m done with Moto.  You should have figured this crap out during your 6 month delay in release.  What a piece of junk phone that I can’t use most of the time.  Who wants to have to cycle between airplane mode on/off to try to restore your data service?  Not me!  

  7. this phone has been a nightmare and nither verizon or motorola will take responsibility…the both say “i have not heard of anyone else having this issue..” regarding the ongoin internet drop…3G/4G CONSTANT switching..the poor battery life…i can see i am 1 of many..the poorest way to maintain a customer is to lye..i have not only lost respect for both motorola nd verizon..i am going to switch providers and will be taken to court before i pay the bill…could care less about my credit..i have everything i need except a cell phone that works as it should…man up and admit there is a mess and reimburse all your customers for the mess you (motorola/verizon) caused int he first place..I HATE MY INTELLEGENCE INSULTED

    • You took the words out of my mouth. Verizon gave me the same bull in regards to the “This is not a known issue with this phone.” Upgrading to the Bionic is the biggest mistake i have made! Phone never has internet connection and the best piece of advice they could give me was to power cycle, go in and out of airplane mode, or leave the phone in 3g. They should reimburse us for these garbage Bionic phones & what we paid as an upgrade fee should be credited towards a new phone. I wouldnt mind paying the difference! I am also experiencing the phone rebooting by itself and at times the screen will freeze & i will have to pull the battery out. This phone has been a nightmare right out of the box!

  8. It could be such a cool phone, but its just not. I don’t understand why this problem is not more widely announced. Why don’t we see it in magazine articles about the phone? I just got my latest laptop magazine, and they give the phone high marks. I don’t think these reviewers are actually trying the phones, except for maybe in the Verizon store. If this was the iPhone this problem would be on the evening news.
    J

  9. The odd thing is, it even seems like the Android community in general does not want to recognize that this phone is so awful. It should not just be the owners of this phone who are pissed off at both the quality of the phone, and the way that Motorola and Verizon are handling it, which is mostly as you say, acting like they are not aware of any problem. If it was a car, it would be recalled, I think that is what should happen.
    Joey

  10. Here is my question.  If they plan on a OTA update to fix all of this, how are we going to get it if no one has connectivity?  Maybe I am missing something

  11. You are all bitc#ing, whining, crying, and complaining about the device having bugs….then when they tell you “we’re working on it and an update will be out within 90 days” you’re all bitc#ing, whining, crying, and complaining about it taking too long. You are the over-fed fat kids that bitc# cause your over-worked mother took too long ordering the wrong pizza. You’re all acting like the kids that we all want to punch when they throw temper tantrums like this in the grocery store (you know…you’ve all been behind that kid in line that is kicking YOUR cart cause he can’t have the lazer pointer pen his mother used to pacify him while waiting) 

    For christ sake, you all want it done and you want it done right, then have patience. Stop kicking carts cause you can’t have what you want and have hit NOW. Would you act like that in a restaurant that cooks your food to order? NO – cause quality takes time. Hush, kids, you can have your cake and eat it to…when it’s ready.

    btw – I own a bionic – switched from the thunderbolt – you should be happy you weren’t a part of THAT nightmare.

    • Justin – quality takes time?  You mean like the months they delayed the phone in the first place, correct?  People are upset because they spent hard earned money on an expensive product.  Motorola could have mitigated this issue by pushing out some of the more crucial fixes on their own instead of packaging them and delaying the onset.  On a personal level I’m missing email alerts from customers and their servers.  Instead of broadly labeling everyone as brats take a couple deep breaths like some of the others that are over reacting. 

      • Well said, nonyas, I thank you for your civility in response. My rant came from being overwhelmed by looking through threads to find useful info on the update or work arounds but finding 90% “WTF! OMG! GAYZZ!!”

        I am just as upset as the rest, but flooding threads with useless complaints is not making matters any better or making it come quicker. THAT was my point. The only place folks need to vent is on the Motorola Owners Forum where moto actually looks for complaints and reports. Not on androidcommunity.com, androidcentral.com, andgeeks.com, or any other forum. 

        Again, Thank you for your well worded response.

      • Very intelligent response, there, XJ. A well spoken counter point. Now, when you finish high school, let’s debate this matter as adults. Until then, don’t you have homework to do instead of reading about the bionic update?

  12. Where’s the update for the black screen freeze (coma as I call it) that can only be resolved by pulling the battery?  The entire phone gets hot and quickly drains the battery.

  13. Wow, a bunch of cry babies.  I have a Bionic.  Does it have a few bugs?  Yeah of course, just like any other new device would.  I mean for petes sake, take a look at the Iphone 4s its buggy and thats coming from a company and following that has always said its products werent buggy.  It happens!  Now if the bug fix doesnt fix the bugs (like the iphone 4s’s) then start whining and crying about it.  Mine works fine with the minor bugs.   

  14. Sorry to bring bad new but i talked to moto friday night and they stated to me there will be no bug fixes for the bionic till the launch of ice cream sandwhich . the bionic has been confirmed now of getting such update!!!!!!

    • My bionic worked FINE until 2 Sunday’s ago. The day after the time change, the battery drained from 100% to 0 in less than 7 hours. Up until then I was able to use it ALL day, 10-12 hours, and still have 50-60% battery left. It’s also been dropping 3G constantly. Sometimes for hours. Nothing will help. Turn it off and on. Take out battery. Nothing. Also, in addition to now getting less than 6 hours of battery time- (and that is whether I even USE the phone or NOT. It’ll drain to 0 just SITTING there) it also gets extremely hot. It didn’t do that before. I got a battery app and when it’s on and cool(like it used to be normally) it’s running around 86 degrees. When I notice it’s hot, I check, and it’s been up to 107. Just SITTING there!!! WTF???? They need to fix whatever the hell is wrong, and fast!!!! Im tempted to take my original droid back in and have it reactivated….

  15. Airplane mode disabled my 4G on my Bionic and kept me from accessing the internet for the last 24 hrs. I didn’t know this was the issue until I called Verizon.  They said to turn airplane mode on for at least a minute and then turn it off.  This solved the problem but I expected more reliable access than this.  I wonder how many times I have to cycle the airplane mode in the future?

  16. I had battery issues. . . my Bionic would just shut down and I couldn’t even turn it on again without pulling the battery.  Had the whole phone replaced, and that solved that problem.  But now I lose data connectivity on a regular basis.  It doesn’t matter if I’m in 3G or 4G areas.  Internet connectivity is very undependable.  Airplane mode is disabled.  I’m really bummed!

  17. I have many of the same issues that most of you are experiencing. I, too, waited a long time for this phone’s release. Motorola is a customer of mine and I wanted to be loyal. In addition to the aforementioned bug and problem…..things as simple as the quality of the basic phone is horrible. I get constant rattling and distortion on normal phone calls and via the speaker when neither’s volume are turned up all the way. What happened to the basics…good quality phone components? My stepson has an iPhone and while I’ve NEVER been a “fruit” fan, I’m now reconsidering.

  18. Is this the right place to complain about a motorola? droid biontic? And if not then where is? This is the absolutely worst phone ever…had it for a year and the list of issues go on and on….soon as my next up grade i will officially become an iphone user…

  19. Is this the right place to complain about a motorola? droid biontic? And if not then where is? This is the absolutely worst phone ever…had it for a year and the list of issues go on and on….soon as my next up grade i will officially become an iphone user…

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