Phone manufacturers Essential – makers of the much-hyped Essential Phone – has just released the July security patch for their eponymous flagship smartphone. Again, they release it earlier than any other manufacturer. Again, they release it almost at the same time Google published the details for the OTA updates for their Pixel line of phones. Which makes us ask the question: If Essential can do it, why the heck does it take forever and a day for other manufacturers to do this?
So first things first, Essential just tweeted that they are now rolling out an OTA (over the air) update for the Essential Phone which will bring the July 2018 security update to the flagship phone. This means that the Essential Phone will be very much up to date with the fixes Google has rolled out for Android. This month, the highlight fix is one for the Android Media Framework, which seems to be the target of a lot of work from Google.
It's the second day of July and we've got your monthly security patches ready to go! Oh yeah, we also included some stability improvements for Android Auto. Check your Essential Phone now to download the update. pic.twitter.com/6QS3Ay3O2r
— Essential (@essential) July 2, 2018
With the July security patch, Essential is also rolling out a new Android P beta build based on Android P Developer Preview 4. This build includes the July security patch, “the latest Google Code Drop and improvements to Android Auto.” If you are using Essential’s Android P beta for the Essential Phone, then you’ll most likely be happy about this new beta version.
We're also rolling out a new Android P Beta build that includes July security patches, the latest Google Code Drop and improvements to Android Auto.
— Essential (@essential) July 2, 2018
So how does Essential roll out their security updates so fast? As far as we know, Google provides manufacturers with the update at around the same time each month, so Essential is receiving update code around the same time everybody does. There are two things that work in Essential’s favor. First, the company is heck dedicated to keep its image of being the company to release the fastest security updates. This means that their software team works on this as fast as humanly possible to roll out to the Essential Phone as soon as they can.
Secondly, Essential does not use staged rollouts like other manufacturers do. They can do this because Essential doesn’t have a lot of units out there in the market – compared say, to Samsung or Google. Even Google uses staged rollouts, which delay updates as much as two weeks in some areas of the globe.
The truth is this – what Essential does is not rocket science. There is no need for updates to be months late, as is the norm with other manufacturers and mobile carriers. Too bad that Essential has backed out of making the Essential Phone 2, because these guys are really on to something here.
