New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

As you may know, Google has already announced and is on to testing their latest Android OS Q, a stable build for which will be out in a few months. While that’s good, there still are many OEM devices that await last year’s Android 9.0 Pie. Let’s talk about some of them in today’s section.

android-pie

Android Pie

Last year, Taiwanese OEM ASUS launched three devices grouped together as the Zenfone 5 series including ZenFone 5, Zenfone 5Z and Zenfone 5 Lite. While ZenFone 5Z was a flagship device shipped with Snapdragon 845 chipset, 5 was a mid-ranger with Snapdragon 636.

The lite version ZenFone 5 series, 5 Lite had 2 variants – one powered by Snapdragon 430 and the other by 630. These variants came with Android Nougat 7.1 and ASUS’ customized skin ZenUI5.

asus-zenfone-5-lite-image

ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite (ZC600KL)

While ZenFone 5 and 5Z devices were bumped to Android Pie back in January this year, ZenFone 5 Lite (ZC600KL), which is also known as Zenfone 5Q in the US, was expected to receive the update a little later, sometime in the first quarter of the year.

asus-zenfone5-no-android-8.1

Forum moderator’s confirmation about Pie coming in Q1

Well, the first quarter has already passed and the update hasn’t landed on ZenFone 5 Lite (or 5Q) devices yet. What’s sad is that unlike ZenFone 5 and 5Z, ZenFone 5 Lite came with Android Nougat out of the box instead of Android 8.0, and skipping Oreo it was to receive Android 9.0 Pie directly.

Here’s what ASUS said about it:

In order to provide the latest user experience with Android OS for ZenFone 5 Lite (ZC600KL), ASUS will directly release Android P instead of Android O this year.

ASUS-notification-about-pie

Notification on ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite’s official page

That means, while ZenFone 5 and 5Z – that shipped with Android 8.0 and were to receive Pie directly instead of 8.1 – got updated to Android 9.0 in January, ZenFone 5 Lite/5Q that was launched with an year old OS Android Nougat, didn’t received Oreo and continues to wait for Pie.

That could be the reason why 5 Lite/5Q users are disappointed because of the delay. Here’s what one of the users said:

zenfone5lite-pie-update1

I’m still waiting for PIE update! I thought asus will prioritize the update for zenfone 5Q since they skip Oreo! but still no update! This is my 1st and last asus phone! your support is ridiculous! You keep promising to your customer! Worst support! No update until now! Common asus! Asus should get most lier company of all time!

zenfone5lite-pie-update

As for the latest development on the matter, what’s now coming to light is that ZenFone 5 Lite users will have to wait for few more months to get hands on Android Pie. Hopefully by the time Android Q will be out globally, ASUS may push Pie on ZenFone 5 Lite/5Q?.

The information came form an ASUS ZenTalk forums moderator who said Zenfone 5Q/ Zenfone 5Lite is expected to upgrade to Android P in Q3 2019.

That’s not all. ZenFone 5 Lite/5Q is not the only ASUS device that will have to wait until the third quarter.

asus-zenfone-5-selfie-pro

ZenFone 5 Selfie Pro

As some of you may know, since 2015, every year ASUS also releases a camera-lover’s ideal mid-range phone as part of their ZenFone Selfie lineup. And last year’s ZenFone 5 Selfie Pro device owners will also have to wait until the third quarter of this year to get bumped to Pie.

Here’s what the moderator said regarding both (ZenFone 5 Lite/5Q and 5 Selfie Pro) devices in question:

ASUS will need more time to do the testing , Zenfone 5Q/ Zenfone 5Lite/ Zenfone 5 selfie Pro is expected to upgrade to Android™ P with ZenUI 5 in Q3 2019.

Here’s is their complete statement:

asus-zenfone5-lite-pie-update-plan

Forum moderator reveals Pie update plan

So those of you who own a ZenFone 5 Lite/ 5Q or ZenFone 5 Selfie Pro will basically have to wait until Q3 (2019) for last year’s Android OS. Forget about this year’s Android Q.

NOTE: BTW Android Pie update that ASUS rolled out for ZenFone Max Pro M1 and Max Pro M2 last week turned out to be immensely buggy updates, in fact so glitchy that they has to roll back the update form Max Pro M2.

You can read about all the issues that we have highlighted so far regarding the bugful Pie update on Max Pro M1/M2 here.

Update (July 4)

Asus finally brings the long-anticipated Android Pie update (with May 2019 security patch) for ZenFone 5Q / ZenFone 5 Lite / ZenFone 5 Selfie Pro (ZC600KL). Details here.

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Dr. Aparajita Sharma
1261 Posts

A budding entrepreneur by profession, and a psychologist by education. As a founding member of PiunikaWeb, I am nurturing this firstborn with my sharp-eyed expertise and even journalistic writing when needed.

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