Levo Gen 3 Levo Gen 3 : No firmware updates in about 2 years

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,868
1,594
USA
Does anyone else find it surprising that there haven't been any firmware updates in quite a long time for Gen 3 Levos? I have to think there were SOME improvements or features that could have been implemented in all that time.
 

Polar

Well-known member
Does anyone else find it surprising that there haven't been any firmware updates in quite a long time for Gen 3 Levos? I have to think there were SOME improvements or features that could have been implemented in all that time.
It's around a year since last major firmware was released and had to be updated at the LBS not by yourself for unknown reasons.
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,868
1,594
USA
It's around a year since last major firmware was released and had to be updated at the LBS not by yourself for unknown reasons.

Yup - that was for the battery though. Surprised there's been nothing for the motor or the TCU.
 

Dax

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 25, 2018
1,813
2,228
FoD
May be linked to Spesh cutting costs worldwide after the pandemic boom/bust cycle?

Although my 2018 Kenevo is still running 2018 firmware…why mess with perfection?
 

Bender

Member
Sep 9, 2023
30
18
California
The only feature I miss at this point is a working "cap charge to 80%". It used to work, but stopped working entirely. My impression is that it worked until it reached a 100% cycle (10 charges or so). Now it always charges to 100% :(
 

RebornRider

Well-known member
May 31, 2019
648
668
NorCal USA
I'm old enough to remember when "no updates for xx months/years" was a good thing. It meant the product was stable and working properly. I also remember when product design teams wouldn't release their product until they thought it was complete. Now that products are controlled by software, the manufacturer can released a half-baked product knowing that the customers expect there to be frequent updates.
 

Bender

Member
Sep 9, 2023
30
18
California
I'm old enough to remember when "no updates for xx months/years" was a good thing. It meant the product was stable and working properly. I also remember when product design teams wouldn't release their product until they thought it was complete. Now that products are controlled by software, the manufacturer can released a half-baked product knowing that the customers expect there to be frequent updates.

The reason for this is how incentives work on most software companies: People are not promoted or get bonuses for fixing things. This is "invisible work". They get promoted for launching new things. The end result is what you see: Half baked products. If there's a given version of a product, people would rather make a new version that has 80% of the features of the original (they always discard the 20% harder ones to implement) than fix the old one.

But I digress...
 

mmcengineer

Member
Jan 3, 2022
78
74
Sheffield
I'm old enough to remember when "no updates for xx months/years" was a good thing. It meant the product was stable and working properly. I also remember when product design teams wouldn't release their product until they thought it was complete. Now that products are controlled by software, the manufacturer can released a half-baked product knowing that the customers expect there to be frequent updates.
Exactly this the apple generation has a lot to answer for
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,868
1,594
USA
I'm thinking more about many features that could easily have been added to improve the utility and flexibility of the TCU, better external integration, some basic data analysis that could make recommendations on tuning the various modes, more configurable controls (e.g. a better way to use walk mode), more detailed troubleshooting and fault indicators, and so many other things that could have been done.
 

Thiefyo

Member
Nov 14, 2022
4
2
Romania
So small news i've been talking to specialized rider care to understand why i cannot enable system lock on my bike and while talking about this he pointed out that he noticed that i have to deliver my bike to the shop to perform an update.. and i was like huh? the app did not say anything.. so that's why i am here and this was his response...
They are working on this now. There is no way for the TCU to use the lock function and there are no options to change that in the future. As of right now the over the air update is not functional at this time. All updates will have to go through your local dealer.

Apologies for the confusion on this one. "
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,868
1,594
USA
So small news i've been talking to specialized rider care to understand why i cannot enable system lock on my bike and while talking about this he pointed out that he noticed that i have to deliver my bike to the shop to perform an update.. and i was like huh? the app did not say anything.. so that's why i am here and this was his response...
They are working on this now. There is no way for the TCU to use the lock function and there are no options to change that in the future. As of right now the over the air update is not functional at this time. All updates will have to go through your local dealer.

Apologies for the confusion on this one. "
Well, there ya go. Maybe that answers my original question?
 

Janisj

Member
Aug 27, 2022
52
41
Germany
Where in the S app do you see if there are updates? Been racking my head
Looking for it. On the old app it was so easy to find.
These were as popups in the main screen 3 weeks ago. After a while they just dissapeared, probably due to too many customer requests to Specialized. By clicking on it there was full info on firmware versions and change log, then you could choose a dealer for update visit. It is known that Specialized can adjust APP functionality and properties OTA and without APP update installation. In the same OTA way Specialized ripped-off MC APP.
 

kawamaha

Member
Apr 1, 2020
70
55
Monaco
Where in the S app do you see if there are updates? Been racking my head
Looking for it. On the old app it was so easy to find.
popup, yes.
1741118969459.png
 

cream

Member
Dec 6, 2021
44
63
Romania
It's like the app development is backwards. I remember first versions of MC app, intuitive, had all that you wanted, showed some meaningful information(even battery error codes) compared with their latest app which is a joke....

Anyway, gen3 latest released firmware for Motor is 8.6.0 and battery is 4.6.6 (700Wh).
 

Stompweaver

Active member
Jan 20, 2018
191
178
Stafford
Thanks @rikidc

Not big changes then. I’ll still get mine done I think. It’s a shame that it can’t be OTA as it used to be.

I agree with @cream the old MC app was much better than the new one. It had much more useful information and was more intuitive to use. The new one looks nicer and that’s about it.
 

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