Software update fixes the Nextbit Robin's sluggish camera

When the Nextbit Robin launched earlier this year, its auto-backup worked well but for a few other things that... well, they needed work. That's where the company's April update comes in. The new build packs Android 6.0.1, and with it comes a handful of security patches, plus 184 new emoji (including a middle finger) to gussy up your messages. More importantly, though, we're also getting some much-needed improvements to the Robin's audio setup and camera.

Once installed, you'll start to hear meatier sound from the Robin's twin front-facing speakers. It works better for some songs than others, obviously: EDM and rock feel more substantial, but lighter tracks sometimes sound thick to the point of being overly heavy. Most of the time, though, the speaker enhancements are welcome. You'll hear those changes through decent headphones too, which explains why Nextbit is teaming up with AiAiAi on a custom pair of TMA-2s meant to highlight punchy lows and crisp highs.

If you're a Robin owner, you'll probably get more mileage out of the update's camera modifications. Between some under-the-hood tweaks and a cleaner interface, the difference is night and day: focusing and capturing shots are dramatically faster here than on the original Robin. I haven't spotted any significant changes in image quality (though the company says low-light performance is better), but the speed boost is already plenty to get excited about. Bear in mind: When we first reviewed the Robin, it usually took over a second from screen-tap to photo-snap. Now it's about twice as fast. Toss in some heat management tweaks that help the phone's Snapdragon 808 run a little smoother, and one thing becomes immediately clear: This is the software the Robin should have shipped with.