HTC explains why Android 2.2: Froyo updates are slow to arrive

Comments

• So I can understand HTC wanting to get their Sense additions right. Im still hacked off that I have to wait for my network provider to put their crap all over the OS before it is pushed to my Desire. That is if it happens at all. Posted by Andy Geek, UK
• Having seen Gizmodo's Quake video earlier today that pitted the HTC Desire against the Samsung Galaxy S (similar specs), and from my own experience with a HTC Desire, I am now extremely reluctant to buy another Android device butchered by the fanciful Sense UI.
  
  The 'skin' that is in fact a freaking 'sub-system' has proven to be an absolute performance sapping pig through use.
  
  http://gizmodo.com/5580123/quake-2-test-htc-desire-vs-samsung-galaxy-s Posted by L.Rawlins, UK
• @Andy Geek
  
  I bought my Desire direct from HTC for this very reason. Thereby eliminating a gate.
  
  Google > Manufacturer > Network > Me
  
  Read as:
  
  Quarterly > Bi-annually > Annually > F**ked
  
  That pretty much sums it up. Posted by L.Rawlins, UK
• Is there a resource which lists the phones/carriers that do NOT add any layers (or only thin layers) and thus are more likely to be updated sooner?
  
  Now that the Nexus One (which is such a phone) is not really available, is there another phone that fills that niche? Posted by RParr, U.S.A.
• @L.Rawlins
  Your actually very wrong there, the galaxy s has a completely different processor which includes much better graphics performance and the relative performance has absolutely nothing to do with the sense UI. I've owned my desire since it was released and I'm extremely happy with it in every respect, having to wait an extra few weeks for upgrades is really not a problem when sense for me is so much nicer to use than vanilla android. Posted by BenB, uk
• This (EVO) will be the last HTC device I purchase. Screw you HTC, I will not forget this. Posted by Hex, USA
• HTC and Google need to get together and talk about something known in the software development world as "LOOSE COUPLING".
  
  I am an iPhone developer and bought the Sprint EVO as my first Android development phone. Had I known that only the Nexus One was going to get on-time OS updates I would have bought a Nexus One instead.
  
  HTC is not doing itself, its customers, or the Android platform any favors by dragging down OS releases - if the OS has been released, then a month is too long. Apple doesn't have to wait for third party delays.
  
  Also HTC does not have to make sure it 'takes advantage of all the latest features' before it launches Froyo - it only needs to make sure it meets requirements. Save tweaking for an update.
  
  
  
  Posted by Seth Brundle, USA
• Seriously what is the matter with the people on here getting up in arms. Nobody anywhere has said the update will actually take that long, HTC are basically just covering themselves in case things take longer. As for the iphone not getting delays to their updates, thats a completely spurious comment, of course they won't they've only got 3 very similiar phones to optimise it for compared to god knows how many different models for android and quite frankly even then they seem to have managed to screw it up in regards to ios4 and the 3gs.
  
  Really people get a grip and stop acting like spoilt kids who want everything now, now, now! Posted by BenB, uk
• I think that's good of HTC to make an annoucement and clarify things a little for people. It's managing people's expectations. This is as opposed to Samsung's position which is that it just couldn't care less about people's expectations. Posted by NWBlue, United Kingdom
• HTC are really going down in my estimation. I have a Hero and I am still waiting for 2.1!
  To be honest i'm not sure where the blame lies. It's either HTC or Orange, I know not which. All i do know is that I will be tempted to but an iPhone next time and Orange will not be my carrier. It appears that once the phone has been sold nobody cares about support. Lousy customer service and not the way to win brand loyalty as far as I am concerned Posted by Ceebee, UK
• I have the Desire, and I'm very happy with it, big upgrade over the G1. Ideally I would have bought the Nexus, but since it was on only 1 carrier, there was no competition and no good deals.
  
  What I don't understand is the delays, it's not like Google are releasing Froyo in July to partners like HTC, they should have been testing Sense on all their latest phones with beta releases. Once the code went final, I would expect only a 2-3 week release schedule.
  
  Learn from what Google did, de-couple Sense from the Android OS and let us get new Android releases when they are available or risk alienating customers. Posted by Nigel, UK
• I am a satisfied Desire user, but HTC probably won't understand how buyers feel when their phones are being teased as "orphans" in my place. It isn't fun to have Froyo as a Christmas present. Posted by Saiyeh, Hong Kong
• I'd rather my phone work than have problems because of rushed software. I say good on HTC for taking the time to ensure everything works correctly. Posted by mdraper37, United Kingdom
• You are lucky
  
  Vodafone in Europe have done the same with the Nexus One
  
  Special update software is being written by Google for Vodafone
  
  
  So much for open source
  
  MM Posted by Masonicmoron, UK
• I have a Hero and I am still waiting for 2.1 after many delays and much speculation over relesae dates. I have also sent tweets and emails to HTC requesting release dates for the update. No answer or contact from either. It does not make me a happy HTC owner. Are you listening HTC? Posted by Don, Australia
• I still don't even have 2.1 for my HTC Hero - thanks to Orange UK who "want to make sure it works with their bundled software" (a splash screen??) that I don't even want. Brilliant. Posted by steve, UK
• Takes full advantage of features??? You mean by December you aren't going to 3.0 released on some phones already?? Rightt.....it doesn't take 6 months for you to release a software update you knew was coming 6 months ago! HTC is acting like they get the OS's the exact same time as everyone else...FAIL Posted by ashwin, USA
• I was expecting my EVO to be running 2.2 by the end of August, at the latest. The end of December is ridiculous!!! Posted by Andy, USA
• what's that on the ears ?
  and no more HTC! sorry, even i am from taiwan. Posted by biggary, Taiwan
• I've got the feeling that the general consensus on Gingerbread is that it won't be on the Nexus, officially, until 2011 either.
  
  Have a think about the delay between Froyo being released to dev and actually getting its official Nexus release, then consider that the major version number is higher in this release. There's no point complaining about a delay on Gingerbread when nobody really knows what it will entail yet! If you're really hurting for Gingerbread or Froyo, try an unofficial port. Froyo's getting just about stable on the Desire at the moment, but I don't need it enough that I can't wait for the HTC release. Posted by Simon, UK
• HTC, are you listening?? Whatever you do; don’t jump the gun and don’t bypass Microsoft Guidelines please. Posted by ckjordan, USA
• This was my fear with Android. I suspected we may be returning to the age when carriers would "tweak" each phone to make it unique to that telco. This of course would mean that it became difficult or impossible to upgrade. Add to that an extra layer where each phone supplier can also "tweak" the OS and we get back to a distasteful past which I thought Apple managed to break us out of. The last thing Telcos want is a standard phone and OS which would run on all networks. they would then be stuck competing on.... Price and Service... (you can hear them shriek with fear of such a prospect). Posted by DaveMTL, Canada
• I'm with you BenB, bunch of primodonic demanders < yes I know they are made up words, its called being linguistically creative.
  
  Be thankful you can afford such a phone in the first place and will someone stuff their dummies back in their mouths to stop them whining about a software company trying to do it right first time instead of constant updates, but hey! then they wouldn't have anything to whine about, which as we all know is the only reason they exist.
  
  Ignore them HTC do your job properly and silence the whiners, please I beg you lol! Posted by Ninja Nuts, United Kingdom
• Active people, ordinary people, youngsters, grannies will soon relies that there’s one smart phone that worth buying, namely Windows Phone7.
  Windows Phone7 combined with HTC Technology is the bundle of joy, the end of suffering, the end of desperation.
  With windows phone7 in your hand; you can (for the first time in history) keep your notebook at home and fly far as far as china while keeping your files, your family pictures, your videos, your emails and your toys right in front of you.
  The best thing about WP7 is you don’t have to take permission from Microsoft if you want to reset it or if you want to change the background image, once you bought it; it’s yours. If you are an IPhone user; you know exactly what I mean. And for those who don’t know the story let me explain:
  Apple Iphone sold to you but still considered property of Apple Co-Finder Steve Jop, meaning you cannot install or uninstall any applications on your IPhone (not even a little calculator) unless approved by Apple and bought from Apple. Then of course you need (a credit card).
  If you are in a Honey moon and (God Forbid) your IPhone Jammed; you are screwed, in such case you will have to purchase Apple IMac (a Computer-like gadget) and you will need an Internet access to run some diagnoses on the IPhone, you will have to download 500Megabyte firmware and an ITune (Apple Spyware) but this is just the beginning, you will have to cancel all your meetings, your pride’s requirements and to disconnect yourself from society for 3days and 3nights then if you are a computer junky like me you may end up with a half working iphone. I have watched people (on UTube) hacking there iphone with a hake sow, some hammering it with snitch hummer, some drove over it as an expression of frustration. The End
  Posted by Jeff, Germany
• Bet you feel better for getting that off your chest eh! Jeff. Posted by Ninja Nuts, United Kingdom
• I imagine Google at some point will try to stop companies from outing custom firmware over the top of Android because it simply slows the whole thing down. I also imagine gingerbread will most likely be this change because currently the default OS is rather appealing sorry nexus 1 fans. But for the time being why do you need to have the latest software immediately, its not like you can use your phone without it, so just put up with it for a while. Posted by alex, uk
• Yes Ninja, if you have lived with a jail broken Iphone for a while and spend days and nights fiddling with the thing trying to get it online; you will feel what ii feel.
  I cannot wait to see Widows Phone7, hold it with my hand, kiss him, and put him to sleep next to me. Thank god for Microsoft and for their creative mind, without Microsoft we will be like Gene pigs for Apple, Samsung, LG, and the rest. Posted by jeff, Germany
• Android 2.1 isn't bad...I can wait for the 720p recording on my Incredible...I can wait for mobile hotspot which Verizon will probably try to charge for and someone will make a free app for unrooted phones. I can wait for being able to use the flash with video recording...I can wait for Flash 10. It will all be here soon. Besides, most of these Android phones are better than any phones anyone has had before. It takes time to develop things. If you got Froyo with HTC Sense today and it worked like crap and crashed your phone you'd be complaining about it. Posted by Tommy Subway, USA
• @CeeBee
  
  "HTC are really going down in my estimation. I have a Hero and I am still waiting for 2.1! To be honest i'm not sure where the blame lies. It's either HTC or Orange, I know not which."
  
  I have never had a phone that Orange hadn't arrogantly messed around with. Manufacturer (in my case, Nokia) spends lots of time and money developing a dedicated phone interface, Orange step in and add Marketing syrup. This means that my contract is up next month and - after being with them since the Nokia 5.1, I'm out of here.
  
  @others - OK, it's frustrating that you don't get the very latest OS immediately, but think about...
  
  - This is still early days in the lives of handsets that have very distinctive OS upgrade options (would I expect Nokia to upgrade my version of Symbian?)
  
  - The add-on interfaces are the cost of not getting the latest OS upgrades. Are they worth it? Is the Desire a better handset for the sense? Does it justify the wait, or would you rather have Android Vanilla (or the alternative...)?
  
  - Should you expect to receive the latest version of the OS at all? In days gone by, you got your phone and that was it. You want a better OS, you upgrade your phone at contract's end. At present, companies like HTC are spending money getting your existing handsets running with the latest OS. Resources that they could conceivably be directing towards your next handset. OK, that's not water-tight logic on several levels, but it's worth thinking about.
  
  - Sure, third parties have managed to get 2.2 working on a Desire - but how reliable and road tested is it? If HTC took that approach, you may be bemoaning the lack of quality control and testing
  
  - Sure, they could release a working version for the Desire without it "making full use" of the new OS, but once that's out the door, you'd just know that they'd draw a line under 2.2 upgrades - sans optimisation. Personally, if it's not pointlessly long, I think it's a commendable attitude.
  
  As far as I've seen so far (by no means exhaustive), Desire with Android 2.1 and Sense is still not bad. Sure, Apple have extended their upgrades to 3GS users, but it's crapped out a lot of phones that I've seen.
  
  Not trying to create a stir, just offering some alternate points of view. Posted by Simon, England
• I noticed a lot of people mentioning carrier delays are likely even after HTC release the update... however, what if like me you were clever enough to buy your "upgrade" or whatnot from the Carphone warehouse, and thus, have an unlocked "sense" phone?
  My Desire has zero O2 branding on it whatsoever - the only tie it has with O2 is the SIM card...
  Will I not therefore then receive my OTA update direct from HTC?? Posted by Jamie, UK
• I got my Desire from Vodafone UK & they've managed to to add... exactly nothing to my phone!! It's a miracle after the hatchet job they managed to carry out on my old Nokia N95 and my Mum's Sony-Ericsson Vivaz.
  
  I'll be downloading my 2.2 update as soon as it hits the HTC website or app market, I like the way Sense operates and wouldn't be suprised if HTC were making some cool updates to Sense as well. Lets see what happens first & then complain later. :) Posted by R.Maharty, England
• I'm loving my Droid Incredible on 2.1, cant wait to see 2.2. Might even root my phone now to see the difference. And to the iPhone fanboys, at least HTC comes out and lets the people know whats going on and why, which makes me understand the wait. I think Steve Jobs had more excuses than a child missing his homework about why the iPhone 4 had signal issues...still no fix or is there? Enjoy your iRestricted 4. Posted by O-Man, United States
• I've been running 2.2 on my Desire for weeks; anyone who wants to and has enough common sense to follow some fairly simple step-by-step instructions can do the same.
  
  Quit whinging. Posted by Geoff Winkless, UK
• @ Jamie.
  
  Asking myself same question. My assumption, like you, is that I'm not tied to o2 however since installing Gmote I've become so lazy I can't even be arsed reaching for a Voda sim to confirm. Needs doing though because the gf took hers from Voda and that too looks unbranded. Posted by dmlargo, UK
• I have a sim free HTC Desire UK and the update was available at 2.30pm 1st of August. Decent speed improvement, wifi hotspot, move apps to sd card, bbc iplayer from the site, v good quality picture in sync with pictures. Flashlight app using the phones camera flash. 720p on video. download it now
  Posted by Grant, UK
• HTC delays updates due to testing but still mess th ROM up, I have an un-branded touch pro2 with no working microphones and after 6 weeks HTC's Country Service Manager has e-mailed me stating:
  
  The specific software issue you have reported affecting the noise cancellation features on the Touch Pro 2 ROM 2.07.xxx.x is currently under investigation by our development team with a view to producing a solution by software update in the near future. This issue cannot be resolved in the repair centre at the time we rectify the damage caused from the previous repair unless the code is released whilst the device is with us. Whilst HTC is working hard to produce the update as quickly as possible, we cannot specify an exact release date at this time.
  
  HTC just dont care about the stability of the rom's or how fast they fix problems and supply updates. Posted by Elliot Carver, UK