HTC: No Gingerbread Update for Desire Users
Tough break, HTC Desire users.
One of the worst things about owning an Android device is waiting for the updates. Unless you’re lucky enough to be a Nexus One or Nexus S owner, you’re at the mercy of manufacturer and carrier. And then there’s the issue that with so many different handsets, your phone might not even be capable of running the latest version.
If you own an HTC Desire, you can add yourself to that last group of people, because the company has just confirmed that the Desire will not be getting Gingerbread. Ever. HTC posted the following update to its UK Facebook page this morning:
“Our engineering teams have been working hard for the past few months to find a way to bring Gingerbread to the HTC Desire without compromising the HTC Sense experience you’ve come to expect from our phones. However, we’re sorry to announce that we’ve been forced to accept there isn’t enough memory to allow us both to bring Gingerbread and keep the HTC Sense experience on the HTC Desire. We’re sincerely sorry for the disappointment that this news may bring to some of you.”
On the one hand it’s nice that HTC came out and admitted that Sense UI is to blame for there not being enough room. On the other hand, it’s likely to further intensify the debate between those who prefer the ‘pure’ Android experience over skins like Sense UI and Moto Blur.
Give the choice, would you take a more current version of update if it meant not having HTC's Sense UI? Let us know in the comments below!
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What about the Desire HD?
Do not have a smartphone so I don't care either way...
BUT, I do appreciate that a company is willing to come out and tell the customer exactly why they can't do something, rather then feeding the customer some sugarcoated bs. This is, of course, HTC is being truthful.
If they are, +1 for HTC.
I totally think that they should allow two upgrade paths. 1 being for the pure android experience and one for whatever UI the particular company offers. I mean the phones are all manufacturer dependent so its not like taking their custom UI away will confuse people who made the phone. A thunderbolt would still be a thunderbolt with or without sense I have personally used my thunderbolt without sense UI and and that doesnt make it less of a thunderbolt
I have an HTC Inspire with AT&T which is essentially the same phone so I guess this puts me in this boat as well. I would gladly give up the Sense for a newer OS.
I would much rather have "pure" android. A wait of months or years to upgrade is not worth the extra features.
Can't wait to install iOS5 on my two year old 3GS.
Custom ROMs anyone?
Just upgraded from an HTC Magic (old, but I like it) to the Google/Samsung Nexus S. I love the pure Android. There are things I miss from the Sense UI, but I can live wihtout them.
I would definitely prefer that I can move a phone forward, rather than have it left behind because of an added UI. Of course, now I won't have to - thank you Google.
@ben850 - what about 2G users - can they use all of the features in iOS 4? How much longer will the 3GS be upgradeable? I appreciate that it is currently supported because my wife has the 3GS (which is a really nice phone). It should stay up to date for a while because the OS and the hardware come from one company. The Android world is more varied over hardware and add-on software, except for the Google phones. They retain control - like Apple, keep pure Android on them, and they update them (not sure how long it can continue as the OS may outstrip the hardware, like the iPhone 2G). The original Google Nexus One has been upgraded to Gingerbread.
For the HTC Magic, maybe it's time to root it and put in one of the mods?
Can't wait to install iOS5 on my two year old 3GS.
Just don't whine when you get slowdowns and crap.
Just don't whine when you get slowdowns and crap.
Most likely will be lag issues on the 3GS. Luckily my contract is up this month, so I will go for the iPhone5 or whichever Android phone is top of the line. I can adapt to different OS's but I CANNOT stand a laggy UI.
My Samsung Galaxy S phone is more then capable, considering its STILL one of the best phones on the market. Samsung is just being terrible about bringing the update to the US market.
Damn it... Oh well, Suppose I'll just root and get a custom rom based on the Nexus One ROM.
We all know what this means boys......
LOAD UP THE ROMs, IT'S TIME TO ROOT!
Of course, all WP7 phones will be able to run Mango seeing as the hardware has to conform.
Now that the market is settling down we are starting to see Android fragment into those who can and those who can't and there will be a lot of ill-feeling amongst those who have signed up for a 2 year contract and stuck with no update path.
HTC desire... my worst buy ever!... No-one I have met who owns one likes them, only the techno geek who has time to learn it's intricacies seems to love them.
Makes no sense, the Wildfire S has less memory and yet it has Gingerbread? Guess i'll have to root after all.
I have HTC Desire. Running Gingerbread. Just not the way HTC wanted me to be running it. If Gingerbread+Sense is too much for the phone, let users opt to ditch Sense to run Gingerbread.
It's bordering on unfair restraint not to allow this.
I'm running the Oxygen-2.1.3 ROM for those interested.
Why does the wildfire s have an upgrade path, a phone with less features, seems like Marketing B.S to me, sorry but the upgrade on Android phones is just terrible only the nexus phones have a clear road of updates. I rather loose all the extra customization and have a pure android experience. Iphone 3gs still have life left, most android phone of 2009 are now left in the dust.
I have HTC Desire. Running Gingerbread. Just not the way HTC wanted me to be running it. If Gingerbread+Sense is too much for the phone, let users opt to ditch Sense to run Gingerbread.It's bordering on unfair restraint not to allow this.I'm running the Oxygen-2.1.3 ROM for those interested.
I don't think they are being mean and spiteful to specific HTC owners, there is probably a technical issue that affects 0.01% of users, so if they roll out the update it will be them who is liable for bricking your phone because they know about it in advance.
They really don't mind you forcing the update yourself because if you do and it screws up the handset you only have yourself to blame.
Good thing i have the MT4G...
..
THe htc desire has 256 ROM, that's the problem they are claiming since they cannot fit Binge+sense into it.
Anyone with some brains would just change the damn thing to use a portion of the SD card -.-
Meh, off to get cyanogenmod for mine me thinks.
I have been running 2.3 for ages, Try the MIUI rom fantastic. To the poster who says noboddy likes them I would say we have three in the office and we all think they are great.
Wasn't Goolge talking at Goggle IO that Android makers would be required to make updates available for 18 months (or something to that effect). How old is this phone? I thought it would be under 18 months meaning it's a requirement HTC make the latest version of Android available.
Hmm, maybe it will get 2.3 after all:
http://www.reghardware.com/2011/06 [...] ngerbread/
Dammit Garlik, you posted that just after i spotted it hehe +1
THe htc desire has 256 ROM, that's the problem they are claiming since they cannot fit Binge+sense into it. Anyone with some brains would just change the damn thing to use a portion of the SD card -.-Meh, off to get cyanogenmod for mine me thinks.
Um doesn't the HTC Desire have 512 ROM? Same as the Wildfire S but the Desire has a tiny bit more RAM.
I like HTC sense. Its much better than the stock android experience at least for me.
I have an HTC Inspire with AT&T which is essentially the same phone so I guess this puts me in this boat as well. I would gladly give up the Sense for a newer OS.
No you are not in his boat. Your phone (mine is the same model) is like he Desire HD. Mine is rooted with 2.3.3 and Sense and works just fine. I don't think HTC will have the technical problem they are claiming for the older Desire.
HTC has also come ou to say they will unlock the boot loader (coming soon I hope) so that anyone can "root" their phone easily. There are already ROMs out there for the Desire with Gingerbread available so this news is just that HTC won't provide that update because they can't include Sense without losing performance.
ROOT! I'm running a Cyanogen mod rom. Gingerbread on the original moto Droid..lol 2.3.3 I don't see what the deal is with upgrading the android os. If you can't, your not losing out. I haven't really noticed too many differences in the OS when going from 2.1 to 2.2 to 2.3. Custom roms are just more...customizable. You can tweak the look a layout to your needs and wants. Get a custom launcher like launcher pro from the market and you can do similar to the layout.
This news bit is a bit wrong now... http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_takes_ [...] s-2781.php
There will be an upgrade coming as far as they say now.
I've got an HTC Desire and gave up waiting for the Gingerbread upgrade a while ago and moved to the Gingervillian ROM. Best move I've made in a long time, I've got the latest version of Android usually before most Nexus S users have it. The only downside was losing Sense UI but after adding a few new widgets I don't miss it at all.