Ice cream sandwich

[bjorken]

Verizon TB owner speaking here, so I'm as ticked off as the rest of you about the lack of ICS. However, I had an interesting discussion with my neighbor recently, who works at HTC. Apparently, a large percentage of users don't really care about OS upgrades like some of us do. His advice was, if you always want the latest OS, get a nexus device, which is what I did. But yeah, since I'm one of those "I need the latest OS right away" guys, I probably won't be getting another non-Nexus android device. Hoping google sorts this out in the coming year or two.

 

[hannsoft]

Verizon TB owner speaking here, so I'm as ticked off as the rest of you about the lack of ICS. However, I had an interesting discussion with my neighbor recently, who works at HTC. Apparently, a large percentage of users don't really care about OS upgrades like some of us do. His advice was, if you always want the latest OS, get a nexus device, which is what I did. But yeah, since I'm one of those "I need the latest OS right away" guys, I probably won't be getting another non-Nexus android device. Hoping google sorts this out in the coming year or two.

Gotta ask - any chance your neighbor has any info he can share regarding the TB update specifically? ;-)

 

[dobermans rule]

Does he know anything about the updates for the Thunderbolt or the Droid Incredible 2?

Sent from my Droid Incredible 2 using Android Central Forums

 

[mman609]

Well of course the average phone user doesn't expect as much as an Android Central reader. However the Android Central reader is often viewed by the average user as an "expert" who gives good advice. I think our influence is greater than simply being another user. While I used to always recommend HTC devices as a good buy to those who ask, I now am reluctant to make that recommendation. And it isn't just because the machines don't have the latest and greatest. The concern I express is that HTC is very slow to update to correct problems (remember the reboot problems that many people were having?) and they are extremely poor at communicating with users about problems and deadlines. So, yes, they can ignore us because we don't count much, but they do so with some risk. I'm convinced that their treatment of owners is in part responsible for the financial problems they have been experiencing.

 

[thundersome]

I have seen no such slowdown in phones being released by HTC. New HTC Phones - Phone Arena

Second I don't doubt that most people don't know or care there there are updates to android that they aren't getting. But they might care if they find out that critical security features are a part of these updates they aren't getting. Also I think now many people have or know people who have an iphone and maybe are curious to hear that their friends 3 year old phone is still getting updates from Apple. With so many people now in the android camp education and user knowledge about android is only going to grow. Sooner or later even the average consumer is going to demand timely updates for the contract life of their phone. Or maybe once the average user knows about the nexus program and how superior it is to have one and not have to bind yourself to a multi-thousand dollar contract things will change.

 

[JHBThree]

I have seen no such slowdown in phones being released by HTC. New HTC Phones - Phone Arena

Second I don't doubt that most people don't know or care there there are updates to android that they aren't getting. But they might care if they find out that critical security features are a part of these updates they aren't getting. Also I think now many people have or know people who have an iphone and maybe are curious to hear that their friends 3 year old phone is still getting updates from Apple. With so many people now in the android camp education and user knowledge about android is only going to grow. Sooner or later even the average consumer is going to demand timely updates for the contract life of their phone. Or maybe once the average user knows about the nexus program and how superior it is to have one and not have to bind yourself to a multi-thousand dollar contract things will change.

If you haven't seen it then you haven't been paying attention, to be quite frank. HTC has been very careful with the number of phones they've released this year.

 

[djdougd]

I am very disappointed with HTC and Verizon!!!! Verizon claims that they cannot push out an update they don't have... I believe they won't do it because Tbolt owners will not be forced to upgrade their lines!... Either way I will never buy another HTC device!

 

[weasel123]

I was also waiting and got tired of it so I rooted and it was well worth it. You should do it if you haven't yet.

 

[Spacemaker24]

I am very disappointed with HTC and Verizon!!!! Verizon claims that they cannot push out an update they don't have... I believe they won't do it because Tbolt owners will not be forced to upgrade their lines!... Either way I will never buy another HTC device!

How do you know that vzw doesn't have the update?


Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

 

[djdougd]

How do you know that vzw doesn't have the update?


Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

Spoke to Verizon CS re my frustration... At this point, it's not so much the update, but if HTC cannot do the update., they should just come out and say that, not release a statement to the public that they are going to do it then leave customers hanging!!!!

 

[natehoy]

Spoke to Verizon CS re my frustration... At this point, it's not so much the update, but if HTC cannot do the update., they should just come out and say that, not release a statement to the public that they are going to do it then leave customers hanging!!!!

An initial RUU test build of ICS 4.0.3 was released in (IIRC) August. Not a ROM, an official RUU build, just like the Gingerbread builds came out. The test build was actually assembled back in March or April, but didn't get Verizon's added special sauce and bloat until August. The RUU was useful in that it contained the drivers, etc, necessary to make ICS work so it enabled aftermarket ROM projects to add Thunderbolt support.

Everyone expected more RUUs (just like happened with both Gingerbread releases) to come out in the following weeks and eventually a build would be considered "ready for prime time" and start rolling out OTA. This is how Verizon does things.

Instead, the August release was the first, last, and only actual thing other than empty promises from Verizon and HTC.

But Verizon did have a test build in their hands at one point. They actually released it. Then something back-burnered the whole thing, and there's no indication that either HTC or Verizon have any real interest in fixing the last bugs and releasing it.

And, honestly, why would they at this point? People are starting to move away from it. There's no functionality that will help Verizon manage their network. And the risk of releasing it at this point is that some phones might fail (or failures might be blamed on the upgrade) and Verizon will have to allow people out of contracts and/or offer them early upgrades or replacement devices.

The empty promises will continue until there aren't enough people left on the handset to care.

 

[MittenSportsFan]

The Razr HD and m will get at least two more major updates.

I would call that wishful thinking.
I don't even think Moto knows if they will update those phones twice more never the less if Verizon also is willing to update.
Outside of Nexus phones (and iPhones), what device has gotten 3 Operating System updates?
I'm not questioning your phone purchase because I really like the RAZR MAXX HD myself.
I didn't pull the trigger because it was lauched with Ice Cream Sandwich. I know Jelly Bean has been promised by year end but we have waited a long time for many VZW phones to be updated.
The Maxx HD may just be getting JB, how long before updating to Key Lime Pie which is just around the corner.



Sent from my ADR6400L using Android Central Forums

 

[natehoy]

I know Jelly Bean has been promised by year end but we have waited a long time for many VZW phones to be updated.

Heck, look at the Galaxy Nexus debacle. It just got Jelly Bean (an older version, to boot) a few weeks ago, and this is a NEXUS phone.

Delays like this are why Google went GSM-only on the Nexus 4. Because Verizon can't even do timely updates for Nexus.

 

[JHBThree]

I would call that wishful thinking.
I don't even think Moto knows if they will update those phones twice more never the less if Verizon also is willing to update.
Outside of Nexus phones (and iPhones), what device has gotten 3 Operating System updates?
I'm not questioning your phone purchase because I really like the RAZR MAXX HD myself.
I didn't pull the trigger because it was lauched with Ice Cream Sandwich. I know Jelly Bean has been promised by year end but we have waited a long time for many VZW phones to be updated.
The Maxx HD may just be getting JB, how long before updating to Key Lime Pie which is just around the corner.



Sent from my ADR6400L using Android Central Forums

The m already got jelly bean. The Razr HD and Maxx HD already had builds on devices at the launch event.

And they will have at least two more updates. (4.1, 4.2, and whatever the one after that is going to end up being)

 

[MittenSportsFan]

The m already got jelly bean. The Razr HD and Maxx HD already had builds on devices at the launch event.

And they will have at least two more updates. (4.1, 4.2, and whatever the one after that is going to end up being)

Again, I say wishful thinking.
Having the builds on the phones is even more irritating.
If they have them operational on the phones why not launch with them?
Because Verizon hasn't tested and approved.
When will VZW get around to testing? Are they testing now? Will they test in December?
What if there is a problem and the build fails the test?
How long will it take Moto to fix the problem?
Does Moto have anyone with available time to fix the problem?
Maybe they will get to it after they finish their current project.
Now they send it back to VZW to test.
VZW is busy testing other software that is a higher priority because these RAZR HD's have already been sold so there is no real hurry.
There have been many VZW phones that have come close to being updated and still not been updated.
My T-Bolt is still waiting on the August ICS update.
When you have 2 corporations that have to work together with different schedules, agendas, priorities, updates have a way of getting delayed, or cancelled.
I am confident that the RAZR HD line will get JB. But when they eventually get it ...?
As for Key Lime Pie...?
Again, That is why I am not buying a premium smartphone with and old operating system.
Once the RAZR MAXX HD gets JB and the users report back on bugs and issues it may go back on the possible list but by that time many other phones will have been released so Moto and VZW will have missed a sales opportunity window with me and many others.

 

[natehoy]

The Maxx HD may just be getting JB, how long before updating to Key Lime Pie which is just around the corner.

I'm not sure how close to "just around the corner" Key Lime is, frankly. 4.2 should have been Key Lime Pie - it introduced some MAJOR new features (multi-user support, photosphere, new notification subsystem, some very deep-core changes!). Why Google chose to continue calling it Jelly Bean is beyond me. Given that 4.2 has only been out for a few weeks, I can't see Google releasing whatever they are going to end up calling Key Lime Pie so fast - and given how big the changes from 4.1.2 -> 4.2 are, I expect the bar is now set pretty high for a new version name.

I've got a Nexus 7, and 4.2 is just concentrated Android awesomeness. When my contract is up for the Thunderbolt, I'm almost certainly going to ditch Verizon so I can go Nexus. I'm tired of the waiting game. It's not that my Thunderbolt isn't working great - it is - but I look at the new features in 4.2 and think "my phone can handle all of this, but I'll probably never even see ICS, and this awesome 8mpix camera is largely going to waste". I backported the ICS camera app so I have pano, but I want Photosphere.

I'd be happy with ICS for the moment, because I really want FoxFi to work in WiFi at the very least. Then I can tether my 'bolt to my Nexus 7 and get the best of both worlds. But ICS seems less and less likely.

If it wasn't a corporate line, I'd see if someone wanted to do an assumption-of-responsibility on the line (I have a grandfathered unlimited plan). And if it weren't for MobileIron, I'd root the thing and call it a day.

 

[natehoy]

Once the RAZR MAXX HD gets JB and the users report back on bugs and issues it may go back on the possible list but by that time many other phones will have been released so Moto and VZW will have missed a sales opportunity window with me and many others.

Check the Jelly Bean version very carefully. There's a world of difference between 4.1 and 4.2. If you get 4.1, you're still running an old OS, and you'll be missing out on Photosphere and some awesome features.

 

[MittenSportsFan]

Check the Jelly Bean version very carefully. There's a world of difference between 4.1 and 4.2. If you get 4.1, you're still running an old OS, and you'll be missing out on Photosphere and some awesome features.

I haven't completely ruled out the MAXX HD but it's highly unlikely that I purchase because it is likely that it will always be behind in updates.
My T-Bolt is working well so I'm in no hurry to replace but definitely not for a device with an old OS.

 

[natehoy]

I haven't completely ruled out the MAXX HD but it's highly unlikely that I purchase because it is likely that it will always be behind in updates.
My T-Bolt is working well so I'm in no hurry to replace but definitely not for a device with an old OS.

If I had absolute freedom, I'd happily pay my ETF, pick up a Nexus 4 (going back for sale in a little over an hour), and go with Straight Talk over AT&Tat $45/month.

Unfortunately, in my case, it's a corporate phone and the company has no way to have me reimburse them the ETF.

Ah, well, the Nexus 7 is keeping me pretty happy. And I might still just buy a Nexus 4 at some point and get a prepaid plan.