Ice cream sandwich

[Droid Stew]

According to GBM, the TB is still slated for an ICS upgrade and could be coming around Thanksgiving.

 

[Treknologist]

According to GBM, the TB is still slated for an ICS upgrade and could be coming around Thanksgiving.

That's the current rumor. Let's hope it is true.

 

[jdd77]

I sure as heck hope that the official update lands at some point. It would be great if it happened before Thanksgiving but I am not holding my breath. I need to keep this phone for 6 more months before my contract ends and I can move to one of the prepaid plans on another provider.

I got 6 months to go too. At this point, I'd only want ICS on the Tbolt for shi#s n' giggles. I could care less anymore.

 

[Treknologist]

I got 6 months to go too. At this point, I'd only want ICS on the Tbolt for shi#s n' giggles. I could care less anymore.

LOL Well, I wouldn't mind having some of the ICS features to use on the TBolt and that customizable dock looks great. After 6 months, it will be Nexus for me.

 

[jdd77]

LOL Well, I wouldn't mind having some of the ICS features to use on the TBolt and that customizable dock looks great. After 6 months, it will be Nexus for me.

I've actually been considering going back to a "regular" phone when my contract is up. I love the features and convenience of a smartphone, but not the battery life (which makes all the features and convenience, inconvenient). But Verizon has only 2 options- crap phones and smartphones.

 

[Treknologist]

I've actually been considering going back to a "regular" phone when my contract is up. I love the features and convenience of a smartphone, but not the battery life (which makes all the features and convenience, inconvenient). But Verizon has only 2 options- crap phones and smartphones.

One of the reasons I'm leaving Verizon for prepaid service (most likely with TMO) is that I can switch phones whenever I want. I, however, don't see myself going back to a regular phone. I've been using smartphones since the early days (Windows mobile and Palm).

 

[thundersome]

You'd think Verizon was developing the cure for cancer. It's a god damn phone update. What possible justification is there for such a disgraceful length of time for this phone (A former "flagship" phone. Verizon's first 4g phone. The phone sucking hind tit.) to not have ICS? As soon as my contract is up I'm moving to a nexus with a monthly contract with another company. The reception will be worse. The speeds will be worse. The data might be capped. But I won't have to deal with Verizon anymore.

 

[viper31573]

the S4 is gonna have key lime pie on it. android 4.2 and we still dont have ICS lol

 

[viper31573]

im eligible for an upgrade now, but my tbolt works good, so im waiting for the S4, possibly when i get back from vegas in the spring

 

[Treknologist]

im eligible for an upgrade now, but my tbolt works good, so im waiting for the S4, possibly when i get back from vegas in the spring

I could upgrade now as well IF I wanted to stay on a contract with Verizon. Since that is not what I want to do, I'll wait until March to get the Nexus 4 and switch to a prepaid plan on TMO most likely. That or AT&T. I'll have to see what I do then.

 

[viper31573]

I could upgrade now as well IF I wanted to stay on a contract with Verizon. Since that is not what I want to do, I'll wait until March to get the Nexus 4 and switch to a prepaid plan on TMO most likely. That or AT&T. I'll have to see what I do then.

i was just telling someone the other day how any pre paid plan ive ever had, has cost me more than a contract would have. been about 5 years since ive had a pre paid plan though

 

[Spacemaker24]

You'd think Verizon was developing the cure for cancer. It's a god damn phone update. What possible justification is there for such a disgraceful length of time for this phone (A former "flagship" phone. Verizon's first 4g phone. The phone sucking hind tit.) to not have ICS? As soon as my contract is up I'm moving to a nexus with a monthly contract with another company. The reception will be worse. The speeds will be worse. The data might be capped. But I won't have to deal with Verizon anymore.

Why would VZW spend a bunch of money and time on ICS for T-bolt? I want ICS but I can see why VZW is in no hurry.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

 

[thundersome]

I believe Verizon has a duty to its customers to provide their phones with support and timely updates for at the very least 2 years from launch day. If you're going to have people on two year contracts you better support every phone (and support it well...not half assed like they do for almost everything except the iphone) for that whole time period. Obviously Verizon has other thoughts. This is why I am done with them and done with phones that aren't a nexus. I want updates without worrying about a carrier delaying and/or cancelling future updates.

 

[Treknologist]

i was just telling someone the other day how any pre paid plan ive ever had, has cost me more than a contract would have. been about 5 years since ive had a pre paid plan though

Well, times have changed. Prepaid is better and with a phone like the Nexus 4, cost of the phone isn't going to kill you pocket.

 

[hannsoft]

Why would VZW spend a bunch of money and time on ICS for T-bolt? I want ICS but I can see why VZW is in no hurry.

There's no disputing the basic business sense. There is none. No sense at all in supporting a phone they no longer sell. BUT then they never should have made the commitment. Don't tell us ICS is coming and then drag your feet for so long and eventually say "oh well, not enough people using it anymore, why bother?"

You have to wonder if the loss in customers is worth it. Well, I guess I have that answer... it is. They get more new customers walking into a store off the street in a weekend then they'll ever lose in mishandling the support of the Thunderbolt.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

 

[natehoy]

i was just telling someone the other day how any pre paid plan ive ever had, has cost me more than a contract would have. been about 5 years since ive had a pre paid plan though

Straight Talk, which uses your choice of T-Mobile or AT&T towers, offers unlimited (*) talk, text, and data for $45 a month with no contract commitment.

(*) They don't really offer unlimited. Their limits are not well defined but seem to be somewhere around 2gb of data and some high number of texts and talk minutes.

That's really hard to beat with any postpaid plan.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt

 

[anon(394005)]

There's no disputing the basic business sense. There is none. No sense at all in supporting a phone they no longer sell. BUT then they never should have made the commitment. Don't tell us ICS is coming and then drag your feet for so long and eventually say "oh well, not enough people using it anymore, why bother?"

You have to wonder if the loss in customers is worth it. Well, I guess I have that answer... it is. They get more new customers walking into a store off the street in a weekend then they'll ever lose in mishandling the support of the Thunderbolt.

Announcing ICS, whether it originated via Verizon or HTC was more than likely based on customer demands (unrealistic ones IMO) and has subsequently set them up for blow back if they couldn't deliver, which appears to be exactly what is happening now. The leaked ICS ROM from a month or so back obviously has problems and is not ready for prime time. They may still be working on it or it could be that either HTC or Verizon are very close to or have killed it because testing has determined that it's not performing at an acceptable level (like the Desire HD) or that it's just not worth the costs involved any longer which could be the case for HTC considering their continuing financial troubles. So instead they're trying to focus their resources on newer products that actually make them money.

 

[hannsoft]

Announcing ICS, whether it originated via Verizon or HTC was more than likely based on customer demands (unrealistic ones IMO) and has subsequently set them up for blow back if they couldn't deliver, which appears to be exactly what is happening now. The leaked ICS ROM from a month or so back obviously has problems and is not ready for prime time. They may still be working on it or it could be that either HTC or Verizon are very close to or have killed it because testing has determined that it's not performing at an acceptable level (like the Desire HD) or that it's just not worth the costs involved any longer which could be the case for HTC considering their continuing financial troubles. So instead they're trying to focus their resources on newer products that actually make them money.

Yup, all makes sense. Sucks, but makes sense. So now as every minute passes and the whole thing gets dragged out even further there's even less impetus for them to come through. Now if this fabled Thanksgiving target cones and goes I'm all done even thinking about it.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2

 

[thundersome]

And they aren't taking into account people who will forever swear off HTC due to this type of treatment. HTC can't afford to lose ANY customers right now. If they treated us TB owners right I probably would have bought another HTC phone. I hate Sense but I use a launcher and I do like their phones build quality and recently their superb screens. But none of that matters to me anymore. ICS updates for their phones are the LEAST they can do. I don't think it's an irrational demand to have our phones updated to an os that's already a version behind the current os not to mention they told US they were going to do it. Let's not forget that ICS has been around for over a god damn year. Let's be very generous and say it takes them 6 months to release the update from gb to ics. WE WOULD HAVE HAD IT IN APRIL! Even so I know this is a fantasy. GB was out for a few months when the TB was released yet it launched with froyo. So the first 4g phone would surely get the update quickly right? We got the GB update TEN MONTHS after it was first released. I guess in retrospect none of this is surprising since HTC has treated their former "flagship" phone and their customers like an afterthought right from release.

What excuse is there? Please let me know. If your response is something along the lines of "well your phone shouldn't be supported after x months" go screw. I hope all oems who take that stance suffer and lose money as the general public get wiser about the state of the android phone marketplace. I've made up my mind. As long as there is a nexus available that will be GUARANTEED timely updates and support for the natural life of the phone (2 years...anything more is a welcome bonus imo) that is the only phone I will be buying.

 

[anon(394005)]

I'd highly suggest you read this, in particular the "Update anxiety" section:

Why you'll never have the latest version of Android | Android Central

An excerpt:

You buy a phone, you pay your $200, you commit to a 2-year contract with a service provider. It used to be that the manufacturer?s involvement in developing a device ended once it shipped. Instead, as smartphones have become more prevalent, they?re constantly evolving, even after release. New software updates arrive, adding features, changing up the look and feel, and enhancing performance months after purchase. Major updates could even move devices up to a new platform version.

As updates become more common, and consumers become more tech-savvy, there?s an increasing awareness that devices can be updated, and an expectation that they should be updated. With that comes a sort of ?update anxiety.? If you?ve dropped by any smartphone message board, such as our own forums or XDA?s, you?ll know what we mean by this. Threads abound asking when ICS, or Jelly Bean, will be available for certain devices. In the event of delayed or even canceled updates, Internet denizens swear they?ll never buy another phone from that manufacturer or carrier again. It?s an entirely negative ownership experience.

While this isn?t representative of the entire user base -- not by far -- it?s an example of how many power users experience Android smartphones. They?re always behind the curve, always waiting on an update, never fully enjoying the product that they?ve bought as they?ve bought it. Part of that is the fault of the tech press -- we?re always focused on what?s new, and that means talking about software that hasn?t yet reached most folks.