Well, that’s a bit of a shame. The Sprint version of the HTC Hero was the first to get an official, non-hacked update to Android 2.1, but the US network yesterday confirmed THAT’S ALL – there will be no 2.2 for its Hero.
The reason for doing so doesn’t sound like it’s a lack of technical power, more like it’s the network simply binning older models to support newer handsets like the very flashy HTC EVO – after all, a line has to be drawn somewhere.
So that’s that. We’re still waiting for 2.1 to hit the European Hero – latest reports show it’s now been launched by HTC in India and well as SE Asia. Tomorrow – the Easter Bloc?
HTC’s 4.3″ dual-core Android model, powered by Qualcomm’s all-new S4 processor. It’s smaller than the enormous One X, but is it as nice as its bigger brother? (SPOILER: Yes it is).
HTC is very much B-A-C-K at the top of the Android world with this, its quad-core flagship for 2012. Great camera, huge 4.7″ display and Android 4.0 running beautifully well.
Sony returns with an all-new mobile design for 2012, pairing a dual-core processor with a 720p display. It’s a lovely phone, but is it enough to end our Samsung and HTC obsession?
LG’s updated Prada phone comes with an absolutely crazy black & white theme, but is it just for fashionable suit wearers who want to make themselves look a bit more interesting?
Mark
/ June 26, 2010Not entirely unexpected. Why should HTC bother, after the way they have been bullied by consumers over 2.1?
lckf
/ June 26, 2010I know Mark – that poor multi-billion $$ company that’s been hounded by customers just because they promised an update for a phone that’s less than a year old and haven’t delivered on that promise for the last six months. One could weep for them.
MarkG
/ June 26, 2010@lckf
Do you think it’s been intentionally delayed by HTC? Clearly it’s a PR mess, but the fact remains, it’s not release, simply because it’s not ready. There was clearly alot of issues for HTC to sort out before it could be released.
As a consumer, I am totally sick to the teeth of manufacturers rushing out broken hardware and software products (Xbox, iPhone and more with abysmal quality problems sping to mind). I prefer my products to be well engineered and released when ready.
We live in a society full of spolit children that want everything yesterday, and then complain when things don’t work.
We should not be crucifying companies for trying to do things properly, and encouraging them not to rush out unfinished crap, just to get early footholds in the market.
I know GaryC will likely disagree with me on this, what with his his slightly embarrassing UKResistance legacy (time to change his email now he has grown up?), but well engineered products and companies producing them should be supported.
lckf
/ June 26, 2010HTC clearly intentionally refuse to update any further a phone that’s about 9 months old which runs on a still furiously developing OS. That’s an intentional decision. For a customer that means if you enter a 24 months contract with a supplier you are unlikely to get any further updates in the last 75% of that phone’s lifespan. That’s interesting to note and will deter many, as it should.
I agree that they should not rush out broken software. What they should do, however, is communicate with their customers. The update to 2.1 (from 1.5!) has been talked about and delayed for many months. There has been no communication from HTC. For example, there is still no map of when parts of the globe will receive their update. We can expect to be surprised. Are you telling me HTC didn’t know when they were going to release the updates to Taiwan/South Asia? Are you saying they won’t know when they are going to release it to Europe? Are you saying they don’t know what the broken (and now withdrawn) update for T-mobile HTCs means for the 2.1 update? They are not talking to their customers. Again, interesting to note and for many it means no further dealings with products from this company.
if you believe noting and commenting on that type of behaviour is bullying you must have had an easy ride through a blessed life so far.
MarkG
/ June 26, 2010I actually work as a software developer, and I know how hard it can be to predict timescales. You either spend 6 months planning, and then come up with an accurate date 12 months in the future, or you spend one month planning, with less of an idea of when something will actually be fit for release.
The HTC Hero is NOT only 9 months old, it’s been on the market much longer than that, and to be honest, HTC would have been much better never even bothering with updating it to 2.1.
All the whingers have achieved, is to ensure HTC don’t bother next time, as it leads to a bad corporate image for them. They are better off making the phone, and doing .1 release bug fixes. as it’s far less controversial when things don’t pan out how they intended.
Congratulations, you and others like you have likely ruined things for the rest of us.
lckf
/ June 26, 2010“Congratulations, you and others like you have likely ruined things for the rest of us.”
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, someone’s sensitive soul’s been bruised. Not sure why things have been ruined for you when you seem to agree it’s much better just to get a bug fix update. Why on earth there should need to be a bug fix update is another matter. Though it would be nice to be able to use the texting facility on the Hero without it draining the battery in about 12 hrs flat (http://www.htcheroblog.com/2009/10/20/sprint-htc-hero-battery-problem-acknowledged/).
MarkG
/ June 26, 2010Do you REALLY think HTC will bother next time after the grief everyone has given them?
The best we can expect is for them TO bother, but keep totally silent about it, until the eve of release. The likelihood is however, they simply won’t bother to do major version updates any more.
Thanks.
lckf
/ June 26, 2010“The likelihood is however, they simply won’t bother to do major version updates any more.”
You’re wrong, as the update schedule for 2.2 demonstrates,
Asif
/ June 26, 2010Who is this joker defending HTC? I’ve heard some stupid bloggers in my time but this guy should win awards for his ignorance!
How can HTC not update a device that’s basically in its infancy and people paid hard earned money for? The fact its taken this long for 2.1 is a disgrace in itself, but saying they won’t update it further is just blatent money making in a cynical ploy to make us buy another phone (never HTC for me if that’s their policy) when the Hero is still perfectly capable! Not a wonder people buy iPhone
j2h
/ June 26, 2010“All the whingers have achieved, is to ensure HTC don’t bother next time, as it leads to a bad corporate image for them.”
Bollocks.
Not communicating with their customers, not making any official announcements, letting conflicting dates leak out from all over the place and then staying silent about them – that’s what leads to a bad corporate image. They could have been honest from the start and said they didn’t know exactly how long it’d take but they were aiming for month X. Then if it became apparent they weren’t going to make it, they could have made an announcement saying so, and ideally also why it was being delayed. There’s been none of that. Delays happen, I accept that. But the way they’ve handled it just suggests that supporting anything other than their very newest handsets is a low priority for HTC and they really couldn’t give a shit about keeping their customers informed.
tony
/ June 28, 2010let’s put this into perspective. I have an apple ipod touch, bought not so long ago. it is not upgradeable to the new os with all the shiny new features. i went into the apple shop to ask about the next version – they would not tell me anything about new functionality or release date. they are all the same – they take your money and tell you to get stuffed. unforunately we all want their products. so swith to apple – it won’t amke any difference!
Asif
/ June 28, 2010Hi Tony! I agree with you partially! I was amazed that only the 3gs would get multitasking support initially, and had a look into it, because I actually brought a first gen ipod touch and that has upgraded all the way up to version3! But the fact is even the iPhone 3g is not powerful enough for some of the features, only the 3g is! That ain’t the case with the Hero!
I still want Android…amazing system…but I’m wondering if Google themselves are better (i.e. how long will they continue to support the Nexus One….because you know HTC are going to screw over Desire owners eventually too if this is there attitude….
Mariann Lunderville
/ July 10, 2010Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your website and wanted to point out that I’ve definitely enjoyed reading your website articles. I’ll opt-in for your feed and I hope you publish another post again soon!
smiling face
/ August 26, 2010Thank you this post, I will wait for the next post of you.