The internet has been going MAD over the arrival of the second part of the Android 2.1 update for the long-suffering HTC Hero, so this is no surprise to most – but HTC has today confirmed the launch of the final part of the Android 2.1 release for the GSM Hero.
Here’s the announcement, from the UK HTC firmware update pages:
Update – HTC Hero Android 2.1 Firmware Over The Air (FOTA) update (Second Package)
In our commitment to providing you with the best user experience, we are pushing out a new firmware update to your HTC Hero. Your phone will receive a notification of this update when it is made available. Simply press OK to accept the update via a data connection such as Wi-Fi or GPRS/3G. After installing the update, you can confirm a successful update by confirming the Firmware version (From the Home Screen go to MENU> Settings> About Phone> Firmware version). The new Firmware version will be 2.1.
Update Information: Android 2.1 Platform Upgrade
Note:Please back up your data first, and you have to upgrade your phone with the first FOTA package to be able to get the Android 2.1 FOTA upgrade.
And here’s another pic of the Hero. It has been REBORN. IT LIVES AGAIN!
The update seems to be hitting unlocked phones first, regardless of which mobile operator they’re currently connected to – we’ve had some extremely NICHE European network users reporting success with the download already, while those with branded, network-specific editions of the handheld are still waiting.
Motorola’s latest flagship dual-core Android monster is a massive, original powerhouse, that’s a big improvement on previous MOTOBLUR mobiles – but still isn’t a total winner.
A slim and glamorous phone from Sony Ericsson, with the sharpest display around. It’s no powerhouse and the screen’s not the biggest out there, but we don’t mind. Because it’s cute.
LG’s first glasses-free 3D phone is a heavy, fat monster, with a clever 3D effect that works rather well. As a smartphone, though, it’s heavy and underwhelming.
A very shiny thing from Sony Ericsson, with a 3.7″ screen and Android 2.3.3 inside. But is it exciting enough to win fans in today’s spec-obsessed market? Can man live on one core alone?
INQ’s Android phone is an interesting “boutique” piece of hardware, packed with unique interface customisations that go far beyond the headline Facebook integration. We like it a lot.
Dougster
/ June 29, 20103 e-mails to Orange so far and no response. Bl***y typical.
I don’t even have the first part of the update as yet.
booster
/ June 29, 2010close, but no FriendStream
Kiz
/ June 29, 2010Fear not T-mobile are not much better…
David Nash
/ June 29, 2010Same here…Orange UK on Pay Monthly and no sign of part 1.
I’ve read some comments saying Orange are saying it’s all done by “Google” (not HTC?) and HTC say the network providers (ie. Orange) are rolling out the updates.
Why can’t they talk to each other, get their story straight and just let us know what to expect?
neil
/ June 29, 2010I spoke to orange uk this morning who said they think it will be within 3 days assuming it passes there testing.
The reports I have seen of people flashing the stock rom have said that they no longer get an orange signal so maybe they are blocking those phones or maybe it doesn’t work!
Ian Jones
/ June 29, 2010Orange pay monthly, nothing here yet :(.
alistair
/ June 29, 2010On 3 network pay monthly and not had first part either although you can download it from support sectoin on HTC website
Adam
/ June 30, 2010Spoke to Orange today (30/06/2010) and they said the 2.1 update was being released at midnight tonight, hopefully there is some truth in this and not just typical orange customer services filling our heads with more c**p.
David
/ June 30, 2010I hope so…I will stay up especially!
Kevin
/ June 30, 20102 more hours till update Orange please dont f**k us around!!!!
jon
/ July 1, 2010Still no sign of an update from orange…
Les
/ July 1, 2010Still no update, I wish i’d bought an Iphone, htc are crap
shaun
/ July 1, 2010les its not htc’s fault its the network operators fault they the ones screwing up n not giving us the updates NOT HTC its about time these network operators started treating their customers with a little more respect,seems uk are the last to get it :(
Andi
/ July 1, 2010Let’s be clear – there are two delays that have occurred here.
1) HTC has been tardy in updating Sense UI for Hero to encompass the new 2.1 firmware
2) The networks are being slow (or at least uncommunicative) in adding their oh-so-desirable bloatware to the HTC build.
Regarding HTC, Hero is is less than a year old. If you ignore intermediary ROM builds done to make minor changes since launch, then we are currently in the run-up to the first ‘major’ revision – which means we are roughly on a one-update-a-year schedule. This is similar to iPhone – it only seems different for Hero because HTC have released other phones in the interim with updated versions of Sense, so we feel left out! If you had an iPhone you’d still wait a year – you just wouldn’t be having your nose rubbed in it by your mate who owns a Desire! In reality, a yearly update schedule is probably about par (and is what Google has declared its intention to move Android to over the coming years). If you don’t like the delay between the release of Android builds and the customised Sense UI, buy an Android phone that hasn’t been re-skinned – i.e. Nexus One.
Re Delays for network-specific builds, best bet is to avoid this by buying unbranded phones – increasingly I think this is the golden rule of Android in the UK (I should know – I found out the hard way with my Hero!)
Moral of the story: delays are boring – but can be avoided without buying an iPhone!
Tim hatcher
/ July 1, 2010I don’t really care who is at fault this fiasco is, HTC, Operators ….. but from the user perspective if you have in iPhone regardless of operator you could upgrade it to iOS4 the other day all at the same time and it worked.
There must have been loads going on under the bonnet at the operators end when releasing iOS4, but it was all hidden from the end user. That is a good user experience.
owning an HTC phone however is a seriously poor user experience, they really need to get with it and turn the user experience round if they want to be a serious contender.
I will switch to iPhone for my next contract purley for the great user experience package that comes with it.
Come on HTC, Orange, T-mobile ……………. sort this mess out and stop hanging your dirty laundry out for everyone to see.
k0zmic
/ July 1, 2010In regards to getting quick updates I can accept that the Hero was first generation software and that there are likely to problems but 6 months for a firmware update was too long, it should’ve been done by April at the latest. Personally I’d give HTC one more chance at these updates, I read somewhere the EVO should get it within a month or so, if they can update the EVO, Desire, Legend etc within their given time frame I’m more willing to purchase from them again.
m
/ July 1, 2010htc hero is shit
m
/ July 1, 2010i just called orange and they saying they will call me back nothing so far
cokey
/ July 1, 2010just a comment on what andi was saying an update a year is reasonable, but hero could of had 1.6 or 2.0 they have skipped them so being on 1.5 at launch was a bit crappy and a lot of people wouldnt have known about this when buying the phone its not until later you find out. so if htc said hero is going to get 2.1 and left us hanging for it for the length of time they did with lets face it dates that come and go then people are going to get pissed off fact.
cokey
/ July 1, 2010Dear David Thank you for getting back to me, In regards to your question about the 2.1 update for the hero, With branded phones we need to get the network to sign it off before releasing the updates to make sure it works with there networks, this is still happening with orange. As soon as we know what is
happening with this our customers will be told and the update will be deployed.
what do you think?
Chris Dalton
/ July 5, 2010Still Waiting…. patiently…. at least it’s got a signal…. not like
the new iPhone….
Shahzad Mahmood
/ July 7, 2010I spoke to HTC twice a couple of weeks ago, and they said it would be out towards the end of June. I’m still waiting. However I’m not even going to try to call Orange. I can’t wait for 2.1!!
AP
/ July 8, 2010Just called Orange and they have informed me that we will need to go to the htc website to update to android 2.1
David
/ July 8, 2010Well that’s clearly not true at the moment because the HTC website only has the generic updates which we know causes the branded locked phones not to work.
The lack of clarity and information is the real problem here, if only HTC and the network operators could give a consistent story we’d know where we are. It’s just incompetence and smacks of them not caring about their customers.
Bungle666
/ July 12, 2010Well i got a response from orange a few days ago regarding the update, i asked when it will be released and why we are having to wait. Their answer isnt good.
Put simply they have no release date for Android 2.1 on the HTC Hero and will only release any updates if they believe it improves the phone from their point of view. They wouldnt say wether they are even testing it only that there is not release date set for any update as yet for the Hero on their network.
So im gonna use a rom on my rooted hero now, orange sucks as usual….
hateOrangeUk
/ July 17, 2010Orange suck – I will never go with them again. T-Mobile now have 2.1 on their HTC Hero.
Come on Orange. Get your finger out aqnd dothe FOTA update to android 2.1 as T-Mobile have
k0zmic
/ July 17, 2010@ hateOrange
Personally I’d just go with Vodafone now since I can’t trust T-Mobile or Orange anymore with updates, just look at the T-Mobile forums. People with Nokia’s, Samsung’s, Sony Ericsson’s alike are all begging for update news.