Android 2.1 Coming to Other Devices Too!!

by Anthony Perez on January 5th, 2010 at 2:26 pm

Android-21-HeroFor those of you who were lucky enough to attend the Google conference today, or were watching the live video feeds/ blogs and paid attention during the Q & A section you heard some great news! Once 2.1 is open source everyone will get a piece of the newest version/action that for now is only found on the Nexus One.

Andy Rubin’s response to a question by Jason Chen during the Q & A:

Q: Why was it necessary for Google to design the phone? Why couldn’t it just be an HTC phone running the new flavor of Android? And will these new features be coming to Droid?
A: It’s inaccurate to say Google designed the phone (points to HTC CEO). [Google] is just merchandising it online. Everybody will get 2.1 when it’s open source, within a couple of days.

[via Gizmodo]

Others can now rejoice as the goodies shown in the Press Gathering from today will be soon making it to their favorite Android device! Hooray!

  • G8D

    Cool, I assume that if HTC has Sense working well on 2.0 they can port it easy enough..

  • Jbart15

    Its coming in a couple days! This is very exciting

  • Tom Robson

    Another morsel of info from the Q&A is that app storage on SD cards is coming soon:

    Q: Why 512MB for app storage only?
    A: They store apps in the internal ROM and not on the SD card now, for piracy reasons, but they will offer an upgrade soon for installing apps on the SD card.

  • Will S

    well this launch was, extremely unsatisfying. However getting 2.1 for my Droid soon is good news. I really think Google should have made this new approach to buying a mobile phone, a more attractive option. Instead it seems very ho-hum and the whole last month of hype was a total waste.

  • G8D

    @Will S
    Google didn’t create the hype, the users did.
    You can’t blame Google for the disappointment you feel.

  • Piranaguy

    Again this confirms my statement… THIS IS NOT A GOOGLE PHONE… the only thing Google is the Software, that is coming to the other devices as well! am i just crazy or does anyone else see that???

  • Abrown

    I kind of figured as much. People kept talking up that Google was making their own phone…didn’t it strike anyone that HTC was synonymous with Nexus One? Oh well enough of that.

    Glad to hear 2.1 will make its way down the line.

  • michaelk

    NOT ALL DEVICES:

    11:38AM From Rubin: “What I can tell you is the intention” of some future proofing on phones and more options for updates other than OTA. Sanjay: Fundamental answer is that they intend to update the devices to the best firmware it can handle. “Not every device — and it really comes down to some chip choices — can run [3D].”

    11:38AM Jha: “If you want to be completely 100% backwards compatible, it’s a burden that hurts innovation.” Had 2.1 not had so many 3D capabilities, it probably would’ve been more compatible with legacy devices.

  • Johnny Awkward

    When he says everyone will get it in a couple of days, he doesn’t mean you’ll all get firmware upgrades, just that the source will be available.

  • Bigdogbc

    Will g1 be getting 2.1?

  • andrew

    these questions are dumb. i could have answered 80% of them.

  • bnail

    The Motorola Droids should have gotten this 2.1 a long time ago don’t forget about the Droids!!!!!

  • Bigdogbc

    well then answer them, or go to another site professor andrew

  • andrew

    go to another site? i am talking about the press conference. most of those questions seriously could have been answered by myself or anyone else who follows phandroid.com regularly. is research and journalism dead?

  • ari-free

    “most of those questions seriously could have been answered by myself or anyone else who follows phandroid.com regularly”
    -
    -
    yeah and he’d also say that this phone would be free and run off VOIP and change the world as we know it, etc, etc

  • wootbot

    Wait, you’re telling me that Windows 7 won’t run on my 386? LAAAAAAAAME.

    2.1 not being on ALL Android devices makes sense. I’m sure they’ll give updates to older versions so they get as much of the goodies without all the flair. I can’t see that something 5 home screens takes all that much, but animated backgrounds obviously have some sort of hardware requirement.

  • Leonard F

    So will verizon be pushing this out as an OTA?

  • ari-free

    I think it is the 3D image gallery that really needs the horsepower.
    But part of the problem is that some carriers/phonemakers are just too lazy or feel that they’d make more money if you had to buy a new phone instead of offering free updates

  • archie

    ok it says the 2.1 will be available for download in a couple days, so does this mean i will be able to down it to my sprint htc hero? and second question is I read the nexus 1 will be avaible for verizon(soon), so what i would like to know is since verizon is cdma, will there be a sprint release for this phone, because im not ready to switch phone companies jus for a phone, i have the hero and its pretty good. but if this phone comes out for sprint i would get it not matter what the cost(NOT MATTER WHAT THE COST), so PLEASE can anyone give me good news on this

  • bnail

    Somebody tell me this was Google apart of Motorola Android that drop on Verizon last year. In if so why are there not crinkled about a update for the Droids?

  • http://Browsing Charles Rutherford

    I second Leonard F’s question. I see that people have been “rooting” their phone to get it loaded “early”, but for a dummy like me, it sounds too risky to try. It sounds like you can wait a couple days and have some kind of risk-free ability to get 2.1. I’m completely prepared to be told I’m wrong!

  • Bigdogbc

    oh sorry andrew, i agree it was very disappointing.

  • GL

    I just hope 2.1 fixes the lame Exchange 2007 server support.

  • bray424

    Does anyone actually know the changes between 2.0 and 2.1? I’ve never actually seen any 2.1 changelog anywhere.

  • Jarratt

    Bnail verizon and google worked with motorola to make the Driod so since thats the latest droid phone since it dropped with 2.0 of course its getting 2.1 and to the guy with the G1 i dunno where its getting it. depends on the processor like the other guy said. it might not be able to handle it

  • ianc

    ok, so am i missing something… will HTC Hero get the update, and if it does, HOW ? will it be automatic or will i need to download and install it ??

  • SharonW

    I found this tidbit of great interest. Anyone else see what I see?

    11:38AM From Rubin: “What I can tell you is the intention” of some future proofing on phones and more options for updates other than OTA. Sanjay: Fundamental answer is that they intend to update the devices to the best firmware it can handle. “Not every device — and it really comes down to some chip choices — can run [3D].”

    MORE options for updates OTHER THAN OTA?!?! Does this possibly mean that Google will offer, say maybe from its new store, updates that can be downloaded to your computer and then added to your phone? In other words, if the manufacturer can’t be bothered to update or the carrier doesn’t particularly like some new features so they won’t allow the update that perhaps Google will offer the update outright via the web? I think so. I do. ;)

  • BiGMERF

    I have seen this around in a few places but the way we are taking it is wrong from what i see. it appears that 2.1 will be available to all to develop not available on all phones. Believe me i wish it was true, i would love to see 2.1 on the mytouch already!

  • http://blackcatmedia.net/ Quboid

    ianc – HTC have said on their twitter feed that Sprint Heroes will get 2.1 and I can’t imagine them creating it for one line of Heroes and not the whole range. To be released “early next year”, which now refers to this year. When they said that, the update was going to be to 2.0 so it might be delayed a bit.

    The previous update was a file you downloaded to your PC, plugged in your phone and ran the updater program. That update didn’t affect the actual Android build so I don’t know for sure if it will be the same

  • grimdeath

    FFS someone think about the G1 users!! We were the early adopters that laid the road for all you whippersnapper droid users :P I would really love to know if im going to be getting any further updates on my G1…it’s been a long time since it’s even been mentioned in the news really.

    I know the N1 and the Droid are getting all the headlines these days but you guys should be worried as well if it means those of you stuck in 2 year contracts will end up with a phone that’s only supported for half your contract :/

  • http://n/a Greg O

    If you really want updated roms for older Android devices, you might be better off searching XDA or googling around.. ;)

    The Carriers got their money, unless there is some MAJOR feature/bugfix that is demanded, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

  • ron

    any news even 2.0 available for european htc hero ? i think htc’s been working on it but no more update so far….

  • doublebullout

    Rubin’s response could also be interpreted to mean that the 2.1 update will be released a couple of days after 2.1 goes open source. That could be next week, next month, or even next quarter. The quote doesn’t necessarily mean that 2.1 updates will be rolling out by the end of this week.

  • Yvonne VS

    Does anybody know Android phones don’t have a video call camera? And why do I not see any decent software on Android that manages appointments and tasks as well as Windows Mobile?
    I am a fan of HTC. I have the HTC Touch HD, and didn’t buy the HD2 because it didn’t have a secondary camera. Does anybody know if HTC’s new phones will have video call?
    Thank You
    Happy New Year to all :)

  • Maj

    2.1 update won’t be brought to the HTC G1, there was a rumor that there is an update but it was denied in a few days later.
    And i think google were clear about this in the event during the q&a and how the old devices are weak and wont be able to handle the 3d effects and some of the apps. So there’s no hope in waiting for an update.
    anyway, im going to sell my g1 pretty soon and probably get myself the nexus one.

  • GK

    Having some devices lag behind wouldn’t be so bad if Google hadn’t made such a monumental arse-up of the Market. Management of versions is particularly poor with no tools for devs to provide multiple app versions for different O/S versions.

    Beware buying an unlocked Nexus also; like many other network-unlocked handsets you may find your access to the Market crippled although I’m sure having its name attached will inspire Google to fix problems with this handset that it has blatantly ignored on other handsets for months.

    Just consider before you buy, Google puts everything into new features and NOTHING into customer support. HTC may be the manufacturer but Google is the supplier and your first point of contact when things go wrong. That’s if you can find out HOW to contact them.

  • Joost [Amsterdam, Holland]

    Anyone know if the HTC Hero (with HTC sense) will be able to get the new Android version too?

  • Dean Cory

    I wonder when new Droid Eris’ and Moto Droid’s will have 2.1 out of the box.

  • Furret

    I just can`t wait till I can update my Hero. I`m on 1.5… The old market and stuff just sucks a little.

  • whample

    The only thing keeping the devs from making a port that will work for the G1 are the damned drivers, especially the cam one.

  • ZED

    Every HTC Hero carrier-free will get the update,verizon Hero will also get it the others i dont know.

    I have to agree…pretty dumb questions.

    “why google designed the phone?” Muahahahaha
    My guess is,normally this reporter does the weather,the techy reporter was sick… :D
    G1 probablly wont get the update amd to go a little beyond in my guess Hero wont be getting next major update after 2.0…like it happends with all devices.
    N1 will be the first with promised lifetime updates.

  • deathrowlivson

    aight so…is it january 22nd or in a couple of days…or is january 22nd considered a couple days..gotta know so im not sweating in anticipation every night

  • BBHero

    so it didn’t happen. when will we get 2.1 on our Hero?



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