Ladies & Gentlemen, we have some great news, and some bad news.
This evening I received an email from HTC regarding the Rogers Android HTC Magic & Dream phones, and Android 1.6. This same information was posted to some other blogs, and in the forum we frequent. I can confirm it to be true, as RogersMary told me earlier this afternoon that the email/announcement would be coming. (She made me swear to secrecy!)
Below is the email, but to summarize, Rogers HTC Magic will get an update to Android 1.5 with Sense UI (yup!) and later this year, the Magic will get Android 2.1!!!
Now the bad news, HTC claims that (because of the customizations) there will be no updates for the HTC Dream beyond 1.5. The Dream will NOT get Sense UI.
This is a bad blow for our HTC Dream brothers and sisters.
I would suggest that Rogers needs to seriously consider offering owners of HTC Dreams an opportunity to exchange their Dream phones for Magic phones so they can get the full benefit of the updates. Seems only fair to me since many of us were told by Rogers clerks (and Best Buy clerks) that we would be able to get 1.6 when we bought the phones.
I will post more when I have time. Here is the email:
——————————————————————–
While there has been a lot of confusion regarding software updates for these devices – we want to make sure that everyone knows that Rogers has been pushing hard to ensure the best possible outcome for all customers who have purchased an HTC Dream and Magic. Although we previously announced that we did not plan an upgrade to either device, we have reevaluated based on Rogers request and agreed to move forward.
Jessika
Waggener Edstrom for HTC
Great News! Now we just have to work on getting an update for the LG Eve.
“While “Google Experience” devices built on the same platform (like the T-Mobile G1) do have different upgrade paths – this is due to the use of a stock Android build, rather than a custom build used on the HTC Dream and HTC Magic.”
Isn’t a G1 and HTC Dream the same device?
Does this mean Canada will finally get paid apps as well?
Hmmm… still doesn’t sound like great news, especially if you’re a Dream owner like myself. This basically means that we will still be unable to run the latest apps, we will have no way of using Adobe Flash when it rolls out for Android 2.0, and they’re going to turn my Dream into an outdated Hero. Lets just hope they fix the bugs in the existing OS.
Mike, you need to re-read the email. It only states that the Magic will be getting Sense UI, the Dream will be getting a 1.5 update but no Sense.
@David: The difference between the Dream and the G1 is the stock Android OS “ROM” installed on each. The OS installed on the Dream was customized for Rogers, including, apparently, specific customization for the Rogers network. Any update beyond 1.5 for the Dream would require similar customization, which is why HTC says it has a different “upgrade path” from the G1.
@Ryan: No, paid apps is a separate issue, and has nothing to do with Rogers. We don’t have paid apps for the same reason we’re not getting the Nexus One; Google hasn’t decided to give them to us yet.
@GreatBigDog: You are correct. I had originally posted that Dream owners were getting _no_ real updates, but when I reread the email I _misread_ that line and thought it said Dream owners were also getting Sense UI. I have fixed it to say that Dream users are “SOL” and not getting Sense UI.
Great news! Will it be like the last update or will we get the elusive OTA update?
So… I was in the Roger Plus store across the street from me paying a bill and I over heard a sales clerk telling a customer who was interested in getting the dream that the phone will be updated to 2.1 in a couple months… My jaw dropped. I felt compelled to interupt the sales clerk and inform the potential customer that the dream will not bet updated past 1.5.. The clerk looked at me and asked what I was talking about.. I showed the clerk this site and he was speechless… same with the customer… The clerk then got a manager who rudely informed me that rogers will be upgrading the dream… I showed her this site on my phone and was asked to leave the store… the customer came up to me ouside and thanked me.. she ended up not getting a phone from rogers
What a crock. My HTC Dream might as well be a brick, i’m 3 months into my 3 year contract, its outdated, and buggy, and the number of apps for it are already dwindling. I guess I’ll be rooting it in the near future.
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@mjschmidt : about the paid apps, yes it has to do with Rogers (or any other operator). To get paid apps in a country, you have to sell at least one “With Google” device.
In Canada, no company has signed an agreement with Google, so no paid apps, no nexus one.
I still don’t understand why canadian companies are so affraid about innovation but anyway, it will come one day …
@JonPaul there is no OTA process with the HTC version of devices. It’s only “with Google”
AWESOME NEWS…
FINALLY EFFORTS AND PRAYERS OF THOUSANDS ARE GOING TO BE PAID OFF.
MIKE, YOU MIGHT WANNA RENAME YOUR WEBSITE TO http://WWW.IWANTMYTWOPOINTONE.COM LOL
P.S.: I AM VERY SORRY FOR THE DREAM OWNERS. I HOPE THEY WORK OUT SOMETHING FOR YOU AND LG OWNERS TOO…. AMEN.
I’m happy for some, but as an Eve owner, this changes nothing for me… except that it reduces the number of people who’ll be complaining/fighting for those of us stuck at 1.5…. So to say this is bittersweet is an understatement. I wanted a real keyboard, and now I’m screwed because of it.
@Alexi: Don’t give up! i will be keeping this blog going to we get answers regarding the LG Eve as well. RogerMary says she is looking into it and will provide an update when she can.
Rooting/Upgrading yourself when you are stuck is much easier than it sounds. There are many step by step tutorials, and I have to say, I am keeping my HTC Magic rooted and at 1.6, until either Rogers posts the 2.1 update, or their is a 2.1 ROM available. I can say from experience that 1.6 is a significant improvement over 1.5, and well worth the effort.
@Ted: Unfortunately there are also users with takes of failed attempts to root that ended up with a bricked phone. The problem is that there is no easy/safe way to do it for _non-techies_.
I completely agree with Mike. Being a techy guy myself, I still don’t wanna risk bricking my HTC Magic device, for which I paid $500. Also, I don’t want to lose my Warranty.
I read somewhere that there are ways to rollback the Root & Manualy ROM Update, is that real ??
Fingers crossed Rogers will allow Dream owners to switch to Magic. I’m 1 month into a 3 year contract, and when I purchased my Dream I was assured they would be upgradable.
Well……
Was away on holidays whole this was going on and came back to what i feal is a win for magic users which is great for them!!!
But this is a kick in the teeth for Dream owners!!!!
Rogers/HTC needs to come up with a solution for the unhappy Dream owners cause this is not it!!
Dream owners are left to rot…. Rogers/HTC need to come up with a better solution then this i am actually suprised that they would make this announcement fully knowing they have more a less left the Dream Users without any chance of support or compensation for the companies mistakes with this hardware.
I think i am much more angry then before …….is this the best Rogers and HTC could come up with……just terrible….
This not a answer to the HTC Dream problem and time to get the media more involved in this……They have opened a new can of worms….
I’m happy to see progress is being made! But it’s hard when I JUST got my LG Eve and heard about all of this stuff. Like Alexi I chose the Eve because I liked the idea of a keyboard. I really hope that Rogers will offer an update otherwise I might try to switch over to the Magic. Can’t help being jealous.
@mjschmidt: Any idea what the issue with that is? Is it just setting up a payment plan? I don’t see how it hurts them. Or is Canada just an inferior mobile market?
We have 2 dreams and been waiting to see what will happen. I’m going to try to trade them to Magic’s. Has anybody tried this yet? I will keep you up to date with what happens.
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hey guys, about rooting and running roms, its so utterly easy to do it makes me laugh!! you don’t have to be a techy to do it either! just google the one click root method and voila… rooted magic (or dream) there is no way you can brick it doing this method.. 100% safe.. now everyone that was afraid, don’t wait for rogers to update.. root rom root rom!!! its so worth it