Uncertainty surrounds Desire HD ICS update as HTC issues revised statement

It seems there’s a little more confusion than there should be surrounding the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update (or lack thereof) for the HTC Desire HD. Last week Canadian carrier TELUS released an update roadmap stating that HTC had canceled the update. Then a few days back, we reached out to HTC and received a statement indicating that updates for the Desire HD, and similarly-spec’d Desire S, were still on the table.

Since then we’ve been in touch with TELUS, which insists that it’s been informed that the update had been suspended, and that it was an HTC decision unrelated to TELUS’s network, testing or software. TELUS said that if HTC was to go ahead with the ICS update after all, it'd gladly test it and put it out for its customers. And after seeking further clarification from HTC, we were given a revised statement indicating that it’s still examining the Desire HD’s ability to run ICS --

"HTC is committed to providing the best customer experience on our devices and are currently determining the ability to support Ice Cream Sandwich on the HTC Desire HD.  We'll provide more information when we've completed our analysis."

So it looks like the future of ICS on the Desire HD is currently hanging in the balance, and that HTC is in the process of working out if it can support Android 4.0 without compromising the user experience. This could also be worrying news for owners of the Desire S and Thunderbolt, which sport almost identical internals, and which are also due to receive an ICS upgrade.

Whatever happens, we’ll keep you posted with any further developments on HTC ICS updates.

HTC: Desire HD to stay on current software, no ICS update

After all the confusion surrounding the status of the HTC Desire HD's Android 4.0 update, we have confirmation from HTC that it's completed its analysis of the software and reached a decision. Unfortunately, it's disappointing news for Desire HD owners -- the manufacturer has decided not to update the phone to Ice Cream Sandwich, saying it has the best software experience possible for its hardware on the current Android 2.3/Sense 3 ROM.

Here's the company's statement in full --

"After extensive testing, HTC has determined that the current version of HTC Sense with Android provides customers with the best experience on the HTC Desire HD.  When we consider new versions of software, we weigh a number of factors, but ultimately the customer experience on the product is the deciding factor. We apologize for any confusion this change may have caused our customers."

So it's sad pandas all around this evening. It looks like Desire HD owners will need to rely on the custom ROM community if they want a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean. In any case, the device already has several unofficial Android 4.x ROMs available, so at least those brave enough to root won't be short of options.

TELUS HTC Desire HD update to Android 4.0 cancelled, down to 'poor device performance during testing'

TELUS has been pretty good as far as information surrounding their devices update schedule to Ice Cream Sandwich. There's another update now doing the rounds, and sadly it brings bad news for owners of the HTC Desire HD. The update for the Desire HD has been cancelled "due to poor device performance during testing." 

While it's sure to be a bitter blow to owners of the device eagerly awaiting their turn to upgrade, if performance is an issue then it's the right decision to make. An update isn't worth waiting on, let alone accepting, if it doesn't make for a good user experience. 

Additional Android devices featured on the latest documentation still shows August for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 with the 10.1 also slipping to August after we'd previously seen late July for the tablet. Also, there's prospective August 7 in market date for the LG Optimus LTE. 

Source: TELUS via Mobilesyrup

HTC Desire C now available in the UK

As expected, the HTC Desire C is now available in the UK and will soon make its way to other countries across Europe. The HTC Desire C is the latest budget-friendly Android 4.0 handset from HTC. When you say budget-friendly, we’re talking about a free phone paired with a £13 (roughly $20) monthly contract [...]]]>

Three UK launches HTC Desire C, available on PAYG for £150

British network Three is the first mobile operator to launch HTC's latest budget handset, the Desire C. Announced just a couple of weeks ago, the Desire C is the successor to HTC's budget-busting Wildfire range. It's got a 600MHz CPU, a 3.5-inch HVGA display and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. And being an HTC Sense 4 phone, it also ships with Beats Audio software enhancements. There's also a 5MP rear camera, though no front-facer, so video calling is out of the question. So it's not going to set the world alight, but the Desire C looks like a decent little budget handset.

Three's offering the Desire C for free on contracts starting at just £13 per month, or if you want to buy it outright, the PAYG price is an equally reasonable £150, when purchased with an initial £15 top-up. The network's selling the Desire C in black and white, and the phone is available to order online and in-store from today.

Source: Three UK; More: HTC Desire C gallery

HTC Desire C announced – delivers Android 4.0, NFC and a 5MP camera on a budget

The HTC Desire C is official. HTC’s new entry-level Android 4.0 handset features a 3.5-inch HVGA (320 x 480) display, 600 MHz Qualcomm processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, 5 megapixel camera, Beats Audio, and a 1,230 mAh battery. For those who want to make sure they have the latest technology on their entry-level phone, HTC is also offering an NFC enabled version of the HTC Desire C. The phone will be available in white, black and red once it shows up in stores sometime in June.

The off-contract price for the HTC Desire C is set at £169.99, but UK service providers like T-Mobile, Orange and Three will be giving the phone away for free with plans starting at £15.50 per month.

While the HTC Desire C may aesthetically look like the HTC One series, the handset does not feature a dedicated imaging chip and the advanced performance of the One series. HTC has not announced any plans of bringing the HTC desire C to the U.S. market, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the phone showed up on regional carriers in the next few months.

What do you think of the HTC Desire C? Does the world really need another entry-level Android device?

Show Press Release HTC LAUNCHES Desire C, ITS LATEST smartphone WITH BEATS AUDIO New HTC Desire C – brilliant, entertaining and well connectedLONDON, UK — 15 May 2012 — Following on from the successful launch of the HTC One series, HTC, a global designer of smartphones, today unveiled its latest phone, the HTC Desire C. Featuring Beats Audio™ technology, this premium designed, yet affordable smartphone, allows you to hear your music just as the artist intended. The HTC Desire C also enables you to easily manage your professional and personal lives and share the moments that shape them.Available in red, white and black, and coming with HTC Sense 4.0 integrated with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), the HTC Desire C is great as a first smartphone or for those upgrading from an existing one. Packing a powerful battery and offering access to thousands of apps, games, music and movies – available through Google Play – you will always be connected and entertained whether at work, home or on the move.“Listening to music is one of the most popular things people use their phones for, so it’s more important than ever that we deliver the power and emotion artists capture in the studio,” said Jason Mackenzie, President, Global Sales and Marketing for HTC Corporation. “The HTC Desire C offers customers excellent design, easy access to content and fast connectivity – making it the perfect all round device.”Authentic sound without compromiseThe HTC Desire C features a powerful, yet rich studio-quality sound experience that is enabled through the combination of optimized Beats Audio and amazing hardware. This integration enables a rich, clear audio experience to customers no matter if they’re listening to music or playing a game.Premium design taken to a new levelCombining a durable metal frame with precision engineering, the HTC Desire C is ideal for those who want a premium-designed phone. Boasting a micro-drilled earpiece for sharp in-call sound, hyper-viewing angle display and metal camera bezel, this compact smartphone offers an unrivalled level of design and user-experience for its class.Packing the latest mobile technology into a neat, eye-catching design, HTC Desire C’s vibrant 3.5-inch HVGA screen makes it easy to browse the Web, view photos or connect with friends and family. If you like to share personal experiences with your social network, HTC Desire C’s 5 megapixel camera and instant sharing capabilities will allow you to post any moment, seconds after it was captured.Through HTC Desire C’s deep integration of Dropbox and 25GB of free online space, you also have the freedom to securely back-up, browse and share thousands of photos, videos and documents, whether stored locally or in the cloud.Ensuring that HTC Desire C keeps pace with new mobile services as they become available there is also an NFC variant of this model, allowing users to make payments or access information and offers.