Update on Froyo (Android 2.2) availability for HTC Desire in South Africa.
Here is an update on my earlier post. Leaf, the distributors of HTC phones in South Africa has clarified the situation regarding Android updates in South Africa. I quote from a article that appeared on MyBroadband:
To make zero-rated firmware OTA (FOTA) possible the operators need to agree to it and the required infrastructure needs to be put in place. Leigh explained that Leaf had already met with all the operators and that the system’s deployment is held up only by the zero-rating agreements and setup of local servers to host the updates.“We’re a couple of months behind in South Africa, but it is coming,” Leigh said. He added that getting all the agreements and servers in place would be a 2-4 week process.
When asked about those people that did received the update, this was the answer:
There have been numerous reports from South African HTC Desire users receiving an update to Android 2.2 “Froyo” over the weekend and early this week.Leigh said that this would only be possible for users who didn’t purchase their phones in South Africa. There are users that were able to update their phones that assert that they obtained their phones through operators such as Vodacom and MTN, however.
If these reports are accurate it could suggest that the FOTA systems were being tested during the times that the updates were available or that some devices sold by operators point at international update servers.
This all seems very feasible but I do not like that Leaf nake assumptions on my behalve. What if I can update my phone via WIFI and have the bandwidth available? Let me decide when and how I want to receive the OTA. It is good that they try to get the update zero-rated but I should be given the option to do it now even if there is a cost involved and I am prepared to pay for it.
So it looks like us with network (MTN, Vodacom) supplied phones will still have to wait a while.
Yes, I know I can load an updated ROM like some has done.
Technorati Tags: htc desire android upgrade
does anyone know wer I can go in pe to update to froyo, I’m desperate! or wen Mtn will release it? plz help…
Wally, you can apparently go to any MTN Service Centre (not the MTN shops). If you in Cape Town area then there is one in Canalwalk (Century City). Or otherwise just do the upgrade yourself .. I have posted a howto here: http://www.mariusb.net/blog/2010/10/htc-desire-upgradedupdated-to-android-2-2-how-to/
thanx will try it out and let u know how it works but just want to go to Mtn service centre and see wat they have to say, if I do it myself, will it affect the warranty on my phone? or can I still upgrade it to there one at a later stage after iv done the update myself?
I do think it affect your warranty since you have to root your phone.
Freekin’ Finally!!!
Hi all. it is Thursday 30 December 2010, 07:15am Pretoria, South Africa, and i woke up this morning with the notification on my HTC Desire that Android 2.2 is ready for download and OTA update.
Took about 4 minutes to download 97MB over wi-fi. (probably as I’m the only one at the office this early and nobody started downloading stuff yet)
As I type here it is busy installing. Getting kinda antsy as I hope it doesn’t crash.
Ok, phone just rebooted itself.
Or was that just in the rooted version?
Aaand.. booting up again.
Still have the HTC startup tone… thought this was removed
And doing a second install. This time just a percentage counter. Seems a bit slow.
Nope. Done
Phone teaching me how to type again.
And that’s it… checked my firmware and I officially have android 2.2.
Now what?!? Dang, I’ve been waiting for it so long I can not actually remember why I wanted it.
For me 2.2 has two major additional functions:
1. The ability to change the phone into a wifi hotspot. This helped me to be connected on a number of occasions where I would not have had connectivity otherwise.
2. The ability to move apps to the SD card. The HTC Desire memory is really limited and this capability helps (although not all apps can be moved).
Another useful function, although less important than the above is that landscape mode can now be used in both possible orientations.
Harry, are you serious?
I don’t have access to any updates as yet.
Could it be because of different networks? I’m on Vodacom.
Or maybe location since I’m not in pretoria.
Wolfster, as far as I know the updates are only available on the MTN network and not the others.
I went to Lab88 last week in Cedar Square, Fourways, and had my HTC Desire updated for free. They were busy when I got there, but the update process took less than 10min.
Lab88 are associated with Leaf, I believe; and there are three branches in the country. Check out:
http://www.lab88.co.za/
I’m in the process of updating to Froyo. Having received an SMS from Vodacom just after 15:00pm today. Hopefully the updates for all Vodacom subscribers are rolling out now.
hey, does anyone know if this update will work on an HTC DESIRE WHITE,
I have ordered the phone from vodacom and have been told it does not have HD recording.
with Froyo 2.2 i hear HD is enabled on the phone.
thanks
hey Brionne, i dont see why you would not get the update for the white version as im pretty sure its the same as the black one, same features different colour. but with that said i got the update sometime last year already for the froyo update and waiting for gingerbread 2.3, but not sure when that update will be available. when i updated mine i could then access the option of 720p video recording, not 1080p, so its still HD, not full HD. hope this answers ur question, been using the HTC desire for almost a year and still madly in love with this phone and an avid HTC fan. enjoy
Agree with Wally, colour will make no difference so you should be able to do the upgrade to 2.2 when you get your phone.
@Wally, I am not sure whether 2.3 will ever be available for Desire in SA. HTC had to do fancy footwork to fit 2.3 on the Desire so it will not be rolled out widely. There is a 2.3 ROM available for Desire here –> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1200261 .. it is very new so be careful and you will need to wipe your phone to get it installed. I use the 2.2 ROM at the moment and it is a very good ROM
I thought the Htc Desire White was a differant model like how you get HTC Desire S and so on. Thanks for the feedback guys. Much appreciated.
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_desire-3077.php @ brionne check this out, it says that the htc desire comes in black brown WHITE and silver, so all the same and its got info about hd video recording, well just the specs, but as far as i know the later desire models already have froyo on?
@ admin thanx for info on the ROMS, but i think il stick with my 2.2 as all i basically wanted fm 2.1 to 2.2 was the sd option to save apps and its good but run out of space still, sometimes. but thanx for info:)