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HTC ThunderBolt Ice Cream Sandwich Update: Time for a Decision

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Here we are, on October 10th, and HTC still hasn’t given HTC ThunderBolt owners any indication about when or if it will be releasing the HTC ThunderBolt Ice Cream Sandwich update. In the time since I last wrote about this unacceptable situation, we’ve seen phones like the Atrix 2 get their Ice Cream Sandwich updates and companies like Motorola outright cancel Android 4.0 updates. And I think now, more than ever, HTC needs to step up to the plate and give HTC ThunderBolt owners a decision about the update one way or another.

At the end of August, HTC, which had remained almost silent all the way through the HTC ThunderBolt’s Ice Cream Sandwich release window, postponed the HTC ThunderBolt ICS update and said that it would be continuing to work with Verizon on the update.

It did the same for the Droid Incredible 2 Ice Cream Sandwich update.

Read: List of Broken Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Promises Could Grow.

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Dear HTC and Verizon. It’s time to make a decision on the ThunderBolt’s ICS update.

Since then, HTC has offered up nothing but generic responses when asked about the status of the Ice Cream Sandwich update for both devices. HTC customer service says it still thinks the update is coming out while the HTC Facebook page is even less helpful.

It’s a rotten situation to say the least but it’s one that can be remedied. Just look at Motorola.

In the past few weeks, Motorola got its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich act together. It started to answer questions from device owners in a candid fashion. And then, soon after, it made some extremely tough decisions.

First, it delayed the Droid Bionic ICS update, a move that clearly upset Droid Bionic owners but in the end, was the right decision. The update clearly was not ready to go and releasing a bugged update would have been even worse than the delay.

Then, it announced that it would be rolling out the Motorola Atrix 2 Ice Cream Sandwich update which is started earlier this week. On top of that update, the company also made another tough decision, canceling the Ice Cream Sandwich updates for the Motorola Atrix 4G, Electrify and Photon 4G.

Read: HTC ThunderBolt Ice Cream Sandwich Situation is Unacceptable.

Owners became steamed, heated, frustrated that they had waited this long only to be let down. I don’t blame them. But in the end, Motorola made the right call. The software just wasn’t up to snuff and had it released the updates, owners would have left even more scathing posts on its message boards.

HTC and Verizon need to take a page out of Motorola’s book and make those tough decisions. For the HTC ThunderBolt Ice Cream Sandwich update and for the Droid Incredible 2 ICS update as well.

Motorola may have lost some customers when it announced the delays and cancellations but I am willing to bet that it earned the respect of many more when it decided not to let the silence linger any longer.

HTC and Verizon would be smart to do the same.

25 Comments

25 Comments

  1. andre

    10/10/2012 at 12:51 pm

    I have been silently following and I’ve come to the conclusion I am switching over to the galaxy s3. I’m done with HTC and Verizon. Thank you for a somewhat good run.

    • Ira Minor

      10/10/2012 at 1:48 pm

      Fortunately my Thunderbolt fell into the toilet. I now have a Galaxy S3 and love it. My S3 will be upgraded to Jelly Bean this month. It was an expensive accident but well worth it!

  2. JB

    10/10/2012 at 1:14 pm

    I’m done with HTC forever when I’m eligible for an upgrade in 3 months. I haven’t decided on whether to go with the Galaxy S3, one of the Droids, or the iPhone 5. None of those could provide a worse experience than I’ve had with the Thunderbolt.

  3. msb

    10/10/2012 at 1:15 pm

    I grew weary of the promises made and promises broken. I left for an iPhone. I’ll not be back. All I wanted was a reliable smart phone with decent battery life.

  4. keith

    10/10/2012 at 1:18 pm

    I am very disappointed with Verizon and HTC.
    I have a small tablet and wifi is free everywhere. Why do I need to have a lousy smartphone with a BIG bill at the end every month? I am going back to the very basic phone.

  5. Neil

    10/10/2012 at 1:25 pm

    Like many others, I will never be buying another HTC phone after this debacle. Galaxy S3 when I’m eligible for an upgrade in another 60 days.

  6. misha1479

    10/10/2012 at 2:31 pm

    I had just given up on my Thunderbolt last night. It was the 3rd one I’ve had (warranty replacements). It had all started out so well… but really, I guess I am just ready for the newest and fastest anyway. Tomorrow I will be receiving the HTC Rezound (also a warranty replacement for my Thunderbolt)… Hopefully it will tide me over until my next phone. I won’t say that I will NEVER buy another HTC phone… but unless the Rezound “blows me away”, I will certainly think twice…

  7. Sean

    10/10/2012 at 3:12 pm

    I got rid of my thunderbolt quite a while ago, and gave it to my mom, who loves it. But I come from the Motorola side of it, that’s right, the Droid Bionic side of it, and I must say, its a HUGE pain to wait so long, I would be fine with my thunderbolt, because on 2.3, it ran fine, but my Bionic, the signal, is HORRIFIC. When my mom replaces the thunderbolt with the S3, I am thinking on switching back to it because this Bionic is just crap.

  8. Jeffrey Williams

    10/10/2012 at 3:54 pm

    Just wait a month…soon there will be newer phone in time for the holidays…all pre-loaded with JellyBean and best of all…Verizons prime opportunity to leash everyone to a new contract and the shared everything plan! Merry Christmas!

  9. Ken

    10/10/2012 at 3:58 pm

    Well after 4 HTC phones in a row, (xv6800, Touch Pro, Touch Pro2 and Thunderbolt, almost 8 years), I will be switching to the Galaxy S3 next month when I am eligible for an upgrade. I put off upgrading last time for almost 6 months waiting for the Thunderbolt to be released. Even though I have been pleased overall with the Thunderbolt, the lack of comunication and endless delays from HTC and Verizon are frustrating. The promise of these Android phones is that they will be supported and updated over their usefull life. I guess I will see if Samsung is any better.

  10. Terry

    10/10/2012 at 4:07 pm

    At this point HTC and their inability to be responsible to their consumers is old news. Time to pull the plug on all their products and move on to a company that listens and respects their customers. Complaining about how miserable we are with our HTC product isnt the answer. Its obvious that they dont care so its time for us, the comsumers, to hit them where it hurts. In the pocketbook. Its time to boycott ALL the HTC products all together. SO LONG HTC!

  11. Cedric

    10/10/2012 at 5:12 pm

    I dumped my Thunderbolt months ago. The sad part is one of the reasons I selected it was an article I saw about how HTC phones on Verizon were the fastest updated. Once the Thunderbolt came out that ended. HTC needs to look at this comment list of customers they are permanently losing.

  12. Sara

    10/10/2012 at 6:15 pm

    Anyone wonder if HTC is delaying a response, allowing enough time to slip by, and us TBolt owners end up qualifing for an upgrade and leaving the phone? I feel HTC/Verizon keep stringing along and each month that goes by, more people get ride of the TBolt meaning more money for Verizon (new phone purchase) and less ICS research for HTC. I really want the new Samsung but will probably hold out till the S4 is released early 2013.

  13. galaxy

    10/11/2012 at 6:19 am

    These bastards have screwed with us now for so long, I have had it. No more HTC. I’m looking at the rumored new Nexus phone that is supposedly going to be built by LG.

    The only possible explanation for all of this is as someone else has said, they are delaying and delaying until they finally cancel it, hoping people will simply do their upgrade and miraculously contract amnesia about this whole debacle. This will allow them to run out and buy another HTC phone and repeat the same self-flagellation all over again when they want say the Key Lime Pie upgrade or something newer and surprise surprise, HTC screws them over again.

    We are have already witnessed the apex of HTC as a company, we are now in the gradual downslide phase as the biggies like Samsung and Apple slowly squeeze them out of the market.

  14. john

    10/11/2012 at 7:19 am

    I say class action lawsuit against both Verizon and HTC for breach of contract.

  15. Andy

    10/11/2012 at 7:57 am

    I’m on my 3rd HTC phone (MyTouch 3G, G2, Thunderbolt). I’m done. Hopefully there will be a new Nexus out next summer when my contract expires.

  16. Smity

    10/11/2012 at 9:16 am

    I now have the Nexus 7 and now find, except for calls, I do not use the phone very much. I will be going back to basic phone and WiFi from here on. This android system is very annoying. It never seems to be correct. Google needs to refine their software to be used on all phones, not just the very newest phones. Will this ever stop?

  17. David

    10/11/2012 at 9:57 am

    Sara said “Anyone wonder if HTC is delaying a response, allowing enough time to slip by, and us TBolt owners end up qualifying for an upgrade and leaving the phone? ”

    I think that is exactly what is happening here. HTC and/or Verizon – prove me wrong. I’m not upgrade eligible for a few more months, so I’m going to wait this one out and see if anything happens. But agreed, being ignored is worse than being told no. Probably won’t be an HTC phone based on how this has been handled, but honestly, are any of the other phone vendors any better?

  18. juan jose

    10/21/2012 at 7:20 pm

    After 8 year’s over paying to much for Verizon services,,
    I’m done going switch over for Boost mobile half price more services even unlimited and international calls for much less money that’s what I’m talking about =)

  19. wutang

    10/22/2012 at 1:30 pm

    HTC completely destroyed my confidence in their brand with this nonsense

  20. whbrown

    10/23/2012 at 6:32 am

    fixed mine, got a Iphone 5 and my problems went away. I’ve avoided the Apple mentality for years and now had to cave in because of the piece of crap.

  21. john

    10/23/2012 at 11:18 am

    HTC thunderbolt what a piece of work contract almost over will go to sprint some 4g right not runs sometimes doesn’t

  22. Mark M.

    10/28/2012 at 4:19 pm

    A couple more months and my contract is over. I’m done with HTC of all future products. If they won’t support the product they sell, they don’t deserve to have customers. I hold Verizon also accountable for this as they promoted the phone to death, so they will also likely be out for good.

  23. Don Cole

    10/31/2012 at 6:21 am

    Customers have made the decision for them. I don’t like HTC or Verizon at this point. I’m stuck with Verizon since AT&T are much worse in this neck of the woods.
    If I wanted to be treated like this I would go with an Apple and AT&T.

  24. Mike B

    12/10/2012 at 10:10 am

    @Don Cole Why not go contract-less? You could even get an unlocked android or iphone to use on a GSM network?

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