HTC Blesses AT&T Aria with Android 2.2 Froyo Upgrade

HTC has finally released the Android 2.2 Froyo upgrade. The HTC Aria is a smaller entry-level handset with HTC’s proprietary HTC Sense user interface on top of the Android operating system. Unlike the trend with most Android handsets with 3.7-inch screens and larger, the Aria maintains a more compact 3.2-inch HVGA display. Though HVGA is lower resolution than the WVGA, FWVGA, or VGA displays found on most high-end handsets, the smaller screen size helps to make the screen look crisp and less pixelated as the pixels are distributed over a smaller surface.

HTC has posted an update that will require the Aria to be connected to a PC to install. The update process will wipe all data from the device, so it is advisable that users back-up any pertinent data, including multimedia files like photos and music. On the HTC page, there is a Windows desktop program called HTC Sync that will allow users to manage the backup of data on their devices prior to the update process.

For Aria owners on AT&T’s network, you can find the HTC Sync and the Android 2.2 Froyo update file from HTC’s website.

Unfortunately, though, although Android 2.2 is required for Adobe Flash 10.1 Mobile to work, Flash 10.1 Mobile does not support the processor found on the HTC Aria. As a result, users who upgrade to this version of Android will not benefit from having Flash support, though Froyo brings with it a number of performance and security improvements over prior versions of Google’s mobile OS.