T-Mobile USA delays Android 1.5 rollout by a few days

We knew it was too good to be true, eternal curmudgeonly pessimists that we are -- and sure enough, T-Mobile USA has put the kibosh on the start of its Android 1.5 rollout to G1 users. It seems that the build is still being "optimized" to "ensure optimal functionality and smooth delivery," which doesn't necessarily explain why T-Mobile UK users are already enjoying this stuff -- but then again, we're not the engineers and tech support folks that have to put up with the fallout from a failed launch. The carrier thinks everything will be delayed by about a week, which means that we're now looking at early June before everyone gets it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Clyde Berry @ May 18th 2009 3:16PM]

I was wondering why my phone wasn't being updated with all that Cupcake-y goodness yet. Thanks for the heads up.

[Bob @ May 18th 2009 4:09PM]

Me too, I'm hungry for some cupcakez.

[Lars @ May 18th 2009 8:08PM]

I've been wondering the same. Not like it's revolutionary or anything, but hey, a few extra features couldn't hurt.

[Templarian @ May 18th 2009 3:19PM]

UK makes a nice test base. And they thought they were just lucky. :P

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 3:22PM]

Thats it, time to root. Anyone know the best build of cupcake to use? I heard JesusFreaks is very stable, but removes some apps...

This update has been driving me to insanity, I don't think I can stand it anymore.

[Jon Doe. @ May 18th 2009 3:25PM]

Why would you load an OS that even t mobile isn't comfortable distributing to people? This generally means there is an issue and if there is an issue why would you want it on your phone. Calm down. We'll get it when its ready.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 3:29PM]

Because at this point, I've determined that the brilliant minds at the xda forums are more capable than every t-mobile employee. They've even managed to throw in multitouch!

[jay jay @ May 18th 2009 3:57PM]

@Jon doe cupcakes works perfectly I've been using it for about 3 weeks now with no problems.
@B3astofthe3ast congratulations on growing a pair of balls unlike jon doe.
heres a link on how to root your phone
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480

heres a link to jesusfreke's blog where you can download cupcake. i use his build because i'm accusomed to it but your free to use others such as the dudes or hk.
http://jf.andblogs.net/2009/05/01/when-is-your-15-coming-out/#more-53

Enjoy :)

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 4:06PM]

Thanks jay jay!!

Will I be able to keep all my apps or do I have to reD/L them? And can I still recieve the OTA update? As long as I can keep my apps Im doing this immediately.

[Taylor. Yes, Taylor. @ May 18th 2009 4:42PM]

JesusFreke's build works for me, though I have since been unable to get wired headphone output to work. Might be related to using A2DP headphones also - I haven't looked on the forums yet, but I'm sure if I cared enough, i could find a fix, that doesn't seem like an issue that would stay broken for long!
-Taylor

[jay jay @ May 18th 2009 5:00PM]

you will have to re d/l your apps but the market will tell you the apps you've downloaded through "my downloads" even apps that have been taken off the market and apps you've paid for. no you will no longer get ota updates through t mobile but i recommend you download the jf updater from the market it tells you when new jf versions are out and let you downloaded them right from your phone to update just like ota from tmobile.

[jay jay @ May 18th 2009 5:01PM]

I've had no problems with wried or wireless headphones/sets.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 5:08PM]

Thanks for the q&a session jay jay! Im about to root it right now, and i have a feeling im about to love my G1 alot more than I already do...

[Jon Doe. @ May 18th 2009 5:31PM]

Jay I hate to break this to you but I had my system rooted since last winter. I've flashed my system so many times I'm surprised it even works anymore. Trust me. My pair are perfectly sized. Now lets talk my HTC Touch Pro that I've hacked up to 6.5 as well. I'd say they are bigger then yours at this point.

Don't talk ***** you don't know anything about. And getting back to the topic. There has to be a reason T Mobile delayed this. Companies don't do this just for the hell of it. Which was my original point.

PS- The ROM from the HTC Magic still has bugs in it. The folks on XDA are, by and large, not developers. They aren't fixing problems in the the OS. They aren't retooling radio drivers. This is basically hacking it from one model to another.

[Setnev @ May 18th 2009 8:39PM]

The JF1.5 ADP has OTA update from JesusFreke, not T-Mobile. I run 1.43JF on my phone and when i was running 1.4JF i never received an official update from Tmo. The only apps that you are out when going to a ADP firmware is MyFaves. When going from any official firmware to a custom firmware, you will lose all of your applications because as part of the rooting process, you need to flash your phone with a RC28 firmware image that comes from the release G1 phones. When updating the firmware, it is straightforward and doesn't require you to reinstall all your apps. But if you were going from an RC31 or RC8 to ADP or even a RC31 to RC8, you will have to wipe your phone or you will get a constant reboot cycle.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 19th 2009 2:49AM]

I have rooted my phone and installed cupcake(JesusFrekeV1.5) and i love it!!! rooting also gives me a whole new world of options, i almost think google left the vulerability in on purpose.

The cupcake is not a lie!

[poke @ May 19th 2009 7:23AM]

Many companies got caught short and up prepared for andoid and although T-mobile were the first to release a phone I would say they are still no fully prepared.

Comparing consumer level releases to XDA-Devs is naive at best.

Android follows the typical Google pattern, released but can still be considered 'in beta'

[Jon Doe. @ May 18th 2009 3:24PM]

"optimized" Right sounds like code for our developers and debug team sucks rocks. Granted 1.5 has been finalized for what? 2 months? Lets hear it for Google inefficiency!

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 3:25PM]

I don't think it has to do with google, its more t-mobile...

[Jon Doe. @ May 18th 2009 3:27PM]

No but it is Google in terms of how long it took them to get this in the hands of Tmobile and the like. This was a hell of a long development cycle, IMHO. At the end of the day there is a little fault to go around to everyone.

[coolbho3000 @ May 18th 2009 3:49PM]

The build is fine. HTC has rolled basically the same build out to Dev Phone users (and have used it on the Magic), and T-Mobile UK users have had Android 1.5 for a while. T-Mobile is most likely having trouble adapting it to their bloatware (MyFaves, etc.) or even having distribution/bandwidth problems.

I personally think everyone who is capable of it should root their phone - the benefits are numerous and all are awesome. JF 1.5 is the build I'd recommend now, but Haykuro probably has some great stuff coming as well.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 3:31PM]

Im not really sure, but I think Googles been done with cupcake for some time, as HTCs build of it has been available to devs for a very long time. I think it has more to do with Tmobile tweeking the Myfaves app and whatnot...

[Pravoo @ May 18th 2009 7:37PM]

Or if you don't want to root your system, you can follow the following instruction to install UK official cupcake image without rooting

http://forums.t-mobile.com/tmbl/board/message?board.id=Android_MR&thread.id=5089

You can revert back to US version when T-mobile release officially after few weeks. I just did and it works fine.

[Pravoo @ May 18th 2009 7:50PM]

Ho man!!! ended up replying to wrong thread :(

[SPAZ @ May 18th 2009 3:25PM]

Son of a BITCH!

[Hank @ May 18th 2009 3:27PM]

Damnit... I knew it. I think they're just toying with us.

[spellprince @ May 18th 2009 3:32PM]

Beta lol

[Clasifyd @ May 18th 2009 3:33PM]

The Cupcake is Lie
/obligatory

[shaitien @ May 18th 2009 3:39PM]

Damn you T-Mobile!!

[nak @ May 18th 2009 3:44PM]

Anecdotal evidence would suggest that users in the UK aren't exactly "enjoying" cupcake.

[eleminop @ May 18th 2009 3:48PM]

the only things missing in JF1.5 is myfaves and msn/yahoo, it still has google talk. its been great for me, a nice speed boost.

[eleminop @ May 18th 2009 3:51PM]

and amazon, almost forgot because i never used it anyway.

need edit button!

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 4:07PM]

Is AIM still there?

[skyblaze @ May 18th 2009 6:13PM]

naw... no aim. but get the ebuddy app off the market. it got every im client you can think of and runs it silky smooth for me

btw, welcome to the root side, beast. youll love it here. the icing's much greener ;)

[Guru @ May 18th 2009 3:51PM]

LOL is this androids answer to iPhone v3.0 update,.
A real update would include 40,000 apps.
Even developers are choosing iPhone os over android ,
Closed source has killed open source ,.,.insane!

[jay jay @ May 18th 2009 4:00PM]

i banish you a corner to die troll/apple fan !!!!! be gone from this blog !!!!!

[iDavey @ May 18th 2009 4:11PM]

Learn before you spout gibberish.
Devs are inclined to hitting the larger install base first.
Seeing as iPhone has been out for some years, their install base is significantly greater than a phone which has only been out for 6mths.

And why always spout number of apps...40,000 shitty apps does not a good phone make.

Let's talk phone abilities shall we...

[razgriz94 @ May 18th 2009 3:53PM]

God dammit! Why?! *sobs*
This wouldn't be so heartbreaking if I knew I'd get the update as soon as it went live, but no, I'll probably have to wait several more weeks because of the ridiculous OTA update system.

[iDavey @ May 18th 2009 4:05PM]

Ok...few questions.
When you root your phone...is there any negative outcomes associated with it??

And why the fuck is this shit still taking so long...it's ridiculous.
They haven't pushed this out...
But yet somewhere, someone already has a ROM for an unreleased handset???
That's silly....

If there is no downside to rooting...I'll be going that route also..

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 19th 2009 2:55AM]

I just rooted my phone with JF1.5 and its really awesome, and rooting it is extremly easy.

http://www.androidandme.com/2009/05/guides/beginners-guide-for-rooting-your-android-g1-to-install-cupcake/

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480

Now go! root your phone and enjoy teh cupcake with iceing.

[gerrrg @ May 18th 2009 4:09PM]

When I didn't get it over the weekend, I thought maybe they were rolling it out slowly. Now I know. :P

[sracer @ May 18th 2009 4:24PM]

Based on the infantile impatience surrounding the release of Cupcake I suspect that the average age of G1 owners is: 15. The ones who are whining about the lack of a 1.5 update are the very same people who would be ripping T-Mobile a new one if it was released today and it bricked their phones.

I'm very impressed with the 1.1 firmware on my G1. And while I'm eagerly looking forward to the improvements that 1.5 will bring, I'd rather that T-Mobile take time and ensure that the update will be of a higher quality than to rush it out today.

[Jeff @ May 18th 2009 4:28PM]

I'm using dude of lifes 1.5 and it is pretty good. I can't wait for the haykuro 1.5hero build though.

[newjaruz @ May 18th 2009 4:32PM]

Jon Doe.

I dont think t-mobile USA is holding it back because of flaws or hiccups in the OS... I think it has something to do with the apps in the market place not being compatible with the update. I believe they might be giving more time so that the devs can adjust and as a result people can continue to use the apps they downloaded and/or paid for and not lose any of their current functionality.

[Dan @ May 18th 2009 4:33PM]

i've been using JF's 1.5 ADP on my rooted G1 for the past three weeks...lovin' every second of it! sucks for those who don't wanna root their gear though!

[stormfire1 @ May 18th 2009 4:33PM]

ROOT ROOT ROOT. I gave up last Friday and rooted mine. The xda devs can find a bug, fix it and roll it back out faster than T-Mo can take an OS that's HANDED to them and give it to their customers. I just hope they don't loose motivation over time cause they're not making a dime off of doing it.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 18th 2009 4:44PM]

Oh so true, props to the geniuses over at xda!

[poke @ May 19th 2009 7:36AM]

Oh yes - I forgot everyone takes Google's source and loads it on a phone and that is it.

Stop being naive people. There are platform manufacturers involved that require to tune the code and their platforms as well. Its not just a straight clone of Goolge's git repository.

It isn't that straight forward.

[BC @ May 18th 2009 4:44PM]

The new Android build gets delay until the week before WWDC? Its being tweaked? Yeah, right. I smell publicity stunt. Has this worked for any other company before?

[Wobbly_ears @ May 18th 2009 4:44PM]

Screw Tmobile, a bunch of incompetent buffoons!
Is 1.5 codebase not ready for primetime? Since 1.5 has been released on HTC Magic & Dev phones, I can hardly believe that.

Is it because TMO's shitty network can't handle rolling out a 44 meg file to 1 million users over a 2 week period? If a 44MB file can't rolled out to customers over TWO WEEKS, then why are paying 35 every month for their two cans & one string network? At this rate, they might give up on it & sell themselves to Cricket or Metro PCS.

I seriously trust Google's commitment to Android, seeing as all the cool features (Transit, Earth etc) are on Iphone & not on Android yet. Even their Maps & Gmail cleint is superior on Iphone.