Verizon commits to 'newer' Android for Droid Eris with Google Maps Navigation in Q1 2010
By Chris Ziegler 
posted December 4th 2009 12:01PM
posted December 4th 2009 12:01PM
HTC has pulled no punches about the fact that it intends to bring Heros up to Android 2.0 (or is that 2.1?) spec at some point, though neither Sprint nor Verizon had quickly followed on to assure customers that there'd be upgrades ready and waiting for their versions (sure, technically, the Droid Eris is a different internal HTC codename than the Heros of the world, but they're basically brothers from the same mother). Well, good news: Verizon has just announced that it'll be bringing the phone to a "newer" build of Android with integrated Google Maps Navigation for release in the first quarter of 2010. Since Google's nav app works on 1.6 now, that really doesn't give us much of a clue which version the Droid Eris can expect to see -- but seeing how we have leaked Hero firmwares running on 2.1 at this point, that'd seem like a probable target. With the Droid taking a baby step to 2.0.1 in the next few weeks, it seems at least possible that the shadow-dwelling Eris could end out ahead in the never-ending Android version game -- crazy how the world works, isn't it?
@Ariel Bender The iPhone's "exclusivity" and "unified platform" is what makes it so unappealing to me. It wouldn't make much sense for Android to be exlusive to one phone and/or one carrier, one version, one unified platform - because it would completely dissolve their "open development" platform. Also, phones like the G1 which is the original Android phone, wouldn't be able to handle 2.0 like the DROID does. So that's why it took a few weeks for other Android phones to receive updates. The iPhone is one phone, one network, one OS version. Android is across multiple carriers, phone manufactures. Rethink the logic of your statements.
@OCJP: Uh, Google just defecated all over your logic with the Googlephone.
And still no news on an update to Eclair?
Newbie to the site.
I'm also wondering about wifi on Verizon; I've done a lot of searching but cant' find an appropriate answer.
It appears V offers wifi as a paid service for laptop users.
Are there free wifi locations that Verizon supports for phone users?
AT&T has free wifi spots for their phones at all Starbucks. Anything equivalent on Verizon?
If so, does the Droid Eris have the capability to hit the wifi? What about wifi in retail shops or airports?
If not, this is going to be a big reason for me to move to an iPhone on AT&T, much as I'd rather avoid that route. The Eris on Verizon looks very nice otherwise.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.