Sprint says Android 2.0 coming to Hero and Moment first half of next year
By Chris Ziegler 
posted December 11th 2009 5:10PM
posted December 11th 2009 5:10PM
In the wake of Verizon's Droid Eris update announcement, Sprint couldn't very well rest on its laurels and let the world go by while its Android babies grow stale on version 1.5, could it? Indeed, the company has announced today (via Twitter, of all things) that it'll be bringing Android 2.0 to the table for its HTC Hero and Samsung Moment in the first half of 2010. Naturally, we wish they could tighten that up to the first quarter (or heck, this month, for that matter), but as far as we can tell, HTC isn't yet done prepping Sense for 2.0 so they're probably in a holding pattern there. As for the Moment, it's running stock 1.5 -- and we'd certainly expect it to run stock 2.0, too -- so we're not sure what the holdup is on Sammy's end, but you can bet we're looking forward to seeing the Google juice running in full AMOLED technicolor.
june 30,. 2010?
@va jj
My thoughts exactly. lol
@va jj
That's just what I was gonna post.. :)
i would expect that the moment would get it before the hero. As the post states, it's running a stock android build. Unless Sprint had to tweak their applications to run in 2.0.
@xtasi
Well, I hope the Droid Eris gets the update soon. My Eris should be arriving tomorrow for $0. Yay Wally Wireless!
uh, so this changes nothing? htc already said they'd have androgynous 2.0 on the hero in early 2010, and sammy already said they'd have 2.0 for the moment in the second quarter (april-may). only difference is sprint is announcing the same thing now. soooo big whoop wanna fight about it?
@ravissimo My sentiments exactly. How nice of sprint to clear that up. Lol.
@ravissimo Well it just shows that it'll actually be happening. HTC can say whatever they want, if Sprint isn't cool with a cool 2.0 update then an official one won't happen.
Sorry to get out of subject, but what's with the "0 replies" under every comment? That's kind of annoying me.
@Slutty McNugget People complained about comment threads being hidden by default. Now they're not.
@Slutty McNugget
No, I'm good with the replies not hiding anymore, I just don't like how it says "0 replies."
@MowDownJoe
Oops! That above comment was for you MowDownJoe.
My favorite Android!
@andokal You favorite is the weakest link of all android phones the Hero? Hows life under that rock you live under?
I have a sort-of off topic question. How come Android and the iPhone (and WebOS i think) can have their phones update the firmware without completely erasing all the data and reinstalling stuff but Symbian and (i think) Windows Mobile and Blackberry you have to erase everything and "reformat" the device? Whats the difference? (or maybe I missed something)
I dunno about other BB, but I think I read that Storm is OTA and doesn't erase data.
@nelagster
Google store's all your contact information. So that would stay the same.
As far as pictures and app information, that would have to be downloaded again i am sure.
@a falling stone
I'm pretty sure Android updates are OTA also and doesn't affect any of your applications and data (at least for how T-mobile does it).
@nelagster I know NOTHING about development or guts of operating systems but it's just the way the OS is. For example, on 360, you can do a system update pretty quick. On PS3, and correct me if I'm wrong, it's a timely affair. I know for a fact it's a whole process on PSP, it completely replaces the OS instead of layering on the update like 360. Just different methods, and I'm sure both sides have their reasons.
@nelagster No unix based operating system needs to reboots for updates. That'd be silly.
@a12ctic You mean Linux based ;-P
@nelagster They just weren't designed that way.
@EGOvoruhk No, he means Unix...its the shell behind all Linux platforms, as well as Mac OS.
@DizWARE No, Unix is not the "shell" behind Linux. Linux was written from scratch, started by Linus Torvalds as a free/open replacement for Unix which was to expensive for everyone to use. Don't chime in and try to correct people when you know next to nothing about the subject.
Maybe there's something to the rumors (which were floating around before its release) that the Motorola Droid has an exclusive on 2.0 for 2009.
@hey I was told by a T-Mobile rep that they had 2.0 ready for a few of there handsets but that Verizon has a 90-day exclusive agreement. He wasn't aware of which T-Mobile sets would be getting 2.0 though.
My Android is bigger then yours.
Trust Me... It'll be worth the wait.
Let's hope for sooner than later.
Remember that movie "Android" with John Malkovich?
Yesss! Faster browser speed!
You can upgrade my hero!
I am excited!
Anyone else a slightly upset about this? If I'm just being pissy then I guess I'm just being pissy, but it kinda doesn't seem right that the Hero is stuck with 1.5 and 2.0 is out there. I understand that HTC needs to throw Sense on top of the new fw, but I dunno...Just seems kinda messed up that we're going to have to wait so long.
@cabot
Why would you be upset? They have to make sure Sense is going to run properly. The only that you could get mad about is if they announced that they're not bringing 2.0 and left you guys with 1.5 so you should be happy that you're getting 2.0.
@cabot
There's really not all that much new and improved in 2.0 so I don't think it's a big deal. There are leaked ROMS out there if you really want it today. HTC probably wants to stick with stable code so they don't get a bad reputation as releasing half baked updates.
@(Unverified) But still, can't one think that when the 2.0 update is released for it, then another new upgrade will have already been released, or is in plans of being released?
@cabot
yes i am slightly upset and most likely will jump on the next phone with snapdragon and 2.0 if one is released before the hero update i will pay the etf and go back to att. wish i could make the jump to Verizon but prefer unlocked and no contract. and with the new Verizon etf fees i cant jump ship as easily as i can with sprint.
@cabot
I seriously don't see the big deal...The Sense UI has almost everything 2.0 has(my G1 is running some small chunks of 2.0, and I can tell you that its nothing to truely get excited about).
If anything, you should be upset that you don't have 1.6 yet...Gesture drawing has got to be the coolest thing I have ever seen on a phone, but since I have only seen 1 app use it, you probably shouldn't even get upset about that.
Just remember, Android 2.0 is just a hype word right now....its a nasty trick to get people moving around and excited about their phones and the phones that they want. Try not to fall into the hype hole :)
About their reputation; the first stock release of sense already put their reputation at the lowest level, and now even with the second version there are still some obvious and annoying bugs. So even though we'll get some new features I still look forward to the bugfixes. And yes, june 2010 is too far away, technerds reading this will probably have a new handset by that time.
The whole idea with hardware manufacturers adding their own software on top of the OS is demonstrably a bad thing. If one company focus on the software we would never have this problem and everyone would have the latest release. Ofcourse sense is great but I think google could have done it just as fine as htc.
I'm definitely getting the Moment now. I was stuck between the Hero and the Moment. HTC is guaranteed to keep their phones up to date but I need a physical keyboard and the slow processor were making me think twice but since there was no update announced for the Moment I was leaning towards the Hero. I'm definitely going to go with the Moment now that they finally announced 2.0 cus it definitely needs it. I think it's the second best Android phone out there next to the Droid.
@ZeRoCo0L I'm trying to decide between these two as well, but right now I'm liking the 5MP camera on the Hero vs 3.2 on the Moment. I don't care about the keyboard but I do worry about the processor...
@ZeRoCo0L I'm typing this on a Moment myself. The phone is fantastic. I don't see why anyone could go wrong by choosing the Moment.
And according to Palm, that means in June..
What's the hurry? If you wanted 2.0 so BAAAAD, you should've gotten a DROOOOIIIID.
My Hero works fine, but I actually tried it out before I bought it, and knew it had 1.5ish running on it, and I'm fine with it.
Plus Sprint, gives you 30 days to try it out.
And so I'll wait. Do it right HTC.
@SS Engadget Exactly. The Hero has Sense so it's not like you're bored and outdated like the Moment, and even then, I don't see the huge deal. 2.0 will get to Sprint when it gets here, oh well. It's not some massive overhaul.
@SS Engadget
Doesn't everyone give you 30 days to try out their phone/service?
@SS Engadget
I'm not sure whether you should be up-ranked for holding on to common sense, or left alone for the annoyingly irrelevant DROID bit.
But, you definitely have a point.
@SS Engadget i'm not sure if its still the case but im pretty sure you cant use google maps with navi on 1.5 and you have to have donut. at least thats how it was.
Isn't this probably more of a sprint hold back then the makers? Sprint does want its android baby hero not able to get the same love as the redheaded step child moment.
First half, wth, the Moment is on stock Android, a couple minor tweaks here and there, and they should be able to get Android to run on the Moment within a few weeks of development time. What's the hold up? I love my Moment, but I can't wait to get 2.0 for all the extra goodies. Heck, even 1.6 would be fantastic for Google Goggles and a few other apps I can't use yet. If Sprint wants to please people buying Android, and don't want them to switch to Verizon for the Droid phones, then they best get updating to keep up with the competition.
@Dandmcd do you know if the moment has been rooted yet? If so, you should go for it and put on 2.0 yourself.
As all Trekkies know, this is the Scottie method. Give a target far out in the future, and then do it before. Always makes you look good, and you never fail!