Motorola Droid's next update to be Android 2.1, includes multitouch browser
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Feb 8th 2010 9:05AM
posted Feb 8th 2010 9:05AM
We've just gotten the inside line on the next Droid update that's making the rounds through Verizon's testing department from one of our trusted sources, and overall, it looks like this should take users 95 percent of the way to curing pangs of Nexus One envy. Here's what we've got:
- It's based on Android 2.1. The build currently being circulated is identified as 2.1 version 1, mirroring the update just pushed to the Nexus One last week.
- Google Goggles is now pre-installed (no matter how unhelpful it may be).
- The browser's now multitouch enabled, just like Google Maps 3.4. Huzzah! No Flash, but then again, we weren't really expecting that.
- Interestingly, the home screen's still got the same look as 2.0.1, meaning it doesn't adopt the Nexus One's rotating 3D grid of app icons -- it's still got the pull-up drawer tab at the bottom.
- No active wallpapers. Bummer!
- The news and weather widgets introduced on the Nexus One are included. Maybe certain capabilities of 2.1 are going to be restricted to devices with minimum performance benchmarks?
Battery life?
2.1 on the Droid will be good. Bummer about the lack of fly-in grid; I really think the drawer is one of the most questionable designs about Android. But, good thing there's a bunch of Home replacements that turn it into a button; which I've always felt was much better.
Still though, I'd be willing to bet 2.1 will tighten up the device quite nicely, fast = win.
@Level 5 The reason it doesn't have the new 3d app drawer is because it hasn't been edited to support the landscape mode (I have it on my droid) since it was built for the Nexus one which you can't go landscape on the home screens I guess they didn't build it in yet, when you do landscape in the app drawer with it, all the apps just go all over the place, but it's still cool :P
@Someguy9
If that's the case, then they need to hurry up and build it in. The N2 is supposed to have a slide out qwerty, so they'll need it then, so fix it now!
The slide out app drawer really looks dumb and needs to be killed. This is the biggest improvement I was looking forward to.
I honestly prefer the drawer. It has its charms, and makes me wish my desk drawer was as tidy at my Droid's app drawer.
The lack of Flash is annoying (but I'll live without Hulu on my phone), but I'm more curious if I'm going to have 5 home screens. I also really want those live wallpapers, but with how many widgets I have on my home screen, I think my home screen itself is eating enough processing cycles, thank you very much.
@Someguy9
Honestly no landscape on the home screen is something I'm a little sore about on my Nexus One.. it's available via root. but I'm not sure I want to go that route. Even then the 3D drawer is still only 4 apps wide.. not sure if it's worth it just yet.
@Level 5 Use Pandahome. Gives you up to 9. It's free, too.
@sherl0k I use Home++. Both are good, but I also wonder if 5 screens are supported. I like having my screens written natively into the code, and not a layer on top.
My impression was that the Nexus One's home screen was an add-on exclusive to that phone and not part of the OS.
The emulator included with the 2.1 SDK has support for Live Wallpapers but the home screen is otherwise identical to the Droid's.
@Level 5
The visuals are moot but there's an underlying further concern.
Google said that "all the top devices" will continue to get full updates, and the older ones just won't be able to do to hardware. If this update rolls out the way it seems, missing all the flourishes, all fingers will appear to point towards Google characterizing the Droid as "too old for the real updates" " not powerful enough". In which case, we will have observed the fastest turn around in technology in a while.
I was afraid this might happen when I bought my Droid on launch day. Sure its amazing by 2009 standards, but it was effectively launching early 2010. 2009 was over. In 2010, every "top" phone is pushing Snapdragon or equivalent, while the Droid is running Pre/3GS-esque technology. With the Snapdragon phones coming out this next month or so (or already out), we could see the Droid go from "best" to "mediocrely bareable" in a blink of an eye. I know tech moves fast, but this is just nuts. Even the Motoroi might smoke it.
It's good that other companies are upgrading the OSes instead of just forcing you to buy a new handset every time a big update rolls out.
However if you want the most functionality from a Google OS, you're going to have to get a Google handset.
Otherwise you're always going to be keeping your fingers crossed that Moto, HTC, Samsung, etc...are willing to upgrade their own flavors of the OS.
@splendic Not necassarily, the G1 doesn't look like its getting an upgrade past 1.6, but we'll see.
Was this active wallpaper thingy more some kind of a proof-of-concept? Maybe in the future you could draw some stuff there.. weather, stocks, whatever..
Congrats to Droid owners.. any word of 2.x updates for other devices? (ie. TMo G1?)
@zim2dive G1??? Don't you know no one is expected to hang on to a phone for so long?
@zim2dive G1 doesn't have enough room for anything larger than 1.5/1.6
@zim2dive - I really hope you don't seriously think the G1 will ever see Android OS 2 (or beyond).
@bstump Actually, that's not true. The hacker community had 2.0 running on the G1 before the Droid was even released. It's a pretty rough port, but it works. If hackers can figure out how to do it within a few days of 2.0 being available, I sure Google could find a way to do it officially. :-)
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/android-2-0-ported-to-original-t-mobile-g1-video
I actually prefer my pull-up drawer as opposed to the Nexus One 3D grid I've seen in videos, so this pleases me!
@Celeras
I'd prefer a choice of either. I'm big into choice.
@zakany If anything, I would like the old lockscreen back!
@Dapke36 Agreed!
Ugh... Verizon is "testing" it thoroughly? Might as well just root my phone because I doubt we see this FW revision anytime soon.
@htowngator It only took 2-3 weeks for the previous update to go from testing to mass release. I expect we'll have it before February is over.
"Google Goggles is now pre-installed (no matter how unhelpful it may be)."
??? I find it amazing!
It's worked with all the artwork I've tried it with and some of the were really bad pictures I took with my previous phone. I don't need to write down/or photograph artists and artwork names any more. I guess you are not the type of individual for Goggles but others are.
@sibyy
Goggles isn't really worth it yet for me as I'm not big into artwork, I guess. I try taking pictures of easily recognizable things and it completely whiffs have the time.
*half
So, basically we're getting MT on the browser and a new widget?
This is like a demo "here is some fun stuff, but if you want it all; you gotta spend some money."
Verizon really half-assed that one.
@GenericMessage
Minimum performance benchmarks!?
Acting as if the Droid is this big, slow, old, stupid machine that cannot "handle" live wallpapers.
We obviously know this is wrong.
@GenericMessage The droid's cpu is half the speed of the nexus 1. How is this not surprising?
@stabbytheicepic just like a lot of others, you've been tricked into thinking the processor runs at 1 GHz all the time, and it doesn't! it slows itself down and rarely ever needs to use all that power, and if it ran at 1 GHz all the time, the N1 would die in like an hour!
@stabbytheicepic and half the RAM. 256mbs of DDR3 in the Droid (Droid does use DDR3 right?) vs 512MBs of DDR3 in the Nexus One.
550mhz CPU in the Droid vs a 1ghz CPU in the Nexus One. Maybe the Droid doesn't have the spec to run live backgrounds without lag? Looks like a job for root...maybe?
@HelghanSuperSniper
Eh, not buying it.
I've seen lots and lots of Droid's running live wallpapers. And no lag on them at all. So I call bull.
And with the lack of a 3D app tray, thats because the droid can landscape itself on the main menu, and that app tray wasn't coded to handle landscape mode. So thats Moto's fail.
@GenericMessage
in addition to above comments, there's a separate graphics processor on droid that isnt on the n1. i'm sure it can make little lights fly across the background
perhaps google wants to keep the nexus interface for google products only.
@echoes its really looking that way isnt it....
@echoes
Droid isnt a Google phone, its down to Moto and Verizon to decide what
@dansus exactly. what if google keeps the nexus interface for google phones only, having a different interface for standard android devices ?
@echoes I think that is what all the Android phone owners are hoping doesn't happen since Google decided to enter into this game they set up for others. I hope they dont have an upper level for google phones and a lower one for other phones running Android
"No active wallpapers. Bummer!" When someone pulls up this story a year or two from now, they will laugh at this statement.
@NaJaKwa
I've had interactive wallpapers on my computer for a year or so now.
/KDE user
man, after reading this i am SO happy i rooted my Droid.....half the stuff i was looking forward to isnt even included! now i got overclocking and more numerous and awesome updates....its a great way to go peoples!!
Any new word on when the Droid Eris can expect an update -- besides the standard "Q1of 2010" or "Early 2010" ?
@warmannc I was wondering the exact same thing. Cant wait to get 2.x on the driod eris.
@LincolnStein tell me about it! I'm going crazy waiting around over here!
Sweet, excited this is going to drop... if for only the weather app, which'll replace my ugly WeatherChannel.com one.
any word on the new keyboard showing up on the droid also?
Same app drawer, no active wallpapers... WFT? If this doesn't change I will be one Droid owner who is disappointed. What about the gallery, I suppose that doesn't change either.
So absolutely no improvements to the visuals of the UI... that's just great!
This isn't 2.1... this is 2.0.1 plus.
@ECH WFT? What fair thee?
@bstump
My apologies, the disappointment of this news has clearly clouded my typing abilities.