Motorola Droid's next update to be Android 2.1, includes multitouch browser
By Chris Ziegler 
posted February 8th 2010 9:05AM
posted February 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?
Cool news, I want to see how this updates changes my phone before I root it. I actually like my Droid the way it is, Pull up Menu drawer and all. And I have one question, what will happen once this update is available to the rooted phones, will it play nice, overwrite, or potentially brick the rooted Droid?
@visualplastik, great find! 2.1 launcher, music, pretty much everything except for the live wallpaper. I was gonna just root the phone and be done with it, all-droid's apks seem like a nice compromise though. I'm sure eventually someone will figure out how to futz with the wallpaper too.
I've rooted my droid and things like MT are nice... but I would much rather see the following from Verizon:
Improved exchange functions (signatures, ability to save attachments, more than 30 days of messages), a landscape dialer screen, improved bluetooth headset functions
C'mon verizon/motorola, let's address the basics before adding more fluff!
lameballs. i have all this stuff already with root.
I love Android, but here in Spain, it sucks cos I have an HTC Dream, commonly known as the T-Mo G1, and I still have Android 1.5, i check every once in a while, on the HTC website and on the carrier website and they don't have Cupcake. Any advice?
@minimatt37
Install a custom ROM. You might eventually get 1.6 but don't hold your breath for 2.0 or above. The only way to get that will be getting it on your own.
Is this like the other so called update that was coming...... then didn't...
I thought Moto promised flash player coming, guess not!
So the new moto gets it instead, sucks!
@Broo
Correct me if I am wrong here but I thought that a big deal was made about Android platform being adapted to different screen sizes on its own in the Eclair update?
Actually, so I just tried the new launcher and stuff from Droid-life, and I'm going to retract my enthusiastic support for it. Bugs I've run into:
#1. Slow as hell
#2. Various widgets on the desktop will cause it to kill everything on the screen, putting "Problem loading widget" at the top
In other words, buggy. The gallery and music apps appear to work okay, as well as the news widget. The Desktop Clock app only shows degrees Celcius, which kind of sucks.
If one of these days a custom ROM comes out with live wallpaper, 2.1 apps/launcher, and overclocking, I'll grab it. Hell, I'll even pay for it. Right now though, such a ROM doesn't exist so I'm gonna keep 'er stock.
I have been playing this game with cell phones for years. When is the right time to buy so that right after I get a new phone something amazing comes out and makes my timing look I just picked a date out my asshat. In the end there knowing so much about tech seems like a curse at times :( Sometimes I wish I was "I got me a new celly, and it got keys for numbers and letters!" OK maybe I would not go that far but you guys know what I am saying right. Droid was supposed to appease the techies, so do NOT disappoint us MOTO. I applauded when I saw Megan Fox in a tub, not keeping up with the Jones would be like throwing a toaster in that water!
So... how about fixing the bug where all my message threads are randomly deleted sometimes.
And NO this is not because I have some setting turned on that does this. Just search on google and you'll see that a ton of people have had this problem.
These updates are nice, but any word on a fix for POP3 problems in the native email app?
@echoes
Droid isnt a Google phone, its down to Moto and Verizon to decide what goes in the pot.
@dansus
No it wasn't. The "with Google" on the back tells otherwise.
@junktrunk
No, its a Motorola built for Verizon using Google Android as the OS, completely different from a Google phone.
Nothing new here, carriers have been doing this for years.
@brown like dookie
You don't understand Android. It's not anywhere near as simple as you make it out to be. Sense and BLUR are not just apps like Notepad on Window. They're buried deep within the software like, well I don't know what the equivalent would be on Windows (deeper than anti-virus software, maybe more like networking support DLLs). You can't just pop on a new version of the Android firmware and not expect everything from Sense and BLUR to break (as well as the hundreds of other improvements those manufacturers made to the Android platform in their phones; things you don't even see but are nontheless there). So, if you expect to be able to receive new firmware relatively soon after it is released by Google, you have to buy a Google-experience phone (without any manufacturer add-ons like Sense/BLUR) and your device's hardware better be at the high-end and in the mainsteam (no strange form factors or screen sizes/resolutions).
Why should i believe Engadgets sources? It's not like they were right about the iPad or anything relating to it.
NO 3d grid app drawer or Live wallpapers? Thats lame
anybody heard if any AT&T might possibly carry Android with a form factor much like Motorola Droid (i.e. Milestone?) .
Hey Engadget,
This comes from Motorola's Facebook Page,
"Hi all-- we know you are frustrated with the lack of details regarding Android software upgrades and we sincerely apologize for not being able to share info sooner. We're happy to relay the 2.1 upgrade to DROID will start to roll out this week, and we will have more information to share on other device upgrades later ...this week as well. Thanks for your patience and continued support."
Blame Verizon for cutting anything out of these patches from google. If you choose to dance with the devil(verizon), you are going to get burned.
@stabbytheicepic
What stabby said.
nice, love it
Excellent news. Even thought i have been using Dolphin browser, which is pretty good.
Anyone knows when flash player will finally be available for the droid?
Droid = Lame