Samsung planning Android 1.6 update for Behold II -- but that's it
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 28th 2010 1:55AM
posted May 28th 2010 1:55AM
That's all well and good, but Samsung goes on to say that "the Behold II is not upgradeable beyond Android 1.6" -- and we've got a serious problem with that wording. We know (and Samsung knows) damn well that they could upgrade the Behold II beyond Android 1.6, considering that the community has managed to shoehorn even Froyo onto prehistoric devices like the Dream; rather, Samsung chooses not to upgrade it beyond Android 1.6. That's a business decision that Samsung has to make, and far be it from us to try to push Sammy into continuing to sink cash into a phone that didn't sell very well -- but the least these guys could do is be honest, face the music, and tell us that's what's going on rather than insulting our collective intelligence and insisting that there's some cosmic force preventing Eclair or Froyo from loading onto a phone that was just released a few months ago. Seriously though, Sammy -- thanks for the Donut, we guess.
Update: We've now received Samsung's official response independently and have it for you after the break.
Samsung Mobile and T-Mobile USA are planning to update the Behold II to Android 1.6 which provides access to Google Maps Navigation, Google Voice Search capability and quick search box for Android. The update will also supply additional benefits including Swype, an improved Media Player, updated core Android applications and improved Bluetooth capabilities. However, the Behold II is not upgradeable beyond Android 1.6.
It's kinda funny. If you go to Android Forums, you can find the actual 1.6 update....Samsung just decided not to release it for some reason.
You don't even have to root the phone to use it.
Engadget -- ask Samsung why they made the video saying it would be updated and then took it offline?
Lawsuit needs to happen -- Samsung is just going to keep doing this over and over again with other models.
I wonder if Samsung realizes that they just cut their own throats as far as Android is concerned. No sane person will purchase any Samsung Android phone now that we know they won't provide firmware support.
Never buy a samsung phone. Its pretty simple guys
Samsung's rep is currently in the toilet. They seriously need to do something special to convince us techies that they can be trusted to provide future support. Now the average buyer probably does not care as long as they can get a $49 phone......
That's one + to stay with the iPhone. Sure it may not ever be the latest and greatest but atleast you don't have to lose sleep if your going to get the next cool software.
I would love to switch to an evo and still might, but i'd be just as happy with a N1 and get updates quicker. But yea, i guess you could root as well. anyways. Samsung will get the hint.
Today cell phones are basically a necessity, but what about a dependable office phone? If you think about it most people are at work most of the day and need reliable Business Phone Systems .
Hey does anyone know when T-Mobile is going to release details on an updates OS for the mytouch 3g. Its been out longer that this Samsung and I'm starting to get pissed there releasing updates to 2.0 and 2.1 and I'm still running 1.6. Any help?
@b3atsaj
Last I heard was 2nd quarter of this year. Given that it's nearly identical to the slide version minus the slide's keyboard, and that the slide will be released in early June and ship with 2.1, I'd guess that we're looking at a June release for the mytouch update.
Android has such huge potential, but unfortunately, until Google delivers a long term sustainable update and the majority of manufacturers adopt it, the Android environment is going to struggle as a whole. Manufacturers are in it to make money and if they continue to push out updates to every one of their legacy handsets then people will slow down in purchasing new devices. Even the service providers would not want updates made available to all devices as this would cut into folks buying a new device and extending their contract. I'm afraid this will also cause problems for the Win7 phones when they hit the market. The Android market would really take off if the manufacturers efforts were more concerted but that will never happen as their business model is not about cohesiveness but is instead about diversity of products. Ultimately, the consumer suffers again.
Only support phone manufacturers that update their Android phones.
Im staying away from Samsung.
Samsung makes such great products, from cameras to televisions to cell phones and Business Phone Systems .
Things people forget is that android 2.1 require more memory. Combine that with samsung crap that they do not want people to unload, there is not enough memory to run. Even with 1.5, android require some task killer apps to run decent. In fact, nexus with faster processor and ram require task killer.
Good news is that with 1.6, there's swipe and home++. Home++ can replace error prone side slide app drawer.