HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update across Europe (update: nope, not 2.1 yet)

It's been a long, painful, drawn-out process, but it looks like we're finally closing in on getting everyone with an HTC Hero around the globe covered with Eclair. The company's European outpost has just posted some details on its Android 2.1 over-the-air update for the 2100MHz 3G Hero sold in most of the continent (including separate builds for units in Nordic countries, Greece, and Ireland), so this should quite a lot of brewing discontent -- just in time for owners to develop a raging case of Froyo envy, that is. C'est la vie; time for a Legend, right?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: We've heard from our friends at CoolSmartPhone that this is just another minor update, amazingly -- not the 2.1 build that other Hero owners are enjoying. What gives, HTC?

Update 2: And now HTC has gotten in touch with us directly, describing a two-part (the first of which seems to have already begun) end of June release. See it after the break.

Accordng to HTC:

"Android Éclair update for HTC Hero will be released by the end of June. The upgrade will come in two parts, the first of which will roll out from this week and will be detected when the Hero next automatically checks for software updates. The second part of the update will follow towards the end of the month. As the second part of the upgrade will wipe all data on the handset, Hero users should ensure any important data has been backed up before proceeding with the installation. Due to the size of the update, wherever possible, we would advise using a WiFi connection for this download to avoid additional data charges."

[rbibby Posted Jun 16th 2010 9:23AM]

@september11th The problem I'm guessing is the fact the there's such a large number of android phones out there with different specs and whatnot. Not to mention all the manufacturer proprietary crap such as HTC sense

[longcat Posted Jun 15th 2010 8:08PM]

I believe it will quiet the discontent, not quite the discontent.

[nh7tr Posted Jun 15th 2010 9:56PM]

lol

[cdf74dc9 Posted Jun 15th 2010 11:42PM]

Grats to hero owner. Now where is that Evo Froyo 2.2?

[dimmer Posted Jun 16th 2010 12:16AM]

Hey dudes,
I'm also pretty sure this isnt the 2.1 update.
Engadget...change the title please!

[KVirtanen Posted Jun 16th 2010 1:09AM]

Does anyone have benchmarks or a small review of how the new OS performs?

[Enidan Posted Jun 16th 2010 3:49AM]

Blah.. no 2.1... just some YouTube upgrade. Any suggestions for next no-HTC phone?

[Kaiser Posted Jun 16th 2010 7:33AM]

@Enidan Just get a phone with standard Android (as in it doesn't have Sense, TouchWIZ, MotoBLUR, etc.) like the Nexus One.

Or you can get the new iPhone and get updates one a year like you have on your Hero.

[refink Posted Jun 16th 2010 1:43PM]

no homo, but this was the phone that made me fall in love with HTC corp.

[Lopek Posted Jun 16th 2010 5:53PM]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll believe it when I see it. So sick of the BS. Love my phone, but have growing disgust of HTC.

[tuism Posted Jun 18th 2010 6:29AM]

Hey question, how would someone not in Europe get this update? Since it's not via download anymore.

Is there a way for me to trick my hero to get the update?

I'm in South Africa. YAY WORLD CUP YAY.

[ZeroTF Posted Jun 19th 2010 3:35PM]

Do you need to perform a Rom update to get da 2.1 update for HTC hero when it comes out

[Lopek Posted Jun 21st 2010 3:07PM]

So has anyone actually got this update? Still waiting...

Or is this yet another broken promise from HTC to Hero owners.