Ice Cream Sandwich: Android 4.0 Updates Announced For HTC Rezound, Sensation, Evo And More

HTC'S ICS plans just got a bit clearer.

In a post to the company's official blog, HTC identified 16 smartphones and tablets -- up from a previous 12, per the LA Times -- that would eventually receive updates to Android 4.0, codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich.

The list, in total, and in alphabetical order:

• DROID Incredible 2 by HTC
• HTC Amaze 4G
• HTC Desire S
• HTC Desire HD
• HTC EVO 3D
• HTC EVO Design 4G
• HTC Incredible S
• HTC Sensation
• HTC Sensation XL
• HTC Sensation 4G
• HTC Sensation XE
• HTC Raider
• HTC Rezound
• HTC Rhyme
• HTC Thunderbolt
• HTC Vivid

HTC said that they've begun rolling out Ice Cream Sandwich to the Sensation and Sensation XE, with the Sensation 4G and Sensation XL to receive their upgrades in the weeks afterwards. HTC has no other timing info about Android 4.0 on its other handsets, although in November it said that Ice Cream Sandwich updates would be occurring in early 2012. The new HTC One phones -- including the HTC One X, HTC One S, and the HTC One V -- which HTC unveiled at Mobile World Congress, come pre-loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich and are expected to be released in the coming months.

Google first released its Android 4.0 along with the Galaxy Nexus in December, though phone manufacturers have been slow to upgrade existing phones to the new OS. Ice Cream Sandwich was meant to unify all of the Android smartphones and tablets under one operating system, but four months in, the current usage share of ICS phones among all Android devices is still at just above a paltry 1.5 percent.

The tendency is to blame the manufacturers for the slowness: Each company -- HTC, Samsung, Sony, LG -- has a skin that it likes to put on top of its Android OS, in order to differentiate their product and add value to the OS for their customers. (You might recognize HTC's trademark flip-clock as one such differentiator). Adding these skins has taken months: Samsung is only now outing its TouchWiz-customized Android 4.0 for the Galaxy S II, and HTC has been at work on its Sense-customized Android 4.0 since November.

Those customizations have now begun to roll out, at long last, for a couple of the 16 devices that will eventually receive a scoop of Ice Cream Sandwich. (Engadget has a nice preview of HTC's Android 4.0 skin, for those interested). With Android 5.0 "Jelly Bean" apparently around the corner, HTC might be speeding to scarf down its Sandwich.

For more Ice Cream Sandwich update information, check our latest rundown of when Motorola, Asus and Samsung owners can expect Android 4.0 on their own devices.

Comments

[SweetLifeCakeWA]

09:16 PM on 08/19/2012

SOMEONE please tell me why all of the sudden after this IC Sandwhich upgrade, I can now no longer use MAPS? Each time I open it to get directions somewhere it restarts my damn phone every time! THis is REALL aggravating because it also cuts off my call if I am talking someone through directions!

[SweetLifeCakeWA]

09:18 PM on 08/19/2012

*This is REALLY aggravating...*

[Miamibeachlarry]

07:02 PM on 06/02/2012

Why do I keep getting the error :Unfortunately, Facebook has stopped?"

[Narayanan A]

02:53 AM on 03/28/2012

I just updated my wife's HTC Sensation to Android 4.0.. really it is cool...So many expected/essential features included... HTC Sense 3.6 also looks cool.....Anyway I love my iPhone 4S.....

[NoireLion]

09:12 AM on 03/16/2012

I dont know any premium or bargain android phones that do not have active development community making up to date roms and cool stuff for their specific Android phone. Xda.com is main Android Dev site I use.. my phone has over 100 roms to choose from with varying capabilities to enable my phone to do stuff the carrier blocks... cool stuff... lot of people just don't know how MORE awesome their phone is when rooted it gets exponentially better. My Evo 4g runs android 4.0 flawlessly they only don't offer the upgrade to make you buy a new phone. But my rooted Evo 4g is still amazing to me... I'll buy s new phone when it doesn't work any more.... rooting extends your hardware lifetime!

[NoireLion]

09:03 AM on 03/16/2012

And yes Pectin; u can root your android and put on whatever android OS you choose. for the guy with the galaxy s2 ice cream sandwich was completed right after Xmas for your phone... it was the first phone to get rooted ICS.

[NoireLion]

08:55 AM on 03/16/2012

I have original Evo 4g too-not on the list... but its rooted so I've had multiple incarnations of ice.... latest AOKP milestone 4 google; xda developer evo 4g look in the roms on main page download installs in 5minutes install google apps all in one (Gmail market etc)... and reboot.... you really don't have yo wait on manufacturers if you root android... most people don't know tho.

[Herman Fraley]

01:49 AM on 03/16/2012

Nice post keeps on posting this type of interesting and informative articles.
http://www.teamphones.com/tag/greenpois0n

[jstone360]

01:37 AM on 03/16/2012

I had a iPhone3gs,My contract was up with AT&T when the 4s came out but it was not a big upgrade so I got a Galaxy s2 and love it.But when will the galaxy get ice cream sandwich?

[Pectin]

10:14 PM on 03/15/2012

I'm curious. Can you not root your handset and install whichever version of Android it can handle?

[ZeroCoke]

01:33 PM on 03/15/2012

mine is on the list . but it's rooted. what to do?

[IfIonlyknew]

05:39 PM on 03/15/2012

Send a message to http://youtu.be/IdwqnVsx7eM in the comments..
He will respond and give you a hand or direct you too some help.

[ZeroCoke]

05:48 PM on 03/15/2012

cool. thanks. good link.

[ftworth texan]

12:57 PM on 03/15/2012

I love market competition - the consumer WINS.

Imagine how innovative Apple would be wo/android? Not as much, longer lapses between upgrades etc.

Love Android. Google thought it out really great for developers, nice.

[J0E1]

12:18 PM on 03/15/2012

Ice Cream Sandwich: Android 4.0 Updates Announced For HTC Rezound, Sensation, Evo And More

You suck HPo.  Got me excited for a split second.  At this point I should know better though.  The HTC EVO is NOT included on the list.  The 3D and Design are.

[scandihoovian]

12:30 PM on 03/15/2012

I'm sharing that resentment. Still 9 more months until an upgrade! sheesh

[J0E1]

05:17 PM on 03/15/2012

There really is no rush.  It will be at least 6 months until some decent LTE phones are out on sprint.

[Lochness71]

01:38 PM on 03/15/2012

Ditto :0(

[Revee]

11:34 AM on 03/15/2012

My Motorola Xoom got the 4.0 upgrade automatically a month ago. I love it even more.

The new App widgets that you can have on the homepage is great. Now I have tiled widgets of gmail, browser, etc on the home page.

Multitasking is a breeze. Click on the "windows" button on the bottom toolbar and you get a vertical scrolling panel of all active apps with screen shots.

Notification management has improved greatly as well.

[Mickey Bitsko]

11:01 AM on 03/15/2012

Sprint touted 4G coverage in populated areas throughout California, got the HTC EVO 4G and unlimited data plan, but why in Merced and Coalinga and not in San Diego?

Sadly, I have a feeling the EVO 4G will not be LTE compatible nor ICS upgradeable, what a sham.

[J0E1]

12:19 PM on 03/15/2012

They stopped expanding WiMax over a year ago.  No one else will get coverage.  An EVO 4G purchase now is a waste IMO.

[Mickey Bitsko]

12:29 PM on 03/15/2012

Thanks for the follow up. The EVO 4G is a legacy product owned now for 15 months. Can't see playing the buy new because we demand you do.

[Pectin]

10:07 AM on 03/15/2012

Sixteen? What's that, half of them?