Android Tablet Update

Android 4.0 for the T-Mobile HTC Sensation 4G is finally here. To initiate the download, press Menu > Settings > About Phone > HTC Software Updates > Check and follow the instructions to download and install the new build. The HTC Sensation 4G’s Android 4.0 update can downloaded over T-Mobile’s 3G/HSPA+ network, but we suggest connecting your phone over Wi-Fi to download the update a little faster.

Additionally, the Android 4.0 update for the T-Mobile HTC Amaze 4G is expected to become available for download beginning May 21. This new bit of information comes directly from T-Mobile’s PR agency this morning and will most likely be reflected on the Amaze 4G support page later today.

As with the other Android 4.0 updates that HTC has been rolling out, users should expect quite a few new features in Ice Cream Sandwich with improvements to multi-tasking, face unlock, new browser capabilities, and access to Android 4.0 applications like Google’s Chrome browser.

New Android 4.0 features

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Sense 3.6
• System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.
• Re-sizeable widgets
• Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked
• Data usage controls
• Face Unlock
• Home screen folders
• Improved battery life

The Android 4.0 update for the HTC Sensation is a lot later than what we were originally promised, but we’re sure T-Mobile’s HTC Sensation 4G owners are ecstatic to receive the Ice Cream Sandwich update with the new HTC Sense 3.6 UI improvements.

So what are you waiting for? Download the Android 4.0 update for the Sensation 4G and be sure to let us know how the process goes and what you think of all the new features. We’re curious to know if the T-Mobile HTC Sensation 4G will receive the same performance improvements we’ve seen on other HTC devices which have been updated to Android 4.0.

HTC announced a while back that the HTC Sensation 4G would be one of the first phones in their lineup updated to Android 4.0. The update was expected to be released before the end of March. We actually had hope that HTC would follow through on its promise; we saw Android 4.0 updates begin to trickle out to the HTC Sensation in Europe, HTC Velocity in Australia and the HTC Vivid here in the US market. Some of you even got your hopes up when T-Mobile updated its website, indicating that the Ice Cream Sandwich update for the HTC Sensation 4G and HTC Amaze 4G would be coming soon.

We’re only one day away from the end of March, and T-Mobile is now speaking up about the update status of the HTC Sensation 4G. According to an unnamed T-Mobile rep, the Android 4.0 update for the HTC Sensation has been delayed. The rep explains how the ROM testing process between HTC and T-Mobile works and indicates that the software update is back in HTC’s hands to fix a few reaming issues with the build (most likely T-Mobile specific application compatibility and radio connectivity issues).

We’re not sure how much longer T-Mobile customers will have to wait for the HTC Sensation 4G’s Android 4.0 update, but we’re glad T-Mobile is being somewhat transparent about the issue.

HTC has delivered a ROM to us however it is still having issues the reason that other sensation types have the update without issue and ours did not come out that way is because every ROM must be adapted to the hardware of the device because we use a different radio than other providers and also have applications such as wifi calling it also has to be compatible with those. What the HTC rep told you is most likely correct because once a ROM is delivered we have 2 weeks to test it and then approve it or send it back they then have 4 weeks to fix the bugs and return it back to us, where we are exactly in that process I do not know but that is how a ROM is delivered to the customer.

The original ROM was not delivered to us in November, we started testing it just recently but I think it has been longer than 2 weeks so at this point HTC most likely has the ball.

You bought a phone and it has been announced that you are getting ICS you have every right to know what’s going on with it and when you can see these awesome features. I did go into a lot of detail about how a ROM gets to the end user (you guys) but that wasn’t to point fingers only so you would have a better understanding of why you don’t have it yet, the bottom line is the Sensation has T-Mobile’s and HTC’s name all over it and both companies want to make you proud to be a Sensation owner so we are working as fast as we can to deliver it but also want to make sure that it stands up to your expectations.T-Mobile Rep

T-Mobile has officially confirmed that Android 4.0 will soon make its way to the HTC Amaze 4G and HTC Sensation 4G smartphones. An expected upgrade date was not provided in T-Mobile’s support system, though we expect T-Mobile wouldn’t make an announcement before a fairly imminent launch date.

The announcement comes by way of updated support documents on T-Mobile’s site, suggesting HTC is putting the finishing touches on the Android 4 updates for these two devices, and is nearly ready to submit the final upgrade files to T-Mobile. As you’re likely aware, the update will contain HTC’s Sense UI 3.6, which runs atop the core Android 4.0 platform. Sense has been updated to bring multiple performance and stylistic enhancements to the platform.

The wait will soon be over, T-Mobile HTC faithful, and you’ll soon be seeing the latest and greatest in Android versions hit your devices very soon. We will, of course, keep you appraised as we learn more from T-Mobile and HTC.

The Android modding community will never cease to amaze me. XDA developer NODO-GT has recently developed a software mod for the HTC Sensation 4G that drastically improves the device’s imaging capabilities with a few simple flashable files.

With NODO-GT’s camera mod, called “HQ Camera for ICS,” Sensation users can get much more out of the 8 megapixel shooter affixed to the device’s backside. By doing away with compression on .jpgs and increasing the allowed data size of images, photos taken with the Sensation come out cleaner and sharper than with stock software.

Video recording has also been improved. HQ Camera for ICS allows for 1080p video recording at 20Mbps, with future updates to the mod bringing improved 720p video capture and 1080p recording at 40Mbps. There’s also an experimental 1250 ISO mode.

So just what do all these numbers mean? Do they really translate to better quality images? Yes. Just take a look at the sample images in the gallery below. Both images are still frames from video taken. You can easily tell which one comes from the modded camera app.

For more info on the mod, head on over to XDA. Let’s hear it for the developers that make this stuff happen.

Gallery

Since Google’s unveiling of Android 4.0 back in October 2011, the main question most of us want answered is: “When will my phone be updated to Ice Cream Sandwich?” We know HTC is working hard to update as many phones as they can, but there are hardware limitations to take into consideration, not to mention the dreaded fact that service providers must specifically “order” an update for each individual phone.

Jump to the bottom of this page to see if your phone is on the official HTC Android 4.0 update list.

Will my HTC phone be updated to Android 4.0?

Since we don’t work for HTC, we can’t give you an exact answer, but we can make educated assumptions based on the announcements HTC has made. HTC’s first wave of Android updates will bring Ice Cream Sandwich to its phones powered by dual-core Qualcomm S3 processors. The overwhelming majoroty of HTC’s phones running on this chip are already on the update list, and we expect the remaining stragglers to be added shortly.

For a while, we also assumed HTC would be delivering the Android 4.0 update to its phones powered by single-core Qualcomm S2 processors. This assumption was partially confirmed when HTC announced that the Incredible S, Desire S and Desire HD would also be receiving  the update. Since most of the other HTC phones powered by S2 chips feature most of the same components, we expect other US-specific devices to be added to the update list, as well.

While we would like to see Android 4.0 running on all HTC’s devices, those who own phones powered by Qualcomm S1 chips should not expect an Android 4.0 release. HTC has not given us any details about these phones yet, but the fact that Google has chosen to let the Nexus One live out its remain days on Gingerbread should be all the evidence we need. The HTC EVO 4G, Desire and DROID Incredible all share the same basic configuration and would most likely not have enough memory or processing power to run Android 4.0 as smoothly as HTC would like them to.

Latest Android 4.0 update news from HTC

• 02/09/12 - HTC says upgrades to Android 4.0 on track for next month
  HTC announces that the HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XE and HTC Sensation 4G will all receive Android 4.0 updates before the end of March. The Ice Cream Sandwich update for the HTC Sensation XL will follow shortly after. HTC also adds the HTC Desire HD, HTC Incredible S and HTC Desire S to the official update list.
• 01/22/12 - HTC customer service confirms Android 4.0 update for HTC Flyer coming in Q1
  The title pretty much tells the whole story. When a customer complained to customer service about the Honeycomb update for the Flyer, HTC rep said that he could send it in to be downgraded to Gingerbread or wait for the Android 4.0 update which would be available later in Q1 of 2012.
• 11/07/11 - HTC reveals first wave of devices to get Android 4.0 in early 2012
  HTC names the HTC Vivid, HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XL, HTC Sensation XE, HTC Rezound, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G and HTC Amaze 4G as the first phone within its lineup to receive the Androdi 4.0 update “in early 2012.”
• 10/19/11 - HTC excited about Android 4.0, looking into handset upgrade plan
  HTC comments on Android 4.0 and promises updates to as many phones as possible but stressed that their focus will be on “maintaining every phone’s performance and usability first.”

Official HTC Android 4.0 handset update list

• HTC Sensation – March
• HTC Sensation 4G – March
• HTC Sensation XE – March
• HTC Sensation XL
• HTC Rezound
• HTC Vivid
• HTC Amaze 4G
• HTC EVO 3D
• HTC EVO Design 4G
• HTC Flyer
• HTC Desire S
• HTC Incredible S
• HTC Desire HD

HTC handsets expected to receive the Android 4.0 update

• HTC Desire Z
• T-Mobile G2
• DROID Incredible 2
• HTC Rhyme
• HTC Inspire 4G
• myTouch 4G
• myTouch 4G Slide
• HTC Thunderbolt
• HTC Hero S
• HTC Merge
• HTC EVO Shift 4G

Who will be the first manufacturer to update their handsets to Android 4.0 (excluding Nexus devices)? HTC could be first out the gate with a round of ICS upgrades that are expected to appear by the end of March. The first devices to receive these updates will be the Sensation, Sensation 4G, and Sensation XE.

HTC also shared that Android 4.0 upgrades will be coming later this year to the HTC Rezound, HTC Vivid, HTC Amaze 4G, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD. Make sure you like their Facebook page to keep up with the latest news on software updates.

Did your HTC phone make the list?

We always enjoy software updates on our phones, especially when carriers and OEMs push out update which fixes issues that were introduced in previous updates. T-Mobile and HTC have a new update available for the HTC Sensation 4G which improves the screen’s responsiveness, handset stability, introduces a new dictionary update for HTC Trace, but also fixed the icon pixilation and screenshot issues which somehow made it through the different testing phases with the last update for the phone.

T-Mobile will be gradually pushing out the update for the HTC Sensation over the next few weeks, but you can always try to manually trigger the update by pressing Menu > Settings > About Phone > HTC software updates > Check.

Below, we’ve included T-Mobile’s official list of fixes, updates, and new features that are included in the software update. So what are you waiting for? Download the update and let us know if your phone runs any better. Let’s hope T-Mobile and HTC actually did their homework this time, giving HTC Sensation 4G users anupdate that makes the phone better, not worse.

New Features

• Software stability
• Improved battery life

Improvements

• Improvements to Trace dictionary
• Screen unresponsiveness resolved
• Device taking screen shots resolved
• Lock screen shifted up resolved
• Icon pixilation resolved
• Improved Wi-Fi connection
• Green lines on photo resolved