The Desire HD launched with Android Gingerbread back in 2010, but was initially on a list of handsets to be given an official update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. However, owners biggest fears have been realized over the weekend, with a new statement from HTC confirming that in actual fact, the Desire HD won’t be getting an update to ICS and will stay on Gingerbread for the rest of its life.

Obviously, a lot of you are not happy about this, with the most frustrating aspect being that HTC already stated that the device would be getting an update. In turns out that our old friend, Mr memory limitation is back though, as HTC has said that the device won’t be able to perform to a high standard if they were to install Android 4.0 on the device.

A re-partitioning of the device storage would be required, according to a lengthy statement that HTC has put out, as well as the ‘overwriting of user data’. HTC admits that it is a controversial move, but decided that ultimately, they were not going to put the user experience at risk.

Do you accept their explanation for not bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to the Desire HD? It was only last month when we told you that someone had ported a working Android 4.1 Jelly Bean build to the legendary HTC HD2, so is this a case of HTC can’t, or won’t?

This isn’t the end of world though in actual fact, as if you are willing to install custom software, you’ll easily find a selection of Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs that are already available for your handset. The fact that HTC initially promised this is the main point here though, so if you have this handset still, let us know how you feel.

If official software updates are really important to you, our advice would be to just pick up a Nexus device next time. These memory limitation statements are becoming far too frequent these days, and having a Nexus device would save you from all of the hassle.

What will be good news for many HTC owners is that a number of devices have now been added to the list that will get upgraded to Android 4.0. First to receive the upgrade will be the HTC Sensation, and according to PC Mag it will arrive by the end of March.

This includes the HTC Sensation, Sensation 4G, Sensation XE, and will be followed shortly after by the HTC Sensation XL. The company has been pretty good in keeping its customers updated with its ICS plans. Other devices already set to get the updated software include the HTC EVO 3D, HTC Amaze 4G, HTC RVO Design 4G, and the HTC Rezound, which will be updated later in the year.

But there is some more good news for owners of previously unmentioned HTC handsets as the company adds more devices to its ICS roadmap. Also getting the update later this year will be the HTC Incredible S, HTC Vivid, HTC Desire S, and HTC Desire HD. The company has promised more information regarding the upgrades in the coming weeks.

Ever since Google released the Galaxy Nexus that first launched Android ICS, a number of handset manufactures have begun announcing their upgrade plans. The operating system takes a while to arrive on various devices because of the complex testing and other processes the carriers and manufacturers have to undertake.

There will be some of the Android 4.0 features that older handsets won’t support though such as NFC connectivity. The operating system does support an updated web browser but many owners may opt for the new Chrome beta we told you about recently. This news will bring a cheer to many owners of older HTC smartphones and we will just have to wait now for a more specific release date.

Do you have one of the HTC devices just added to the update list?

Eurodroid are reporting in an article that HTC have confirmed the update will begin on May 16. So owners who are not tied to any network, don’t have long to wait before they can start downloading Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The post by HTC goes on to mention that customers of other networks shouldn’t have to wait much longer either. HTC said they are “working very closely with each operator to get this just right and will update you as soon as we possibly can”

Originally HTC said the update was available for all versions of the handsets, but then Vodafone begun releasing its version. HTC then updated and said the software update wasn’t yet available in the UK, but have now updated with this latest news.

Users should receive a message on their handset advising them the update is ready to download, and it is advised to do this via a Wi-Fi connection.

That is exactly what has happened now, as we can confirm that Sense 3.0 UI downloads are now available for the HTC Desire HD as well as the Desire Z handsets. Who knows when HTC intends to update the handsets officially to Sense 3.0, they might not not do it at all – which is why you should download these as soon as you can.

Judging from feedback on both ROMs, they seem to be a pretty stable build of Sense 3.0 and you’ll see that all the UI changes are there, including the snazzy weather animation themes, enhanced lockscreen and an update to various widgets, which are now more visually impressive.

If you are interested in trying these out, you’ll find information and the download links over at XDA Forums here. As always, installing ROMs is your own responsibility and there’s always a risk of bricking your device. So don’t go crying to HTC for help, because you won’t get it.

Let us know how you get on!

And it’s good news if you currently reside in Europe as we’re hearing that the official Gingerbread update could be landing on French carrier SFR as early as April, as reported from Phandroid. That’s going to be music to some ears since the update was thought to be coming much later than that.

So what does this mean for those of you in the UK on Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile? Well, if it is on the way to France next month, that sounds like a pretty good indication to us that it’s on the way to the rest of Europe sooner rather than later too. Of course you can also keep your eye out for any leaked builds, but it may be worth checking Facebook and Twitter pages of your respective carriers to make sure you are not missing any important announcements with regards to Gingerbread.

Are you currently waiting for the update for on your Desire HD – Is it badly needed, or are you happy with your handset at the moment?

Cnet UK are reporting that the update will not arrive before the spring, but a HTC spokesman did confirm the handsets will get the update but not until the Desire S has been released. The new handset is due for release in April, and according to the spokesman updates should happen within two months of this.

It is thought the Desire HD and Desire Z will be the first to receive Gingerbread, and the best possible scenario could be sometime in June. Then it will depend on the various networks when Desire owners start receiving the update, unless you have a sim free version which normally means you get the update as soon as it released.

According to Mobile Magazine the Carphone Warehouse and partner Bets Buy, have an exclusive on another HTC handset the Incredible S. they will b offering a matte black version which is said to have ‘unique look and feel’. This will be the first HTC phone to have this color and will be running Android 2.2 Froyo.

SlashGear ran the Quadrant benchmark on both smartphones, the Desire HD scored 1,666 and the myTouch 4G scored 180 points more (1,846).

Despite the Desire HD losing this battle it is still no slouch, apparently these results are better than what the Motorola Droid X and Google Nexus One delivered.

If you would like to find out a little more about the results of the benchmark tests check out the source link below, by checking out this link you can see just how much better the HTC Desire HD’s performance is when compared to the original Desire.

Are you happy with your HTC Desire HD’s performance?

Source: SlashGear

As reported from Phandroid, the update is quite a sizable one, but has been tagged as minor as it only enhances a few existing features, as well as fixing any pesky bugs which were still present after the handset launched.

The official version of the update is 1.32.405.13 and you can attempt to force the download by going to your phone settings. If you continue to ‘about phone’ and then ‘check for updates’, you might be lucky enough for the update to appear on your handset ready for download.

Having said that, we’re guessing that most of you have already received the update OTA but it is a nice option to those who are still waiting.

Have you installed this on your Desire HD already? You can check out a new review of the handset here if you missed it earlier.

The review in question comes to you courtesy of Engadget, and you’ll be pleased to know that the HTC Desire HD has been given a fairly positive review score (7/10), although there might be some slight cause for concern for those of you who consider battery life to be an important factor in your decision to purchase.

During their testing, they revealed that the HTC Desire HD could only manage a full day’s use of battery consumption, although Engadget stated that their usage was ‘minimal’ and included tasks such as simple web browsing and a 30 minutes session on Angry Birds.

With the ‘power hungry’ battery aside, the Desire HD seems to shine in all other aspects, including the new HTC Sense UI. Check out their full review here and let us know your thoughts on the handset. Is the poor battery life an issue for you or not?

The update has been launches over-the-air, however HTC suggest that Desire HD users should use WiFi to receive the update, this is because the update is quite a large download.

It is quite strange that the HTC Desire HD has already received a firmware update considering it was released just one week ago, this makes you think that the update contains some important fixes, however HTC are only stating that it enhances photo compatibility and screen control.

We would love to hear if you have received the update over-the-air, if so have you noticed much has changed?

Source: TechWatch