It's no surprise: Since Google's announcement of Android 2.2 in May of 2010, many manufacturers and carriers have been slow to reveal specifics about their Froyo upgrade plans. But piecing together the bits of info the powers-that-be have divulged, we can get a fairly decent picture of where most major devices stand.
Here's what we know right now.
UPDATE: Looking for info on Android 2.3, aka Android Gingerbread? Click over to our new Android 2.3 upgrade list for the latest on that release.
[Page last updated: April 4, 2011]
The Android 2.2 Upgrade List: Phones That Have Received (or Are Receiving) Froyo
• Nexus One [UPDATED]: As expected, Google's flagship phone was first in line for the Froyo upgrade. In late May, a "very limited test group" received an early copy of the 2.2 software. By late June, a full Nexus One Froyo rollout had taken place.
• HTC EVO 4G [UPDATED]: Sprint rolled out Froyo to EVO users in early August, making the EVO the first carrier-specific device to receive the upgrade.
• Motorola Droid [UPDATED]: Verizon rolled out Android 2.2 to the original Droid in August, shortly after the EVO upgrade had begun. A second update, which enabled support for Adobe Flash, was released soon thereafter. (After receiving the second update, you'll need to download the Adobe Flash Player software from the Android Market in order to gain Flash functionality.)
• HTC Droid Incredible [UPDATED]: Verizon started rolling out Froyo to the Droid Incredible on Friday, August 27.
• HTC Desire [UPDATED 2/8/11]: The European edition of the HTC Desire started seeing Froyo over the July 31st weekend (2010). The rollout began with unlocked versions of the phone and is now making its way to the various carrier-branded devices. In the States, meanwhile, U.S. Cellular made the Android 2.2 upgrade available for its Desire handset on February 8, 2011; the software has to be manually downloaded and installed from U.S. Cellular's website.
• Motorola Droid X [UPDATED]: Verizon started sending the Android 2.2 update to Droid X owners in mid-September. Some Droid X users have reported issues with their phones' performance since receiving the Android 2.2 upgrade. According to a support forum posting by a Motorola employee, Motorola is aware of these issues and is working on a secondary software update that will correct them.
• MyTouch 3G [UPDATED 1/27/11]: T-Mobile rolled out Froyo to the original MyTouch 3G beginning on October 13 and lasting through mid-December 2010. The initial rollout affected only the original MyTouch 3G phone. After promising a January 12 start date for the myTouch 3G 3.5mm Jack and myTouch Fender LE's rollout, T-Mobile started sending the 2.2 update to those devices on January 25.
• MyTouch 3G Slide [UPDATED 4/1/11]: No April Fools here: T-Mobile and HTC finally offered up Froyo to MyTouch 3G Slide users starting April 1, 2011. The update is a manual download; you can find the files you need along with instructions at HTC's Android 2.2 upgrade page.
• Dell Streak [UPDATED 2/23/11]: Call it a tablet, call it a phone, call it whatever you want -- Dell's plus-sized Android device is finally getting its fill of Froyo. In a posting at its official company blog, Dell said it had begun sending Android 2.2 over-the-air to unlocked (non-U.S.) Streak devices as of November 15, 2010. Phones purchased through non-U.S. carriers started receiving the update soon thereafter. On February 23, 2011, Dell announced it was rolling out Froyo to Streak users on both AT&T in the U.S. and Rogers in Canada.
• Acer Liquid E [NEW ADDITION]: Acer Canada released the Android 2.2 upgrade for its Liquid E handset in mid-November. The update can be manually downloaded and installed from the "Download Center" section of acer.ca (located under the site's "Service and Support" menu).
• Archos Internet Tablet [NEW ADDITION]: Archos released the Android 2.2 upgrade for its Archos Internet Tablet in late November. Models 28, 32, 43, 70, and 101 are all supported. The update can be manually downloaded from Archos' Web site.
• HTC Legend [UPDATED]: Some users of carrier-bound HTC Legends, such as those purchased from Vodafone in the UK, started receiving Froyo in November. Users of unbranded Legend devices, meanwhile, started receiving the upgrade from HTC in early December.
• HTC Magic [UPDATED 12/15/10]: Vodafone announced the start of the HTC Magic's Froyo rollout in mid-December. The update will be sent in waves, meaning it'll reach only a limited subset of users each day and thus may take some time to make its way to everyone. You'll receive a notification on your phone when the download is available to you.
• Samsung Intercept [UPDATED 2/17/11]: Sprint started the Samsung Intercept's Froyo rollout on December 17, 2010. Like most Android upgrades, the software is being sent out over-the-air in waves; that means it'll reach only a subset of users each day and may take a good few weeks to hit every handset. Some users who received the upgrade in the first few days experienced problems with their phones; see "Sprint investigating issues with Samsung Intercept Froyo rollout" for the full story. Virgin Mobile, meanwhile, now says it'll update its Intercept handset sometime around March 25, 2011.
• HTC Aria [UPDATED 2/24/11]: The HTC Aria is actually getting Froyo right now. HTC announced the rollout of Android 2.2 for Aria users in Southeast Asia in December 2010. In a posting on its Facebook page in late February, AT&T said the Froyo update would be made available for its HTC Aria customers on Friday, February 25, 2011.
• HTC Wildfire [UPDATED 12/20/10]: HTC started rolling out Froyo to Wildfire phones in Europe in late December, according to a posting on the company's official Facebook page. The Wildfire upgrade will move to other countries next, with the full rollout set to be finished by February of 2011.
• Samsung Acclaim [UPDATED 1/13/11]: U.S. Cellular made the Android 2.2 upgrade available to users of its Samsung Acclaim smartphone on January 13. The update is a manual download; you can find it here.
• LG Ally [UPDATED 1/19/11]: After promising a February 2011 Froyo rollout for its LG Ally smartphone, Verizon ended up started the process early. Verizon's support site was updated with instructions for the Ally's Android 2.2 upgrade on Tuesday, January 18. The following morning, the carrier announced that the rollout had officially begun. The Ally's upgrade will be sent out to users in waves, as most Android updates are. That means it may take several weeks for the software to reach everyone.
• Samsung Galaxy S [UPDATED 3/28/11]: All of Samsung's Galaxy S handsets will be getting Froyo. That includes AT&T's Samsung Captivate, Sprint's Samsung Epic 4G, T-Mobile's Samsung Vibrant, and Verizon's Samsung Fascinate. Some specifics:
• The Android 2.2 upgrade became available for T-Mobile's Samsung Vibrant on Friday, January 21. Despite early reports that the software would be sent over-the-air, as most Android upgrades are, it appears T-Mobile is requiring users to manually download the software via PC using Samsung's Kies Mini program. You can find full instructions and get your upgrade started by visiting T-Mobile's official support page.• Motorola Milestone [UPDATED 3/15/11]: After several delays, on March 15, 2011, Motorola announced it was beginning the Android 2.2 upgrade for its Milestone handset. The rollout will take place "in selected countries," Moto said via its Facebook page, with more locations being added in phases. Motorola says you can keep tabs on motorola.com/mymilestone to check on your country's upgrade status. It also appears you can now manually download and install the upgrade from Motorola here.
• Sprint started rolling out its Epic 4G Froyo upgrade the night of Monday, February 21. Sprint then halted the Epic's update on February 24 due to storage problems some users were having as a result of the new software. After adjusting the release, the carrier restarted the rollout the week of March 21.
• On February 24, AT&T made the Froyo upgrade available to its Samsung Captivate phone. The update must be manually downloaded and installed through Samsung's Kies software; you can find instructions here.
• Rumors have suggested Verizon's Samsung Fascinate could receive its Android 2.2 upgrade "on or about" February 22. Take note, though: This info is based purely on hearsay and has not been officially confirmed; so far, no signs of a rollout have appeared.
• U.S. Cellular posted the Android 2.2 upgrade for its Samsung Mesmerize Galaxy S phone on March 26, 2011. The update can be downloaded and installed from U.S. Cellular's Web site.
• Galaxy S handsets in the Nordic region started receiving the upgrade in mid-October.
• Some Galaxy S devices in the UK and Korea started getting the update in mid-November; others, such as phones connected to UK carrier ThreeUK, received the upgrade in early December.
• The Froyo upgrade became available to all Galaxy S owners in Canada in December.
The Android 2.2 Upgrade List: Phones Expected to Get Froyo
• Motorola Defy [NEW ENTRY]: Motorola has announced plans to upgrade the Defy to Android 2.2 across Europe in the second quarter of 2011. As of now, no specific timeline has been announced for Defy handsets in the U.S. -- but the fact that Moto is committing to upgrade the device overseas is certainly a good sign.
• Samsung Transform [UPDATED 3/18/11]: In an October 2010 press release, Sprint said its Samsung Transform smartphone was scheduled to be upgraded to Android 2.2 before the year's end. 2010 is officially behind us, though, and the rollout has yet to begin. Sprint thus far has not announced a new target date, though recent rumors point to March 21 as the day to watch.
• Nook Color [UPDATED 3/28/11]: It isn't technically a phone, but Barnes & Noble's Android-powered e-reader is claiming its place in the Froyo upgrade queue. While a December 2010 story by Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine suggested the Nook Color would receive its 2.2 upgrade in January, Barnes & Noble is officially sticking with its far more vague "sometime in 2011" time frame. Information posted on the Home Shopping Network Web site suggests April could be the month to watch.
• Samsung Galaxy Apollo [UPDATED 1/28/11]: Samsung reps on Twitter have said that the UK-based Galaxy Apollo will receive an Android 2.2 upgrade "once the Galaxy S rollout is complete." On January 28, an unofficial Samsung blog said the Apollo's update would become available in "one month." It provided no source for its information. There's been no official mention of the Galaxy 3 device, meanwhile, but given its similarity to the Apollo, one might surmise that it has a decent shot at receiving an upgrade as well.
• Samsung Continuum [UPDATED 1/27/11]: A rumor emerged in early January that the Continuum could be on the short list for a Froyo upgrade. According to the unconfirmed info, the Continuum's rollout was set to begin on January 18. While a non-Froyo upgrade did roll out to the Continuum on January 27, thus far, no signs of an Android 2.2 upgrade have appeared.
• Samsung Apex [UPDATED 1/10/11]: U.S. Cellular says its Samsung Apex should be getting Froyo sometime "around March."
• Sanyo Zio [UPDATED 2/17/11]: In mid-February, screenshots said to be from Sprint's internal computer system appeared on the Web suggesting that the Zio would receive an over-the-air upgrade to Android 2.2 on February 21. As of now, the information has not been confirmed.
• Motorola Bravo [UPDATED 3/29/11]: AT&T's Motorola Bravo is on-track to receive the Android 2.2 upgrade in the foreseeable future, according to Motorola reps. A company spokesperson posted a message in the official Motorola Owners' Forum in late March 2011 announcing a "prerelease" of the Bravo's Froyo software. The message sought to recruit users to help test an early version of the Froyo upgrade. It did not provide any date for a widespread rollout, indicating only that the limited trial would begin sometime after March 30.
The Android 2.2 Upgrade List: Phones Where Froyo Looks Iffy
• Motorola Backflip [UPDATED]: The Android phone given the locked-down treatment by AT&T might get the Froyo nod, but I wouldn't place any wagers just yet. The Backflip didn't receive Android 2.1 until mid-November, and so far, Motorola has stayed quiet about the prospect of any further upgrades. It could happen -- but you may not want to hold your breath.
• Motorola Cliq [UPDATED]: The Cliq is in a similar situation to the Backflip. With the upgrade to 2.1 just released in November and not a word said about 2.2, the odds of Froyo arriving anytime in the foreseeable future sure don't seem high. (This type of delay, by the way, is why I say it's time for the baked-in Android UI to die.) After accidentally tweeting about a Cliq Android 2.2 upgrade in October, T-Mobile and Motorola confirmed the Cliq phone was currently still in-line only for the 2.1 release.
The Android 2.2 Upgrade List: Phones Not Expected to Get Froyo
• T-Mobile G1: The first Android phone, unfortunately, isn't expected to get the Froyo upgrade; its hardware is said to be too limited to provide full support. It's been nearly two years since the phone's release, though, so the option for a handset upgrade shouldn't be too far away for Android's earliest adopters.
• Samsung Behold II: Samsung has indicated its Behold II won't be upgraded beyond Android 1.6. As for a reason, the company has said only that the phone is "not upgradeable" beyond that point.
• HTC Hero [UPDATED]: The Hero will not receive the Froyo update, according to information released by Sprint in late June.
• Samsung Moment [UPDATED]: The Moment is also not slated to receive Android 2.2, that same Sprint information revealed. No further details were provided as to what led to the decision for either phone.
• Motorola Devour [UPDATED]: Motorola has confirmed the Devour will not be upgraded to Android 2.1, let alone Android 2.2. Things had looked iffy for Verizon's non-Droid Motorola Android since the start; up until late August, the phone had been listed as "under evaluation" for the Android 2.1 upgrade.
• HTC Droid Eris [UPDATED]: After months of speculation, Verizon has now confirmed that the Eris will not get Froyo. The phone, debuted alongside the original Droid in 2009, had taken a back seat to higher profile devices since day 1. Verizon stopped selling the Eris earlier in the summer.
• Motorola Milestone XT720 [NEW ENTRY]: In late November, Motorola announced it would not upgrade its XT720 tablet phone -- available in Canada and Europe -- beyond its current Android 2.1 level. The company gave no specific reason for its decision.
• Sony Xperia X10, Xperia X10 Mini, & Xperia X10 Mini Pro [UPDATED 1/6/11]: Sony swore its first AT&T Android phone would receive an upgrade to Android 2.1 before 2010's end, and in late October, it made good on that promise. After stayed oddly quiet for months about its plans to bring 2.2 to the device, however, the company has now gone on the record as saying the Xperia X10 phones will not receive any future OS upgrades.
• Motorola i1 [UPDATED 2/6/11]: After months of silence, Motorola confirmed in early February that its Motorola i1 Android device would remain on Android 1.5.
• Motorola Charm [UPDATED 2/6/11]: Motorola has confirmed that its Charm Android phone will not be upgraded beyond Android 2.1.
• Motorola Flipout [UPDATED 2/6/11]: The Motorola Flipout won't be bumped up beyond its current Android 2.1 level, according to an update released by Moto in early February.
• Motorola Cliq XT [UPDATED 2/6/11]: The Cliq XT will not be upgraded to Froyo, Motorola has now confirmed. In a posting on Motorola's official owners' forum, a representative said "the software could not meet the basic performance standards required" while running on the device.
The Android 2.2 Upgrade List: The Rest of the Phones
If a phone isn't listed here, chances are there's just not much in the way of clear info about its fate so far. So stay tuned and set your bookmarks: I'll continue updating this page as new details become available for any Android devices.
In the meantime, why not learn the five-minute trick to free Android tethering? Or check out this 10-step guide to improving Android battery life -- you never know when an extra hour of power might come in handy.
Hey, anything that takes your mind off the wait for Froyo can only help.
UPDATE: For the latest upgrade info on Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread, click over to our new Android 2.3 upgrade list. And for an in-depth look at who's making the grade and who's failing when it comes to Android upgrade reliability, be sure to check out our special report: Android upgrades: Which manufacturers can you trust?
Author JR Raphael writes the Android Power blog at Computerworld. You can find him on both Facebook and Twitter.
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