Droid X and Gingerbread

[geodash74]

I have been reading the forums and alarmed to hear that Droid X may possibly not receive the Gingerbread update due to resolution.

I have 1 week left to return my Droid X and get a phone that will support Gingerbread when it comes out. What about the D2? Will any of the current phones available from Verizon work with Gingerbread?

I know it is speculation right now, but I want to make sure I can and will receive GB. My phone is rooted, but I do not want to wait for a port after it is released.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Deleted User]

You're "alarmed"?

You can't make sure you can or will receive Gingerbread. If you need a phone with Gingerbread, you need to return your X right now and wait it out. You will not be guaranteed that any of the phones out right now will receive Gingerbread. If you don't want a port, then you can't even buy a developer friendly phone.

Here is the only fact: nobody here knows whether or not the X or any of the other phones currently available from Verizon will receive Gingerbread. If you are "alarmed" that you might not get it and "want to make sure" - then you need to return your phone, and get something cheap that will suffice until at least the holidays roll around and the holiday phones are released. It's at least a fairly safe bet that the top of the line Christmas phones will get the update.

edit: incidentally, I have not read a single thing that said that the DX resolution is insufficient and am inclined to doubt that it will be a problem. I am confident the DX meets the minimum specifications for the new OS, but am less confident that Motorola will dump the time into it.

 

[Martimus]

Any opinions that you've read regarding the Droid X and Gingerbread are just that... opinions. There has been no definitive statements released by Motorola yet as to whether or not the Droid X will run Gingerbread.

 

[nj02vette]

Oh crap, here we go with the Gingerbread threads.

Seriously, what feature in Gingerbread makes it a game changer? All the early previews I've seen so far have been improved visuals, not anything signifigant under the hood. Not a single thing that gives me the urge to upgrade (not like the extra features in 2.2).

Hardware acceleration will be worthless on hardware that doesn't support it, nor will increased screen resolution.

If you want the best advice, buy your Droid X on 1year contract, not two year. I highly doubt you'll see any Gingerbread phones until Q1 or more likely Q2 of 2011. Keep in mind, the first phone to get factory released with Froyo on it was the Droid 2, and that was almost 6mos after Google released it.

So why deprive yourself of a great device now, only to bet on what may be.

Any opinions that you've read regarding the Droid X and Gingerbread are just that... opinions. There has been no definitive statements released by Motorola yet as to whether or not the Droid X will run Gingerbread.

Yep, and I'd like to add that not a single other manufacturer has committed towards anything either. Not HTC, not Samsung.....no one. Anything else is just conjecture.

 

[Xeneize480]

No offence, but who cares about gingerbread? I love my DX with Froyo as of right now... if gingerbread is so good then I will wait until I buy my next phone.

 

[Outlaw71]

Ok I've never really thought about it before, but I take it Google comes out with an OS, and after it is released that's when the manufacturers look to see if it can be implimented on their devices one by one? I guess I had always just assumed without putting much thought into it that Google tested the new OS's on the current line up available on the market. But what's being said on here gives me the impression that just isn't the case at all eh? So it's completely possible that even the new phones coming out before Christmas won't even have the stuff under the hood to support Gingerbread. I had never even considered that possibility.

Oh well, as has been said on here I haven't seen anything that's supposedly coming along with gingerbread as something I just HAVE to have. I honestly couldn't wait until froyo hit because I wanted Flash something fierce. But now that I have it (and loving it!!!!), I'm completely satisfied with my device as is.

Now, that said I have no doubts that once gingerbread hits the market on phones able to support it and I go into a Verizon store somewhere and play with one of those devices I will probably be hooked and have to have it. So my plan is to stay away from a Verizon store until my contract is coming up! Lol

 

[bigbadwulff]

Waiting for strawberry shortcake myself. Much more tasty....

 

[Deleted User]

Google releases the OS but it's totally up to the individual manufacturers to implement it on an individual level. They need to implement drivers/individual manufacturer skins/sponsored applications/etc.

 

[ludist210]

I would bet Verizon makes sure it lands on the Droid X, but anything you've heard, unless it's from Verizon or Motorola (or Google), is just speculation.

 

[Chaznsc]

If resolution's a problem, then I'd say MOST of the phones if not all are going to be in the ditch. I just dont think that makes sense.

 

[Martimus]

Yep, and I'd like to add that not a single other manufacturer has committed towards anything either. Not HTC, not Samsung.....no one. Anything else is just conjecture.

Yup! Ageed! In time we'll start seeing Gingerbread phones. In the interim we've got FroYo goodness!

 

[Steven58]

My two cents:

Seriously, there isn't much we can't do with root.

 

[MCPO117]

What I heard at one of our product trainings was that if the device had a 1 GHz proc. and at least a 4" screen those were the requirements for gingerbread. Once again speculation but if that is true the X meets both requirements.

 

[mazz0310]

I can't see them limiting GingerBread to 4" or bigger, what if some people what a smaller screen? Those phones won't have gingerbread? that seems backwards to me.

 

[Top Quark]

My thoughts are that Moto is probably not going to invest a lot of time applying Gingerbread to the DX as the device is slated for "end of life" in March. I do however hope they continue to work on a Froyo patch for the issues that some X users are experiencing: WiFi disconnect, boot hang up at the M logo, screwy SMS order, etc.

 

[judasmachine]

Even if you don't get official GB, then trust the community to get it to you. They can and will (most likely. )

 

[Outlaw71]

Yes the 4 inch screen requirement sounds completely fabricated if you ask me. There are far more Android devices with sub 4 inch screens that are currently out and that are coming out than there are 4 inch and up screen devices. That segment might be growing, but not at a rapid enough rate that I could see them making that a requirement for an OS, that's just absurd.

Plus, the screen size has nothing to do with the resolution anyhow. You can easily make a smaller screen with higher resolution than the X's screen... the iPhone is one example.

 

[nj02vette]

What I heard at one of our product trainings was that if the device had a 1 GHz proc. and at least a 4" screen those were the requirements for gingerbread. Once again speculation but if that is true the X meets both requirements.

Incorrect information.

The only semi-official statement by a Google executive on the issue was that the "requirements" were 1GHz processor and screens 4" or larger needed to support a higher resolution.

That announcement, sent Droid X, EVO, and Galaxy S fans into panic mode, since their 4" screens didn't support the higher resolution.

However, that was all misinformation. The same Google representative clarified the situation the the specifications are not a requirement, like MS has done for WinMo 7 devices, but recommended specs. However, we all know how everything posted is fact on them interwebs.

 

[drhill]

My two cents:

Seriously, there isn't much we can't do with root.

That is entirely wrong. Being the fact the bootloader is locked we cannot update the kernel. If Gingerbread includes an updated kernel you would have to port the OS to use the motorola kernel. This would likely lose some features and changes from the updated. Also, since there is only one AOSP Froyo rom being developed and it still isn't out, I wouldn't expect that to be easy.


Root gets you very little.

 

[rehpyc]

The D1 was Verizon's flagship droid, and it got Froyo. The DX is now Verizon's flagship droid, so perhaps it'll get the same treatment with Gingerbread that the D1 received with Froyo. Nobody can say for certain either way.. so it's useless arguing about it (as were the other threads argued within prior).

Like some others have said here already.. if you want to have assurance of receiving Gingerbread, wait till next year to get a phone.

 

[apinkel]

That is entirely wrong. Being the fact the bootloader is locked we cannot update the kernel. If Gingerbread includes an updated kernel you would have to port the OS to use the motorola kernel. This would likely lose some features and changes from the updated. Also, since there is only one AOSP Froyo rom being developed and it still isn't out, I wouldn't expect that to be easy.


Root gets you very little.

This. And my understanding is that for the most part the folks who were working on trying to unlock/work around the bootloader have pretty much given up on it. So the bootloader is locked, the kernel is locked and there's not much chance that this is going to change.

That said, based on how Moto/Verizon handled the D1, I think we'll get gingerbread. If we do, that's good enough for me. Heck, even if we don't I'm still happy as a clam w my X. There's not a phone in existence that I'd rather have right now.

 

[Outlaw71]

I never knew what the big deal about rooting a phone was... until I tried it. Now you couldn't get me to update to gingerbread until they sucessfully root it as well. I would much rather stay on a rooted 2.2 than go to an unrooted 3.0!

 

[drhill]

This. And my understanding is that for the most part the folks who were working on trying to unlock/work around the bootloader have pretty much given up on it. So the bootloader is locked, the kernel is locked and there's not much chance that this is going to change.

That said, based on how Moto/Verizon handled the D1, I think we'll get gingerbread. If we do, that's good enough for me. Heck, even if we don't I'm still happy as a clam w my X. There's not a phone in existence that I'd rather have right now.

I expect we will get OS updates until at least next fall. After that all bets are off. Hopefully Honeycomb/Ice Cream will be in that window. I'm guessing one of them will. The one after that might start the yearly release schedule.

 

[apinkel]

I was under the impression that Google was going to move to annual releases after Gingerbread. I have no idea where I read that or how legit it is.

And the prior comment about root is also a requirement for me. I flashed my X to cricket (cause I'm a cheap bastard) and I need root to provision it for the plan I've got.

 

[WTF]

I would bet Verizon makes sure it lands on the Droid X, but anything you've heard, unless it's from Verizon or Motorola (or Google), is just speculation.

Just my gut feeling, but I think that we will eventually see GB on the Droid X...its just a matter of when. I do think there is progress now towards that end:

Verizon