The HTC Thunderbolt was initially hailed as one of the better first generation LTE equipped Android smartphones when it was launched in late 2011 to coincide with Verizon’s initial LTE rollout before being nearly forgotten after the launch of the newer HTC Rezound due to the Thunderbolt sitting too long on the market with a myriad of software update issues, mostly centering on the problems with functioning Mobile Hotspot service and the inherent limitations present in first generation LTE hardware that also came with their own set of problems.
Now in a bit of a surprise, it seems that Verizon and HTC have decided to bless the device with what is possibly its last update by rolling out Android Ice Cream Sandwich for the phone along with Sense 3.6. While the leak is officially signed by Verizon and HTC, this particular version has also been pre-rooted, making the choice to flash to this build all but a given for those that are still waiting on the over the air update. That Verizon and HTC decided to continue to support the device even after its longstanding issues may be a tacit acknowledgement of the issues present in the device, though whether it makes a marked difference in performance remains to be seen.
The build number for the leaked update is 7.00.605.2, with the download available here, though the server is being hit with higher than expected demand.
We have not tested this firmware, and as usual, do note that you may not be able to upgrade to the final build if you install this test release.