T-Mobile has begun to roll out the Android 1.6 update for the Samsung Behold II after months of waiting by customers who purchased the device expecting timely updates. The manufacturer was forced to respond when an online petition campaign to file a class action lawsuit last month garnered significant media attention and led to an update to Android 1.6 instead of the promised 2.0.
The update does feature Google Maps with Navigation, but will not satisfy many who purchased the device expecting support for Android 2.0 and places it below the T-Mobile G1, which ironically features Android 2.1 support despite the hardware being a generation older than the Behold II.
Actually, the T-Mobile G1 does not have Android 2.1. We are still on 1.6.
Currently the G1 is stuck at Android 1.6, but the key there was “support” for Android 2.1.
Google has said that Android 2.1 is the last version that the G1 could support. Indications are it will be updated to Android 2.1, but even if it doesn’t… Google made sure Android 2.1 could be installed unofficially on the G1.
In other words, root your G1 and install 2.1 if you want it now, or wait and see what T-Mobile will do.
Samsung users, on the other hand, do not have the support of other devices to pull firmware from, the Behold II is a unique device hardware-wise, which is why Samsung probably doesn’t want to invest the time or effort to port Android 2.0 (like they promised to).
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