Which Phones Will Get Ice Cream Sandwich?

It’s that time again and we’re back with yet another rundown of what Android devices will be or won’t be getting the latest major Android upgrade. That upgrade of course is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich which Google unveiled just a few short days ago. You can read about all of the details here but one of the main goals of this version of Android is to unify it, meaning, Google wants both tablets and phones to be running the same software.
However, that doesn’t mean that this update is going to be any less tricky than Gingerbread. We do have a few details right now and we’ll definitely be sharing those but this is going to be a work in progress.
After all, Motorola has announced that one of its flagship devices won’t be seeing the update until early 2012. And you know what that means right? It means that you’re likely going to want to bookmark this page because it’s going to be awhile before we find out all the details about every phone for sure.
So, without further ado, let’s get to it.
(Note: For now, we’re going to focus on the phones with “bigger” names.)

HTC Amaze 4G

If you just picked up an HTC Amaze 4G from T-Mobile, it came out on October 12th, you don’t have to worry about whether or not your new device will see the Android 4.0 update. The Amaze 4G is one of T-Mobile’s more powerful devices and will only get more powerful when it receives the upgrade.
Of course, it’s running HTC Sense which could definitely slow things up a bit but rest assured, the Amaze 4G will get a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich somewhere down the road.
Android 4.0 and 42mbps HSPA+ speeds?
That sounds like a pretty good combo to us.
Update: HTC has confirmed Android 4.0 for the HTC Amaze.

HTC Droid Incredible

It was a long road for the HTC Droid Incredible‘s Android 2.3 update roll out. It was marred by delays and suspicions that the device, which has reached its EOL, would not be rolling out. But, HTC and Verizon managed to get it out to loyal owners back in September and so far, we haven’t heard about the device having any major problems with the software.
And that bodes well for a possible upgrade to Android 4.0.
Don’t hold your breath though. The Droid Incredible is going on two years old and HTC and Verizon may not see it fit to release another major software update seeing as though most owners of the original Incredible will probably be moving onto greener pastures in the coming months.

HTC Droid Incredible 2

The Droid Incredible’s successor is currently sitting pretty. It was released this year, April 28th to be exact, and it currently has Gingerbread on board which has been working like a dream for most people.
We haven’t heard anything definitive about an upgrade to to Ice Cream Sandwich but Google did say that most if not all phones with Gingerbread would see an upgrade to Android 4.0.
And given the youth of  this device, we’re going to say that it’s likely.

HTC EVO 4G

We hate to say it but Sprint’s iconic device is aging quickly. Don’t get us wrong, we still consider it a fantastic phone, but we’re not HTC or Sprint. Yes, it currently runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and yes, there are still quite a few people rocking it, but like the Droid Incredible, it’s going on two years old. It has also reached the End of Life.
This is a phone that we never will count out though so we wouldn’t be surprised to see Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich be the EVO 4G’s last hurrah.
Nothing from HTC yet and we don’t expect to hear anything for a good while.

HTC EVO 3D

The EVO 4G”s successor, the EVO 3D, came out to much fanfare back in June of this year boasting some incredibly powerful specifications as well as Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box.
We can’t imagine that Sprint not giving the EVO 3D some Ice Cream Sandwich love so while we haven’t heard anything official quite yet, it should be OK to emit a sigh of relief as there is more than a very good chance that it will see Android 4.0.
Look for it to be among the first. HTC and Sprint are usually on the ball when it comes to EVO branded devices.
Update: HTC and Sprint have confirmed Android 4.0 for the HTC EVO 3D.

HTC EVO Shift 4G

Lest we not forget about the third member of the current family of EVO phones, the EVO Shift 4G, a device that really is kind of a black sheep. It has never achieved the same popularity as its brethren but hey, that might not stop HTC from releasing Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for its owners.
After all, back in June, it got upgraded to Gingerbread which arrived with a  ton of improvements on board.
It’s possible that HTC and Sprint won’t want to invest the time into upgrading the EVO Shift 4G with all of the other phones they need to be working on so we’ll say that there is around a 50/50 chance that it sees ICS.

HTC G2

Like the Droid Incredible’s Android 2.3 update, T-Mobile’s G2 had a bumpy road to release only it wasn’t delays that caused the headaches. It was the constant leaks that kept saying that the update would be rolling out soon. Owners begun to get fed up with the weeks and weeks of nothing only to see the update roll out at the end of July.
For the most part, it seems that the update has been a smooth one for G2 owners which, again like the Droid Incredible’s update, is a sign that there could be another update in the pipeline.
There are still quite a few G2 owners out there but it’s unclear if the device’s End of Life status will cause T-Mobile and HTC to take a pass.

HTC Inspire 4G

The HTC Inspire 4G is one of AT&T’s latest and greatest Android smartphones and it’s also one that is currently sporting Android 2.3 Gingerbread as its operating system.Will that save it from getting the axe when it comes to getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich? That’s currently a mystery.
It doesn’t help that its essentially the EVO 4G operating under a different name but then again, it has only been out since February making it a distinct possibility that AT&T might grace it with the latest from Google.
Nothing concrete yet though.

HTC Nexus One

You would think that, like the Nexus S and the Galaxy Nexus, the Nexus One would be getting the boost up to Android 4.0. Unfortunately it’s not a sure thing according to the good folks at Google.
There is currently no clear plan for the Nexus One to see anything past Gingerbread so it’s possible that the original Nexus might be left out in the cold without an Ice Cream Sandwich. It will be celebrating its two year birthday in January so it wouldn’t be shocking to see that happen.
We wouldn’t count it out just yet though.
Update: Bad news. Google has confirmed that the Nexus One won’t be getting an upgrade to Android 4.0.

HTC Sensation 4G

Like the EVO 3D, it’s almost impossible to think that the HTC Sensation 4G, which T-Mobile released to compete with Sprint’s EVO, wouldn’t see the upgrade to Android 4.0.
It has Gingerbread right out of the box and to be perfectly honest, it’s one of the best Android releases of 2011 and one of the best devices to ever grace T-Mobile’s network. Period.
And while the Magenta carrier hasn’t confirmed anything yet, we’re fairly certain that Sensation 4G owners will be getting the update at some point in the months ahead. Just be patient.
Update: HTC has confirmed Android 4.0 for the HTC Sensation. T-Mobile remains mum on the Sensation 4G but we assume that this means it will be coming.

HTC ThunderBolt

The HTC ThunderBolt. A nemesis of ours here at GBM and a headache for owners out there who were unfortunate enough to buy the device on a two year contract. Currently, the ThunderBolt is split into two camps.
The first camp consists of those who have received the Gingerbread update, an update that was a buggy mess. The second camp of ThunderBolt owners consists of those that are still running Android 2.2 because they weren’t able to get the software before HTC and Verizon pulled the plug on it indefinitely.
That being said, we should see the update roll out again at some point in the near future, HTC has said so. Can’t say the same thing for Android 4.0 though.
There has been nary a peep from HTC and Verizon and you have to think that both are as tired of this phone as its owners. It’s certainly possible that the problems with Gingerbread could very well be a death knell for Ice Cream Sandwich.
However, we believe that because of the shear number of HTC ThunderBolt owners out there, the companies really have no choice but to commit to the new software. For better or worse.
Just don’t expect it to roll out soon, if it rolls out at all.

LG G2x

T-Mobile’s LG G2x has been nothing short of a debacle. In fact, for a time, it was giving the HTC ThunderBolt a run for its money as the buggiest phone on the market. It was so buggy, that LG and T-Mobile had to pull it off shelves. Of course, they blamed it on demand but that was clearly not the reason.
Fortunately, the Gingerbread update arrive for the device in July and things seemed to have settled a bit.
Issues aside, the G2x is a powerful phone (it has a dual-core processor and a bunch of RAM) which means it’s a prime candidate to receive the upgrade to Android Ice Cream Sandwich.
We just don’t know when that will be.
Update: We have some bad news, G2x owners. The Optimus 2X won’t get Android 4.0 which means that the G2x may not get it either.
Update 2: LG has refuted the previous report and says that it is still testing Android 4.0 on both phones and that it doesn’t know if it will get released or not. That’s better news but certainly not good.
Update 3: The Optimus 2X is confirmed to be getting Android 4.0. The G2x? Not so lucky. At least not yet.

LG Revolution

Like the HTC ThunderBolt, the LG Revolution was one of Verizon’s original 4G LTE launch devices. And like the ThunderBolt, the Revolution hasn’t seen any Gingerbread love from Verizon. It’s still stuck on Android 2.2 and that’s, well, that’s just not good.
It’s also been out since May and still, no sign of Android 2.3. That means that if LG and Big Red are planning on getting this to Ice Cream Sandwich, it’s going to be awhile before they do so.
Try and stay optimistic, Revolution owners. We know it’s hard.

Motorola Atrix 4G

Back in July, AT&T and Motorola released the Gingerbread update for the Atrix 4G and so far, we haven’t heard any horror stories so we think it’s safe to assume that the Atrix has been able to handle Android 2.3.
The only thing that might prevent the Atrix 4G from getting a bump to Android 2.3 would be if AT&T wants to sell the Atrix 2.
We have a feeling that Ma Bell won’t disappoint owners of its first dual-core smartphone but until we hear it from the horse’s mouth, nothing is for certain.

Motorola Atrix 2

The Motorola Atrix 2 just launched on AT&T and after going hands-on with it, we think that AT&T and Moto cooked up a fairly worthy successor. And at this point, we think that the quality of the device combined with its recent release means that Atrix 2 owners will definitely see Ice Cream Sandwich at some point down the road.
But, just like most of these phones, we just have no idea when that will be.

Motorola Droid 2

Getting the Motorola Droid 2 and Droid 2 Global to Gingerbread has been a challenge for both manufacturer and carrier. Moto and Verizon have had all sorts of problems getting these phones up to speed.
These are old phones folks and we get the feeling that the headaches caused by Gingerbread may be enough to convince Moto and Verizon to scrap plans to bring these up to Android 4.0.
That’s a prediction, not a reality, so stay optimistic. We just wouldn’t be shocked if these phones never saw the update. (And if they did, it would probably be buggy anyway.)

Motorola Droid 3

If the Droid 2 Global and Droid 2 were boosted up to Gingerbread, there is no doubt in our mind that Verizon will be bringing Android 4.0 to the Motorola Droid 3. It’s a powerful phone and the only reason it hasn’t garnered attention is because it doesn’t run on Big Red’s 4G LTE network.
This will almost assuredly be one of the first Motorola devices that sees the Ice Cream Sandwich next year.
So rest easy Droid 3 owners.

Motorola Droid Bionic

If you bought Motorola’s first dual-core 4G LTE device, you’re in luck. The manufacturer has confirmed Android 4.0 for the Droid Bionic but it didn’t reveal when the device would be getting Ice Cream Sandwich.
Motorola’s other dual-core 4G LTE smartphone will be getting it in early 2012 so we figure that the Bionic will be getting the software somewhere around then too.
But first, it’ll see a massive bug fixing update roll out next month.

Motorola Droid RAZR

In addition to confirming Ice Cream Sandwich for the Droid Bionic, Motorola also confirmed an Android 4.0 update for the upcoming Droid RAZR which will be coming out in November.
Again, no specific date but we will see the update roll out at some point in early 2012.
So, for at least a couple of months, those of you looking to get your hands on the thinnest 4G LTE smartphone yet will have to deal with Android Gingerbread 2.3.5 for a couple of months.
It’s a good experience so we wouldn’t worry much.

Motorola Droid X

The Motorola Droid X and Gingerbread haven’t played nice from the beginning. When roll out day came, Droid X owners were ecstatic, which soon turned to misery when they found out the update was not only plagued with bugs but was also bricking phones.
It took a little bit before Verizon pushed out a bug fix update but it did and things have quieted down a bit. However, horror stories still trickle in on occasion so there are definitely still people out there struggling.
That being said, Moto and Verizon are going to have to take a hard look at whether or not they want to subject Droid X owners to the horrors of another major Android update, no matter how delicious it looks.
We think that they might just take a pass on Android 4.0 for the Droid X but it would certainly be a pleasant surprise if they didn’t.

Motorola Droid X2

Just like with the Motorola Droid 3, we don’t see any reason why Moto and Verizon wouldn’t update its other refresh, the Droid X2, with Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s still one of the best 3G phones on the market and it should be able to handle Android 4.0 no problem.
Thing is, it has MotoBlur. And that means that the update could take some time to get released. Unless Motorola and Verizon want a buggy experience for this phone as well.
No word yet on when we might see the update unfortunately.

Samsung Droid Charge

Another one of Verizon’s original 4G LTE device, the Samsung Droid Charge was released amidst a ton of hype earlier this year. Sadly, like its companions, poor battery life and the release of more powerful phones has sent this  thing to the bargain bin with Android 2.2 Froyo on board.
That’s right, it’s not even running Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
Things look pretty bleak here unfortunately but without any sort of official statement from Big Red or Sammy, it’s hard to count the Droid Charge out just yet. Just assume that it won’t get Android 4.0 and that way, you’ll be delighted if it does happen to show its face.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Not much to say here other than the Galaxy Nexus will have Android 4.0 out of the box.
Lucky devil.

Samsung Galaxy S – (Fascinate, Captivate, Vibrant, Epic 4G)

Samsung had a heck of a time getting Android 2.2 Froyo onto its original Galaxy S devices and while there are signs of a boost up to Gingerbread for every single one of these, there hasn’t been anything official yet.
These are aging phones as well and the Samsung Galaxy S II taking the reigns makes it easier for Sammy to opt out of getting all four of these up to Android 4.0.
So if you own Verizon’s Fascinate, AT&T’s Captivate, T-Mobile’s Vibrant, or Sprint’s Epic 4G and you want Ice Cream Sandwich, it might be time to look at an upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy S II – (Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch)

The Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the best Android phones to ever grace the earth and it has finally arrived on three carriers in the United States in AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.
It’s fairly safe to assume that all three have sold well and we think that all three U.S. carriers will likely make Android 4.0 a priority for these phones. After all, they are all current flagship devices.
Let’s just hope the update process goes a little smoother than it did for the Galaxy S II’s predecessors.
Update: Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S II will be getting Android 4.0 in 2012.

Samsung Infuse 4G

The Samsung Infuse 4G, with its massive display, is definitely one of the better Android devices on AT&T. However, Gingerbread has yet to arrive in official form for the and that’s a little troubling especially since AT&T promised it would be here by now.
Still, we think this device has a very good shot at getting Android 4.0 in the future it just might be awhile before it decides to show up given the obviously problems that AT&T and Samsung are having with Android 2.3.

Samsung Nexus S (Nexus S 4G)

Own a Nexus S? Want Android 4.0? We’ve got some good news. Google has confirmed that the Nexus S will be getting Android 4.0. Probably not a surprise to any of you but it’s just nice to hear confirmation.
You know what else is nice?
The fact that Sprint’s Nexus S 4G already got an unofficial Ice Cream Sandwich port.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

And finally, the PlayStation Phone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. It was the first device on Verizon to run Android 2.3 Gingerbread and that definitely will serve it well in its quest to get Android 4.0.
Sony has been pretty unreliable when it comes to major updates for its Xperia line of phones so don’t expect the Xperia Play to have a smooth ride acquiring Ice Cream Sandwich but hey, at least there’s a good chance it will be getting it.
Can’t say the same for other phones out there.
–
So there we have it. Again, these are mostly predictions with a few confirmations so expect a lot of updating to go down over the next couple of months.