HTC Hero Android 2.0 Upgrade For Carriers Still Uncertain

There has been a bit of buzz since it was reported that HTC will be giving Hero owners an upgrade to Android 2.0. The Hero was released with Android 1.5, and a lot of users were wondering if HTC will upgrade the Hero match the Droid's 2.0 OS, to which HTC responded:

“Yes, we are working on an Eclair update for the HTC Hero. Because Eclair is a significantly enhanced release, it will require some time to update Sense for this new version of the Android OS. Please be patient while we work to provide you with a tightly integrated experience like the one you are already enjoying on your Hero.”

However, HTC's Hero 2.0 upgrade may not happen for everyone and carriers will still need to work with HTC and Google to make sure that 2.0 will be a viable option for their ecosystem.

Read on for more information.

SlashGear was reporting that "the update will be available for both the original European GSM version of the Hero, and the CDMA Sprint version on sale in the US," which is only partially true. While HTC will be releasing a Hero update for the unlocked GSM edition, the CDMA editions still have to run by carriers, like Sprint and Cellular South.

According to HTC, "some people have assumed that if we are working on GSM and CDMA versions, that we are implying Sprint, but since we sell the CDMA Hero to other customers (like Cellular South), just saying CDMA does not necessarily mean that there is any committment as to whether or when it might come to the Sprint variant." This further corroborates the story that we've heard from Sprint earlier this afternoon: "We are currently working through the options with the manufacturing partners."

It looks like while HTC is working on upgrades for all versions of the Hero, if you are running a carrier version your upgrade hasn't been committed yet.