Motorola Droid Getting Multi-Touch

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Last week, we reported on the Nexus One getting multi-touch via an OTA update. In that post, it was mentioned that Google is offering the multi-touch patch to all phones running Android 2.1 but it would be up to the manufacturers and telcom carriers to offer them to their customers. A leak within Verizon has revealed to the internet that Verizon and Motorola are preparing to release the multi-touch patch to Motorola Droid users.

A “trusted source” tells tech blog Engadget that Verizon’s testing department is currently putting the Android 2.1 update through its paces before the telcom would send it OTA to all Motorola Droid users. The update is allegedly called Android 2.1 verison 1 (why not call it 2.1.1?) which is the same update that the Nexus One got last week that enabled multi-touch.

Reports say that the browser and Google Maps 3.4 are both enabled for multi-touch. In addition to the multi-touch, there are a few other changes. Google Goggles will now be pre-installed on the device. The default News and Weather apps from the Nexus One are also included on the phone.

A few negatives – the new update doesn’t change the UI to have the same 3D grid as the Nexus One, which might be a disappointment to some Droid users. No active wallpapers, either.

All of this comes after Google disabled multi-touch on all American Android devices due to a partnership with Apple, who wanted to protect their weak patent. Now, Google has enabled multi-touch on their own device, the Nexus One and is offering the update to all Android devices.

No word on when Droid users can expect the OTA update that will enable multi-touch.