Motorola Rolls Out Android 2.1 Update to Milestone

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Motorola announced on its European Facebook page today that it is beginning to roll out the Android 2.1 update for the Milestone, the GSM variant of the Verizon Wireless Motorola DROID. The update will begin today in France and will continue to Germany, Italy and the UK from now until mid-April. The Android 2.1 update was first seen on the Google Nexus One and includes such enhancements as live wallpapers, up to 9 customizable home screens, voice to text capability that is extended to every editable text field, added security for exchange server users, and more.

Despite its January debut on the Nexus One, the Android 2.1 update has been slow to hit other devices. Motorola indirectly announced on its forums that it was prepping the Android 2.1 rollout for the Motorola DROID and then quickly pulled the documents from its website. A few weeks later, a second rumor surfaced that suggested Verizon Wireless was finally preparing to rollout the update to its DROID handsets. Verizon confirmed the update on its Twitter account and a rollout schedule was leaked but the update was never released.

Rumors surrounding the abrupt removal of the update cite a compatibility problem with Skype as the underlying reason for the no-show. For those that don’t recall, Skype recently announced a partnership with Verizon Wireless that will put the VoIP software on each and every smartphone in Big Red’s lineup. Unlike the Milestone which has an unadulterated version of Android with no third party compatibility requirements, the DROID and its owners, assuming this Skype rumor is true, may have to wait for Motorola, Verizon Wireless, and Skype to figure out a solution to what is turning into a source of consumer discontent.

It is a cruel twist of fate for Motorola DROID owners who are still waiting for their slice of Eclair while the Milestone becomes one of the first Non-Nexus One handsets to rock this latest Android OS. If you are a Milestone owner in Europe and have the official update installed on your handset, give us a shout and let us know how it is treating you.