Thunderbolt Gingerbread Update Rolling Out; Ice Cream Sandwich Pre-Alpha Build In the Works

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The initial Gingerbread update for Verizon’s first LTE handset, the HTC Thunderbolt, wasn’t successful, so the carrier decided to launch a second version almost a month after the previous one.

Just like we told you yesterday, build number 2.11.605.5 is the Android 2.3 version you’ll want to install on your Thunderbolt handset. In case you already upgraded the smartphone in late September then you’ll only get a minor upgrade this time that will fix the issues the first Gingerbread build came packed with.

Of course, it’s annoying to see the handset move from Froyo to Gingerbread in late October especially since various HTC updates suggested the phone will be upgraded in the first half of the year. And then, by the end of September. At this point we have to wonder whether the Thunderbolt will get Ice Cream Sandwich support, and how long customers will have to wait until a final ICS build will be available. Especially since HTC isn’t really telling its customers anything about ICS plans.

On the other hand, we’ll probably see developers work their way around ICS to offer an unofficial build for the Thunderbolt. In fact, it appears that at least one Thunderbolt out there is running a pre-alpha Ice Cream Sandwich port, which means developers are on the right track. So far ICS is reportedly booting but plenty of things are not working, including the touchscreen. In other words a Thunderbolt running this current pre-alpha ICS build is good for nothing.

Yesterday we also saw an unofficial ICS build for the Samsung Nexus S, and earlier today we found out that the Nexus One, a phone launched in early 2010, will not be getting ICS, at least not officially. The closer we move towards the official ICS launch, the more details we should find out from smartphone makers regarding the upgrade status for various of their flagship devices. Let’s just hope the Thunderbolt will also get an official ICS build.