HTC have announced that the HTC Desire will not get the Gingerbread update. It turns out that the design of the HTC Desire was fatally flawed. The article at the URL below effectively states that the Desire does not have the required RAM to run Android 2.3 + Sense UI at the same time.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/htc-uk/desire-and-gingerbread-update/225607660802056

I am not happy about this. I now find myself unable to upgrade my phone without shelling out a huge amount of money. The reason for this is that in the UK now, it is standard practice for phone companies to lock customers into 2 year contracts. I still have 1 whole year to wait before I can get a phone that I can update. I originally opted for the HTC Desire because it was the top rated Android phone on the market. That and the fact that Samsung phones, at the time, where not known for upgrading their phones to the latest release of Android. I now wish I had made a different decision. I didn’t think I would ever say this, but at least Apple don’t do this kind of thing. They keep their customers phones updated for a significant time. HTC sort yourselves out. You have lost me as a customer.

** Addendum **

HTC have now hastily retreated on this announcement, which is not surprising.

http://www.facebook.com/htcuk/posts/225857300777092

Interestingly Dan Lynch of Linux Outlaws fame made the following observation. Which is also a very good point.

“More worryingly for me, when did HTC decide that doing all their corporate communication via Facebook was a good idea? What next, a Geocities site or perhaps a MySpace page? They could do away with their website all together and just use 3rd party platforms.” – Dan Lynch (http://danlynch.org)

I agree completely. HTC, Please get your house in order.

Chris