AT&T first carrier to upgrade Android phone to Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Vivid (Beats too!)

Seth Weintraub | Mar 22 2012 - 2:11 pm PT

Getting your Android smartphones upgraded to the latest version is an important factor in considering which carrier to go with, because some carriers push updates quickly while others let things fall by the wayside.

This time around, AT&T is the first carrier to upgrade one of its phones to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Besides the Galaxy Nexus devices, and anything running a hacked version or Cyanogen Mod, Vivid owners will be the first U.S. device owners running ICS.

A version of ICS briefly hit Vivid owners earlier this week, but it was pulled. At the moment, we are not able to do the update, but we are told it is rolling out now.

According to HTC’s Twitter account, the Vivid will also get Beats by Dre audio functionality as well.

[tweet https://twitter.com/#!/HTCUSA/status/182873787665104896]

The full release is below, including AT&T’s full ICS roadmap…

AT&T the First U.S. Carrier to Issue Latest Android Version via Upgrade

Update Includes Beats By Dr. Dre Audio™ and Updated HTC Sense™ Experience

Android Upgrades for Several AT&T Devices to Follow

DALLAS, March 22, 2012 – AT&T* today announced the availability of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) for HTC Vivid™ customers. After installing the software update, customers can now enjoy the optimized audio experience of Beats by Dr. Dre Audio™ and new and improved HTC Sense™ experience. Information about these features and more can be found at http://www.att.com/vividupdate. HTC Vivid™ will be the first U.S. smartphone to receive Ice Cream Sandwich as an update and the first to be issued by a wireless carrier. It will be followed by several other AT&T devices in the coming months:

LG Nitro
Motorola ATRIX 2
Motorola ATRIX 4G
Pantech Burst
Pantech Element
Samsung Captivate Glide
Samsung Galaxy Note
Samsung Galaxy S II
Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Focused on bringing the power of Android to the surface, Android 4.0 makes common actions more visible and lets you navigate with simple, intuitive gestures. Refined animations and feedback throughout the system make interactions engaging and interesting. An entirely new typeface optimized for high-resolution screens improves readability and brings a polished, modern feel to the user interface.

New User Features for HTC Vivid

Beats By Dr. Dre Audio™ – Enhance your music and video experience with Beats By Dr. Dre Audio. Whenever a media file is played using the media players or most third party applications, customers will experience richer, more authenic sound. AT&T recently debuted the Beats™ by Dr. Dre™ Beatbox Portable high performance wireless audio system. The superior portable system and Beats accessories are available at AT&T company-owned stores or online.

Face Unlock – Android 4.0 introduces a completely new approach to securing a device, making each person’s device even more personal — Face Unlock is a new screen-lock option that lets you unlock your device using facial recognition. It takes advantage of the device’s front-facing camera and state-of-the-art facial recognition technology to register a face during setup and then to recognize it again when unlocking the device. Just hold your device in front of your face to unlock, or use a backup PIN or pattern.

How to Upgrade

Beginning today, customers can download the update via Wi-Fi by visiting http://www.att.com/vividupdate. If Wi-Fi is not available, you can download the software upgrade to a PC and install it via sideload. On March 23, HTC Vivid customers who have not downloaded the upgrade will begin receiving an SMS notification of upgrade availability.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

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