By JR Raphael
After months of warming in the oven, Google's Android 2.3 operating system -- better known as Android Gingerbread -- is finally starting to make its way to handsets around the world.
Android 2.3 provides faster speed, better battery life, and a refreshed user interface. It also introduces a new and improved keyboard with a more intelligent cut-and-paste system.
But how do you know if your phone will get the upgrade -- and if so, when? I've made it easy. This list has everything there is to know about the Gingerbread upgrade, broken down by device. It'll be updated regularly as new info becomes available, so you can always check in to get the latest info on your phone's status.
Want a more detailed look at Android 2.3 and what it'll do for your phone? Click over to my Android Gingerbread FAQ. And when you're ready for a real eye-opener, be sure to check out my in-depth report: Android upgrades: Which manufacturers can you trust?
UPDATE: Looking for info on Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich? Head over to my new Android 4.0 upgrade list for the latest on that release.
[Page last updated: September 28, 2012]
Android 2.3 Upgrade List: Phones That Have Received (or Are Receiving) Gingerbread
• Casio G'zOne Commando [UPDATED 10/9/11]: Verizon started rolling out Gingerbread to its Casio G'zOne Commando in early October 2011. The update is being sent in waves and may take a few weeks to reach all users.
• HTC Desire [UPDATED 8/1/11]: After doing some serious flip-flopping on its upgrade plans for the HTC Desire, HTC finally released a version of Android 2.3 for the phone on August 1, 2011. Well, sort of. The upgrade comes with some major caveats: HTC says the upgrade is recommended only "for expert users who want to experience Android 2.3 and understand the limitations which apply" -- namely that several HTC-added applications and customizations have been removed in order to reduce the software's footprint. HTC goes on to state that the upgrade is "for development only and not for general public use" and that "certain functions may no longer be usable" after installation, "including but not limited to MMS and SMS." Finally, HTC says it "disclaims liability for any unusable functions" as well as for the "loss and/or leakage of any personal data resulting from the" upgrade. Yeesh. If you still want to take the plunge, you can find the download at developer.htc.com -- unless you have a Desire phone in Germany, North America, South Korea, or Japan; HTC says the upgrade is not compatible at all with those devices.
• HTC Desire HD [UPDATED 7/5/11]: HTC announced the start of the Gingerbread rollout for its European Desire HD phone on May 4, 2011, fulfilling its promise for a second-quarter release. HTC began pushing the update to users with unlocked Desire HD devices on May 16. In late June, the software became available as a manual download for Desire HD users on Telus. The same month, Gingerbread was made available for Desire HD users on Orange and Three.
• HTC Desire Z [UPDATED 8/1/11]: According to numerous user reports, HTC started sending Gingerbread out to unbranded, non-network-bound Desire Z phones in Europe in mid-July 2011. Vodafone also started rolling out the upgrade to its users on July 14. HTC has reportedly said it expects all Desire Z handsets to have Gingerbread by the end of July.
• HTC Droid Incredible [UPDATED 11/15/11]: Verizon started sending the Android 2.3 upgrade to its original Droid Incredible phone in early September 2011. Shortly thereafter, though, Verizon suspended the rollout due to a voicemail notification error being experienced by some users. On November 15, Verizon started pushing a new version of Gingerbread to the Incredible; if past upgrades are any indication, it should reach all users within a matter of days.
• HTC Droid Incredible 2 [UPDATED 7/29/11]: Verizon started rolling out the Android 2.3 upgrade to a limited number of Droid Incredible 2 users on July 11, 2011 and began a widespread rollout soon thereafter. The rollout is being sent in waves, so it may take some time to reach all users. You can find more info at Verizon's official Droid Incredible 2 Software Update page.
• HTC EVO 4G [UPDATED 6/3/11]: Sprint released Gingerbread for the EVO 4G on June 3. The upgrade can be manually downloaded via the phone's settings menu; Sprint started pushing it out to users in waves on June 6.
• HTC EVO Shift 4G [UPDATED 6/16/11]: Sprint made the Android 2.3 upgrade available for its HTC EVO Shift 4G phone on Thursday, June 16. You can manually retrieve the software by selecting the "HTC Software Update" in the "System Updates" section of your phone's settings menu. If you don't want to start the download yourself, Sprint is also pushing the upgrade out over-the-air to users as of Monday, June 20.
• HTC G2 [UPDATED 7/27/11]: T-Mobile announced the start of the Gingerbread rollout for its HTC G2 phone on July 27. The update will be sent in waves, meaning only a subset of users will get it each day and it may take several weeks to reach everyone. HTC had originally said the phone would receive the upgrade sometime within the second quarter of the year.
• HTC Incredible S [UPDATED 7/26/11]: In late April, HTC made the Android 2.3 upgrade available to Incredible S in Italy. In early May, the company announced a wider rollout for customers across Europe. HTC began pushing the update out to users with unlocked Incredible S devices, meanwhile, on May 16, and Bell Canada reportedly started serving up Gingerbread to its Incredible S users in late July.
• HTC Inspire 4G [UPDATED 8/8/11]: HTC made the Android 2.3 upgrade available for the HTC Inspire 4G on August 8, 2011. The upgrade will be sent over-the-air to users in waves; if you don't want to wait, you can try checking for the update manually (look for the "HTC Wi-Fi Software Update" option in the "AT&T Software Update" section of your phone's main settings menu). You can also download and apply the software via your PC by visiting HTC's AT&T Inspire Downloads page.
• HTC Merge [UPDATED 9/14/11]: U.S. Cellular released the Android 2.3 upgrade for its HTC Merge phone in mid-September 2011. The upgrade must be installed manually from U.S. Cellular's website; see the "HTC Merge" section on the carrier's Android Downloads page for details.
• HTC MyTouch 4G [UPDATED 7/29/11]: On July 19, T-Mobile and HTC announced the start of a Gingerbread rollout to a "limited pilot" group of MyTouch 4G users. That initial limited rollout began on July 20. According to T-Mobile, the full MyTouch 4G Android 2.3 upgrade will start "in the coming weeks and will continue through the end of the year." Starting August 5, users will also have the option of going into a T-Mobile retail store to have their phones manually upgraded.
• HTC Nexus One [UPDATED 7/5/11]: After a longer-than-expected delay -- from users' perspectives, at least -- Google started sending the Android 2.3 upgrade to its Nexus One flagship phone on February 22, 2011. In early July 2011, meanwhile, Vodafone made the software available to Nexus One owners using its network.
• HTC Thunderbolt [UPDATED 10/31/11]: HTC and Verizon made the Android 2.3 upgrade available for the HTC Thunderbolt on the night of September 27, 2011. Soon thereafter, however, the companies suspended the update due to a voicemail glitch that was reported by some users. The update resumed in late October and is now being sent out to users in waves.
• Kyocera Echo [UPDATED 8/14/11]: Sprint started rolling out the Android 2.3 upgrade to its Kyocera Echo phone on August 1. Following some reports of bricked phones resulting from the upgrade, however, the carrier suspended its efforts soon thereafter. On August 10, Sprint resumed the upgrade, saying it had "addressed" the issues and expected to have fully functioning software delivered to all Echo users within a few weeks.
• LG G2x [UPDATED 7/26/11]: T-Mobile announced the rollout of Android 2.3 for its LG G2x phone on Tuesday, July 26. The upgrade is being sent over-the-air, meaning it may take a few weeks to reach all users. The news comes just days after users at the XDA Developers forum noticed that a version of Gingerbread could be downloaded to the phone through LG's mobile software update tool. At the time, T-Mobile said the upgrade was not yet ready for public release and advised users against accepting the manual download.
• LG Optimus 2X [UPDATED 11/29/11]: LG announced the launch of Gingerbread for its Optimus 2X in late October, a full three months after its American cousin, the LG G2x, received the upgrade. The Optimus 2X Gingerbread upgrade rolled out to unlocked handsets across Europe starting November 1, according to LG's Facebook page, with exact timing varying by market "because of the different requirements in each country with respect to domestic operators and models." On November 29, LG announced the start of the rollout for its U.K.-based Optimus 2X handsets.
• LG Optimus 3D [UPDATED 11/22/11]: LG started sending the Android 2.3 upgrade to its Optimus 3D phones on the week of November 21, 2011. Unlocked models in Europe are said to be first in line for the upgrade; you can wait for the over-the-air notification or check the LG updater utility now to see if your update is ready.
• LG Optimus Black [UPDATED 1/25/12]: LG's Optimus Black was originally set to get its taste of Gingerbread on the week of November 28. After some delay, LG made the upgrade available for the phone in January 2012.
• LG Optimus One [UPDATED 4/2/12]: LG has confirmed that all of its Optimus One phones will receive the Android 2.3 upgrade. This includes the Optimus S on Sprint, the Optimus T on T-Mobile, and the LG Vortex on Verizon, as well as the Optimus C on Cricket Wireless, the Optimus M on MetroPCS, the Optimus U on U.S. Cellular, and the Optimus V on Virgin Mobile. Some specifics:
• In early July 2011, LG announced it was pushing the upgrade to Optimus One users in Romania and Russia.
• On September 14, 2011, Sprint announced it was beginning the Android 2.3 rollout for its Optimus S phone. Shortly thereafter, however, the carrier suspended the update due to problems reported by users. After a six-month delay, Sprint announced it was resuming the rollout in April of 2012. The carrier says the upgrade will be sent to users over-the-air beginning April 4. The rollout will take place in waves, with a subset of phones receiving the software each day. Sprint says all Optimus S users should have the upgrade within three weeks.
• In early October, Optimus One P500 users in India reported receiving Gingerbread on their devices.
• LG Phoenix [UPDATED 2/21/12]: LG and AT&T released Android 2.3 for the LG Phoenix in mid-February 2012. The upgrade is available only as a manual download via LG's PC-based update utility; you can find full instructions on LG's website.
• LG Revolution [UPDATED 10/31/11]: In late October, Verizon Wireless posted details about a Gingerbread upgrade for the LG Revolution on the phone's official Software Update Web page. The software officially began pushing out to the phone soon thereafter.
• LG Thrill 4G [UPDATED 3/22/12]: In late March 2012, AT&T and LG finally made the Android 2.3 upgrade available to the LG Thrill 4G. The upgrade has to be downloaded and installed manually using LG's PC-based utility.
• Meizu M9 [UPDATED 5/3/11]: China's Meizu M9 received the Android 2.3 upgrade in early May 2011.
• Motorola Atrix [UPDATED 11/27/11]: Motorola made the Android 2.3 upgrade available to AT&T Atrix users late on Friday, July 22, 2011. The upgrade was sent over-the-air and is also available as a manual download through Motorola's website. The upgrade reached Atrix devices in Korea in mid-August, meanwhile, and in Canada in late August. In the U.K., both unlocked and Orange-connected handsets received Gingerbread in late November. The upgrade is expected to become available to Atrix users on T-Mobile in the U.K. by early December.
• Motorola Cliq 2 [UPDATED 5/7/12]: In May of 2012, Motorola finally released the Android 2.3 upgrade for its Motorola Cliq 2 phone. The upgrade is available only as a manual download; you can find the file and full instructions on Motorola's software upgrade page.
• Motorola Droid 2 [UPDATED 9/1/11]: Motorola released the Android 2.3 upgrade for the Motorola Droid 2 on September 1, 2011. The upgrade is being sent out to users in waves; you should also be able to manually start the download by going to the "System Updates" section under "About Phone" in your main settings menu.
• Motorola Droid 2 Global [UPDATED 10/21/11]: Motorola announced the start of the Droid 2 Global's Android 2.3 rollout on September 6, but ended up temporarily suspending the process just two days later because of an issue with Microsoft Exchange encryption. As of mid-October, the update appears to have resumed; like most over-the-air updates, it will likely be sent out in waves, meaning it may take several weeks to reach all users.
• Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 Edition [UPDATED 9/13/11]: Verizon's special edition R2-D2 Motorola Droid 2 phone started receiving its Android 2.3 upgrade on September 13, according to numerous user reports. The upgrade appears to be being sent out in waves, meaning it may take a few weeks to reach all devices.
• Motorola Droid Pro [UPDATED 10/12/11]: Multiple Droid Pro users have reported receiving the Android 2.3 upgrade on their devices as of Tuesday, October 11, 2011. Verizon, meanwhile, has updated its Droid Pro Software Update page with information about the upgrade. While most rollouts typically are done in waves, taking a few weeks to reach all users, Verizon's website says Droid Pro owners can manually pull the upgrade by going into the "System Updates" section of the "About Phone" menu in the phone's main settings. Previously, Motorola said the Droid Pro's Gingerbread upgrade would arrive "before the end of the third quarter or sooner."
• Motorola Droid X [UPDATED 5/27/11]: Verizon Wireless started sending Android 2.3 to the Droid X on Friday, May 27. If you haven't received it, you can now manually download the upgrade. You can find full details here as well as at Verizon's Droid X update page.
• Motorola Droid X2 [UPDATED 7/29/11]: Verizon Wireless started pushing Android 2.3 to the Droid X2 on Friday, July 29. The upgrade is being sent out in waves, meaning a subset of users will get it each day; as such, it may take a few weeks for the rollout to reach everyone. You can get more info at Verizon's official Droid X2 Software Update page.
• Motorola Milestone 2 [UPDATED 11/30/11]: The non-American Motorola Milestone 2 handset started receiving Android 2.3 starting in late November 2011. The rollout happened in waves, meaning it took several days to reach all users.
• Motorola Milestone X [UPDATED 11/30/11]: Regional carrier Cellcom started pushing the Android 2.3 upgrade to its Milestone X phone on November 30, 2011. The upgrade is being sent over-the-air to all users; you can manually start the process by selecting the "System Updates" option in the "About Phone" section of your device's settings.
• Motorola XPRT [UPDATED 9/28/12]: Sprint and Motorola released Android 2.3 for the Motorola XPRT phone on September 28, 2012 (yes, seriously). You can find upgrade instructions on Sprint's website.
• Pantech Crossover [UPDATED 4/9/12]: In early April 2012, Pantech released the Android 2.3 upgrade for its AT&T-based Pantech Crossover phone. The software is available as a manual download; you can find full instructions on Pantech's Crossover upgrade page.
• Samsung Droid Charge [UPDATED 11/30/11]: Verizon started rolling out the Android 2.3 upgrade to its Droid Charge on Wednesday, November 30, 2011. Like most upgrades, the software is being sent in waves, meaning it may take a few weeks to reach everyone. You may be able to manually start the upgrade, though: Head into the "About Phone" section of your phone's main settings menu to see if it's available.
• Samsung Galaxy Ace [UPDATED 7/29/11]: British carrier Three announced the availability of Android 2.3 for its Samsung Galaxy Ace phone on July 28. The upgrade can be manually downloaded and installed through the Samsung Kies program.
• Samsung Galaxy Prevail [UPDATED 11/15/11]: On the week of November 14, 2011, numerous Boost Mobile users reported receiving the Android 2.3 upgrade on their Samsung Galaxy Prevail smartphones. The software is being sent over the air.
• Samsung Galaxy S [UPDATED 1/10/12]: Samsung is slowly delivering Android 2.3 upgrades to its various Galaxy S phones around the world. Some specifics:
• Samsung started rolling out Gingerbread to Galaxy S phones in parts of Europe, including Germany and Holland, on the weekend of April 16, 2011.
• On April 18, Vodafone in the U.K. made the Android 2.3 upgrade available to its Galaxy S users, as noted in a posting on one of the company's forums.
• On May 16, Samsung announced that Gingerbread would hit remaining Galaxy S phones in "the U.K. and Nordic countries" starting in mid-May and would then be "gradually rolled out to other European markets, North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, Africa and rest of the world according to the regional plan." (Thus far, no elaboration has been provided on that "regional plan.")
• T-Mobile U.K. announced availability of Gingerbread for its Galaxy S phone on July 13, 2011.
• In Canada, Bell and Virgin Mobile released the upgrade to their Galaxy S users on August 10; Telus released the upgrade for its Galaxy S Fascinate phone on August 19; and Rogers released the upgrade for its Samsung Captivate device on September 25. All of the upgrades must be applied manually using Samsung's desktop-based Kies software.
• Samsung and U.S. Cellular released Android 2.3 for the Samsung Mesmerize on August 30. The upgrade is available as a manual download; you can find instructions on Samsung's website.
• C Spire (formerly known as Cellular South) made Android 2.3 available for its Galaxy S phone in late October 2011. The upgrade has to be downloaded manually using Samsung's Kies application.
• Sprint announced the rollout of Android 2.3 for its Epic 4G Galaxy S phone on November 9, 2011. The upgrade will be sent in waves and will take about 10 days to reach all users; you may be able to force the download to begin immediately by going into the "System Updates" section of your device's "About Phone" settings menu.
• T-Mobile announced availability of Android 2.3 for its Galaxy S 4G phone (not to be confused with the Samsung Vibrant Galaxy S phone) on November 15, 2011. The update will not be sent over-the-air; instead, you can download and apply it manually using Samsung's Kies Mini software. You can find full instructions on T-Mobile's support site.
• Verizon posted information about the Android 2.3 upgrade for its Samsung Fascinate Galaxy S phone in early December, 2011. On December 1, some users reported receiving the update over-the-air to their phones. A software rollout is typically conducted in waves, meaning it can take a few weeks to finish and reach all users; you can always try checking for the update manually by going to the "System Updates" option in the "About Phone" section of your phone's settings.
• Samsung and AT&T announced the rollout of Android 2.3 for the Samsung Captivate Galaxy S phone on January 10, 2012. The update has to be applied through Samsung's Kies software; you can find instructions here.• No specific details have been released for the Samsung Vibrant on T-Mobile thus far. In general, Samsung's U.S.-based handsets have traditionally been far behind other Galaxy S devices in getting Android upgrades.
• Samsung Galaxy Tab (original 7-inch) [UPDATED 11/2/11]: According to user reports, some owners of original 7-inch Galaxy Tabs in Italy received Gingerbread on their devices in mid-May. In early July, meanwhile, Sprint announced the availability of the Android 2.3 upgrade for Galaxy Tab 7 users on its network, and in late July, the update reached Tab 7 users in the U.K. Finally, in late October, Verizon started pushing out the software to its original Galaxy Tab owners.
• Samsung Infuse 4G [UPDATED 4/9/12]: AT&T finally announced the start of the Android 2.3 upgrade for the Samsung Infuse 4G on February 1, 2012, only to put the upgrade on hold a few days later due to an "issue" that affects "a small number of users." In early April, however, the upgrade was started again. It's available only via a manual download in Samsung's Kies Mini interface; you can find full instructions on Samsung's Infuse 4G upgrade page.
• Samsung Replenish [UPDATED 1/5/11]: Sprint announced the start of an Android 2.3 rollout for its Samsung Replenish phone in early January 2012. Like most Android OS upgrades, the software is being sent over-the-air to users in waves, meaning it may take some time for it to reach all devices. You'll receive a notification on your phone when the upgrade is available to you.
• Sony Xperia Arc [UPDATED 5/26/11]: Sony started rolling out the Android 2.3 upgrade to its European Xperia Arc handset on May 26, 2011. The update is being sent over-the-air to users in waves, starting with those on unbranded handsets; Sony says it could take some time for the software to reach everyone.
• Sony Xperia Play [UPDATED 5/26/11]: Sony started rolling out the Android 2.3 upgrade to its Xperia Play handset on May 26, 2011. Like with the Xperia Arc, the Xperia Play's update is being sent over-the-air to users in waves. Sony says it will start with unbranded handsets and gradually make its way to the various branded editions.
• Sony Xperia X10 [UPDATED 11/10/11]: Sony disappointed countless customers when it said its Xperia X10 line of phones wouldn't be upgraded past Android 2.1 earlier this year. Since then, however, Sony has reconsidered its stance and decided to upgrade the Xperia X10 to Android 2.3. The company announced it was making the upgrade available as a manual download for some users on July 26, then -- amazingly -- changed its mind again (!) and pulled back the upgrade. On July 29, though, Sony said it was ready to roll out the X10's update for real and would be making it available for users over the next week. There's one caveat: Sony says the upgrade will be available only for "generic trade versions" of the phone -- and that carrier-customized versions may or may not be included. "We will have to get back with more information on this at a later stage," Sony has said, "but we want to be very clear already at this stage on the fact that some of you may not get this upgrade." On November 9, U.K. carrier O2 announced that the upgrade would be available for its users via Sony's website in "about a week." Sony notes that Xperia X10 phones will not be upgraded again beyond the Gingerbread level.
Android 2.3 Upgrade List: Phones Expected to Get Gingerbread
• Samsung Galaxy Fit [UPDATED 5/16/11]: Samsung has confirmed its Galaxy Fit phone will receive the Gingerbread upgrade. The company has not, however, given a firm time frame for the rollout.
• Samsung Galaxy Gio [UPDATED 5/16/11]: Samsung has confirmed its Galaxy Gio phone will receive the Gingerbread upgrade. The company has not, however, given a firm time frame for the rollout.
• Samsung Galaxy Mini [UPDATED 5/16/11]: Samsung has confirmed its Galaxy Mini phone will receive the Gingerbread upgrade. The company has not, however, given a firm time frame for the rollout.
• Samsung Galaxy Player: It isn't technically a phone, but Samsung's new Galaxy Player Android device will be upgradeable to Android 2.3, according to a press release put out by the company. No target date has been announced.
Android 2.3 Upgrade List: Phones Where Gingerbread Looks Iffy
• Motorola Backflip: Neither Motorola nor AT&T has said a word about the Backflip even receiving Froyo -- so while there's no official denial of Gingerbread for the device, a 2.3 upgrade certainly doesn't seem like a strong possibility.
• Motorola Cliq: Motorola accidentally announced a Froyo upgrade for the original Cliq last fall, then quickly deleted the apparently typo-caused mention. Since that time, the phone has been stagnant at the 2.1-level on Motorola's corporate upgrade list -- a sign that isn't very encouraging when it comes to the newer 2.3 release.
Android 2.3 Upgrade List: Phones Not Expected To Get Gingerbread
• HTC Droid Eris: Verizon has confirmed that its HTC Droid Eris device will not receive even the Froyo upgrade. The phone is no longer sold by the carrier.
• HTC G1: The T-Mobile G1 was denied Froyo due to hardware limitations, and the same restrictions will keep Gingerbread from officially reaching the device. "Like Froyo, Gingerbread is too large to fit on the G1's system storage," Android team member Dan Morrill explained via Twitter.
• HTC Hero: The Hero got a "no" for Froyo, so it seems safe to say the phone won't be receiving Gingerbread, either.
• Motorola Charm: The Charm will not receive upgrades beyond its current 2.1 level, according to Motorola.
• Motorola Cliq XT: Motorola said Froyo "could not meet the basic performance standards required" while running on its Cliq XT device. As such, the phone is now set to remain at Android 1.5, the company has confirmed.
• Motorola Devour: Motorola says the Devour will remain on Android 1.6.
• Motorola Flipout: The Flipout will not receive upgrades beyond its current 2.1 level, according to Motorola.
• Motorola i1: The Motorola i1 will remain on Android 1.5, Moto says.
• Motorola Milestone XT720: Motorola has said its XT720 tablet phone won't be upgraded beyond its current 2.1 level.
• Samsung Behold II: Samsung has confirmed its Behold II handset won't be upgraded beyond Android 1.6.
• Samsung Moment: Like the HTC Hero, the Moment was given a no-go for Froyo and consequently isn't likely to receive Gingerbread.
• Sony Xperia X10 Mini and Xperia X10 Mini Pro: Though it changed its mind on its upgrade stance for the Xperia X10, Sony says it's sticking to its guns with the X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro; neither device is scheduled to receive the Android 2.3 upgrade. "We have had to prioritize our resources and have therefore focused on delivering the upgrade to Xperia X10," Sony says.
Android 2.3 Upgrade List: The Rest of the Phones
If a phone isn't listed here -- like the original Motorola Droid, for example -- it's likely because there just isn't much clear info available yet about its fate. Odds are, we'll soon be hearing more and more details with each passing week.
So set your bookmarks now: I'll continue updating this page as new information becomes available for any Android device. You can also follow @AndroidPower on Twitter to get notified by tweet when changes are made.
I can promise you one thing: This list will evolve quickly and frequently. Stay tuned.
(Heard something about a phone that isn't yet listed? Drop me a line and let me know.)
RELATED: Android 2.2 upgrade list: Is your phone getting Froyo?
JR Raphael writes about smartphones and other tasty technology. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.
Article copyright 2012 JR Raphael. All rights reserved.