Android Ice Cream Sandwich Finally Set To Arrive On HTC Thunderbolt

Those who went on to purchase a HTC Thunderbolt a couple of years ago finally have some good news to look forward to.

Per reports, the previously released HTC Thunderbolt, which launched as Verizon's first LTE smartphone nearly two years ago, is finally set to receive the highly anticipated Android Ice Cream Sandwich update.

The support page from Verizon states that the update is "coming soon" and there is still to solid release date as to when the OTA will start rolling out to all the owners of the Thunderbolt. However, the good news is here is that the update is actually real, and that it will definitely arrive soon.

"We didn't think it was possible. We thought it was abandoned, left on the side of the road where no one would ever find it. Yet here, through the fog, a light comes shining through: Verizon is actually releasing Ice Cream Sandwich for the HTC Thunderbolt," an Android Police report stated. "Assuming that users haven't already thrown theirs into a lake by now."

Nonetheless, Verizon has confirmed that a new software update, version 7.02.605.06 710RD with basebands 8K:2.02.00.1117r and 9K:0.02.02.1211r, is set to arrive for the HTC-made Thunderbolt. "This update includes an upgrade to the Android Operating System 4.04 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and HTC Sense 3.6."

In addition to bumping up the hardware of the device with increased stability and the features everybody has come to expect with Ice Cream Sandwich, the upgrade also removes the Verizon, BlockBuster, Rhapsody, and Mobile IM apps from the smartphone.

The features set to arrive with the Ice Cream Sandwich OS include the improved home screen that will have a customizable launch bar. Apart from this, there will also be lock screen notifications, face unlock, the usage center to monitor the data usage with the option to set warning levels and turn off the data completely, folder creation, and recent apps.

Additional updates to the new software upgrade include the addition of the Verizon Remote Diagnostics, which is a kind of a new customer care solution to improve customer service experience, and enhanced device stability with decreased device resets.

The last major update about this new upgrade came in August last year when HTC confirmed, after missing the August deadline, that Verizon was aware that it missed the deadline and it was still working to bring the OS to Thunderbolt.