G4Games » Gadgets » HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich: Who Needs HTC Anyway ? (Android 4 ICS)

HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich: Who Needs HTC Anyway ? (Android 4 ICS)

by Catalin on August 18, 2012


One of the biggest issues that still plagues Android is related to updates and the amount of time it takes from when Google actually launches a new OS version on the Nexus devices until it reaches the other gadgets out there. This is simply because of the sheer number of manufacturers pushing out devices almost on a monthly basis, while at the same time having these devices spread out across a huge array of networks/carriers. The HTC Desire HD seems to be one of those victims that will not taste Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich. Officially!

HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4 ICS)

Thanks to the fine folks over at XDA Developers, we now have a ROM that was built from the ICS update for the HTC Incredible S. They took the Android 4.0.4 update and after some alterations it’s now ready to run on your HTC Desire HD as well. To give it an extra sound of bad-ass, the ROM is called Blackout ICS Incredible and will bring your HTC Desire HD up to date.

We first heard about the Desire HD receiving Android 4 ICS back in February, but since then its situation went from bad to worse. The HTC Desire HD seemed to be experiencing some problems with the update, HTC announcing delays, initially. After a few days we had the official word and the Android 4 ICS update for the HTC Desire HD got dumped altogether.

HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich: Who Needs HTC Anyway ? (Android 4 ICS)

HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich: Who Needs HTC Anyway ? (Android 4 ICS)


This update (actually it’s a ROM but you get the point) however, will not succumb to any such issues. If you are somewhat knowledgeable with your device, then the Android 4 ICS update for the Desire HD can quickly be flashed using the steps described in the official BlackOut ICS Incredible thread on XDA Developers. There are always risks, but officially, the Desire HD will not get Android 4.0.

The update will bring Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich to your device along with HTC’s Sense UI 3.6. Not only that, but thanks to some modifications brought to the kernel, you can even overclock your Desire HD, just to squeeze that extra bit of power. Let us know if you flashed it and how it worked out for you!

Thanks XDA for letting us know about the unofficial HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich ROM.

Tagged as: htc desire hd, htc desire hd android 4, htc desire hd blackout, htc desire hd ice cream sandwich, htc desire hd ics

  • HC Montgomery

    I wish the Ice Cream Sandwhich had never gone beyond the “conceptual” stage! I don’t know what it was doing to the Desire HD, but I can tell you exactly what it has done to My Evo 3D. None of it is good! The Ice Cream Sandwhich “upgrade” has basically turned my absolutely perfect phone, the phone that I adored and that I’d never had a bit of trouble with, into a wall mounted princess style phone from the ’80s. Not even that good, since I can’t even receive incoming calls.

    Since I accidentally installed ICS, my clock and weather apps have disappeared. I have to actively go into apps and search for them. And they will not retransfer back onto the start page of my phone. The 3D camera and video camera, the main reason I purchased the phone, have two buttons each for them on the start page, but none of the buttons work and lead to black screens. Worst of all, I can’t even use my phone as a mobile device or keep it on for longer than a brief phone call because my “device” now drains more power than my charger can provided. Suggested fix along with that message is to shut off all apps, completely power down the phone and leave it off while it remains on the charger. But the second I power the phone up, I get the same message and my phone is out of battery in less than half an hour!

    HTC and Sprint customer service have range between telling me to just get used to all of this to telling me that they can’t and won’t do anything about the fact that this so called “upgrade” (that I didn’t want and would not have applied to my phone had a message accompanied it saying it would change the appearance and “functionality” of my phone) has not only not improved a single thing, but actually caused damage. They very politely tell me that they don’t care and I’d better deal with it and keep paying my bill at the same time even if I don’t have a phone that I can use with their service.

    The very worst of all this… Two Sprint employess did try to make things right for me. Those to employees were brought up on disiplinary action for trying to see that the customer was satisfied and for working with me instead of ignoring my concerns.

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