Samsung Galaxy S2 ICS update rolling out from today
O2 breaks ranks and confirms it'll push ICS to S2 users by the end of March.
Today is D-day for Samsung Galaxy S2 users who bought their devices SIM-free, because Samsung is finally firing out the official update from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich.
If you paid your subs to a mobile operator to get your hands on the S2's shiny slice of Droidy goodness, however, you're going to have to wait a bit longer. Network operators don't push updates out just because the mobile maker has released it. Oh no. They like to walk around the update, kicking its tyres, poking its wing-mirrors and generally sucking their teeth and saying, "Ooooh, it's going to take a while to fix this."
Firstly, the networks are in no hurry to upgrade an existing phone because they'd prefer you shell out fresh cash and lock yourself into a new contract by buying a new device. But they also have to check that the new software plays nicely with any bloatware additions they've made to it.
Samsung has confirmed in a statement that the official ICS update has started rolling out to these shores today -- reiterating that S2 users should be patient: "Samsung UK can confirm that the roll out of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) on Galaxy S II will be available from week commencing 19 March, however the availability of software upgrades in the UK will be dependent upon each network's own software approvals process."
So when exactly is each network upgrading your S2 to ICS? Bookmark this article, which we'll be updating with dates once the operators provide them.
We've rung round and currently none of the operators have provided us with a date for the ICS update -- with the exception of O2 UK, which told us in a statement the update is "expected to be at the end of March".
T-Mobile didn't provide a date, but said in a statement: "We're working to make our build available as close to Samsung's release date as possible."
And a spokesman for Three said the operator should be pushing out an update "in line with the market launch for it".
Vodafone had not responded to a request for information at the time of writing.
Are you sick and tired of waiting for ICS on the S2? Share your thoughts in the comments or over on our Facebook page. In the meantime, find out what to look forward to in our comparison video.
