A handful of Verizon Android smartphones appear to have their end-of-life dates hung over their heads. Phones that already have shuffled off this mortal coil are the HTC Droid Eris (June 16) and original Droid (August 6).
And a handful of phones -- the Droid Incredible, LG Ally, Droid 2 and Droid X -- apparently are slated for EOL on March 31, 2011. (Edit: Yes, 2011, not 2010.) That's give the Droid Deuce a mere seven-month lifespan, which isn't out of the question, given that the original Droid isn't even a year old yet.
Then there's the Motorola Devour, whose EOL date is listed as March 1, 2011. Only, we've already seen it listed as being under EOL, and we'd be very surprised if that March date is correct. So what does that mean? Who knows. And who knows how firm these March 2011 dates are. And either way, it's not like your phone will stop working come next spring. [Phonedog]
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39 Comments
In the title (and all throughout the article), you mean 2011 :)
Holy time machine batman!!
I never understand why AC authors don't hang around after they post because every typo will get caught in 3 seconds flat. Yet they won't fix it for hours. - Ok, so not hours. Good on ya Phil.
Sucks the Incredible is on that list. Its a sweet phone.
Geez, thanks for pointing that out. I was going to say, that's way too early for such new phones (Droid X and Droid 2) to be pushed aside.
I hope its LTE, but the only thing thats scaring me is that they all end on the same date. I hate to mention it-who-must-not-be-named. but i really hope its not the iphone on verizon. all those crazy people will go crazy. and i really hope that if it is, android will still stand strong, but people are crazy for that stupid iphone.
You notice all current phones (BB and Android) will be out by 3/31/11. Could this be the approx release of LTE 4G phones? The only reason I'm not replacing my Original Droid cause I'm waiting for LTE.
I am with Sprint, but what you said would be my guess as well.
I think that might be when they start releasing in full force New Android phones with the LTE.
Well... incredible is on there (unfortunate) but at least the X is on there too... dont feel so bad now.
I'm guessing you caught the wife playing with her X in bed one night instead of you.
It makes sense. Look how fast these devices are being released.
Oh, and you mean 'spring' not 'sprint' in the end. Sorry Phil :)
"come next sprint."
I'll stick with Verizon.
With the rapid development of new phones its not surprising that these phones aren't having a very long life span. As fickle as we the consumer are on the android platform they have probably noticed the increase in sales of phones at full price. I guess we are just willing to spend the money on the newest and best phone every 6 months and they are just making sure that we have new phones to buy.
I got my Droid last November with a 2 year program and yet the End of Life happens after 7 months or even 18 months with Froyo. I can't upgrade my phone without a penalty on the price. So what does End of Life mean?
End of Life, or EOL, means the phone is no longer being sold. It doesn't mean won't be supported(unless you're talking about the Devour. Not even a 2.1 upgrade).
So don't fear...your Droid is still being supported. Or, you could always root and keep up with everyone that way :)
That's what I figured. It listed the original Droid as being already EOL, yet they just shipped 2.2 for it and then another update to 2.2. As long as I can get Gingerbread on my Droid 2 I think I'll be happy, and now that the Droid 2 can be rooted I think that I'm set.
Awesome article to read ON THE DAY I get my Droid X. But hey all good things come to an end.
Phil you take that nap and did he really sell all his incredibles?
The day my X gets EOL is the day I decide to get rid of it.
I had a feeling I'd see an article like this today seeing as how I just ordered my Droid 2 this morning! oh well, can't keep holding out for the next great thing.
What does "end of life" mean for rooted users like myself? Will devs be able to make ROMs of future releases for me? Or will they abandon my Since, like Verizon?
Yeah. Will wait to see if My X gets gingerbread. If it does then I will wait a while to upgrade if not....March seems like a feasable timeline for that considering the nexus is supposed to get it thus fall or early winter. These phones are probably being phased out with lte capable replacements. Generally not upset
fine with me, i could upgrade from the X in march or july. there will be a good lte devices out by then :)
I can upgrade anywhere from January but can't see myself getting a new phone at least until LTE covers most/all of where I go.
Plus. We knew the job was dangerous when we took it. Lol. Plus. Why would anyone want to ditch Android for the idouchey? I mean its only adequate.
LTE.......nationwide by then, 916 should be early 2011 at the latest maybe even late 2010 from what I've heard....... can't wait for LTE WiFi hotspot ..... ill be on xbox live with out weakass Comcast!!!!
Can I be your proofreader, Phil? :-)
Does this mean that is really the end of the X? Why would they announce that when the phone is so hot you have to wait 3 weeks to get it?
I would like to say the environment over hear is great. I tryed to do my BB friends a favor and inform them of the BB's on the list and let's just say everyone hear has convensed me my switch to Android is the right one. Thank you
I guess this means that we'll hold out for updates from VZW, and then there's always root for further mods. As awesome as my Incredible is, it's bound to be superseded by then with newer tech. But this phone is nice enough that I don't think I'll be pressed to get a new one right when it comes out after this eol. Then again, we'll see...:-D
Kind of comical that the Droid X and Droid 2 which have JUST hit the market are already slated for the chopping block. When I went into the VZW store the other day with my OG Droid to get a 32gB SD card, the sales lady referred to it as "That old phone". I just had to laugh at her. Think I will wait for my NE2 contract to be up. By then it will be LTE and front facing cameras. Plus I am rooted so it's all good.
So no one is thinking ALL these phones being EOLed at once isn't due to Gingerbread being mandatory on all new phones as of this date?
Lot more feasible than LTE being on that many handsets at once.
Sounds more like a placeholder date.
Give me Gingerbread and and a way to unlock the BootLoader for some custom roms and a lil overclock... my X will last for sure.
I'm waiting for the X2 with LTE.
Does this mean that they will not be making the Droid X 2.1 Anymore after that date? They will just make the 2.2?
So Verizon the shelf life is less then a year for the Droid X but they make you sign a two year contract. Verizon needs to change that policy.
10 month life span on the LG Ally - not bad esp since it just got Froyo today ;} (from LG site using their Updater Tool).