User Rating4.00/5According to an announcement by T-Mobile’s Product Development and Public Relations departments, a message approved by Google sent via email to Will (T-Mobile Forums Administrator), the Cupcake update will not be released to the general public and T-Mobile will keep us posted when software updates will be released. Below is an excerpt of the email:
According to the Android team, “Cupcake,” which is the code name for an Android software build, is still a work in progress that is considered to be a development branch and not for general availability.
We will update you as T-Mobile G1 software updates are made available to T-Mobile customers.
For those who aren’t familiar with the “Cupcake” Update… it’s a branch of software updates and improvements for the Android operating system that were merged into the main operating system build. The Android community much anticipated these updates because it included some of the following:
What are your thoughts on this announcement? Comment Below
[Source: Official T-Mobile Forums]
[...] getting the Cupcake update — at least not anytime soon. An email sent out to customers today, obtained by the blog Android Tapp, reads as follows: According to the Android team, “Cupcake,” which is the code name for an [...]
[...] Product Development department claims that the Cupcake update will not be released to the general public at this time. According to the [...]
[...] Support Forums via AndroidTapp] | | | | | [...]
[...] [via AndroidTapp] [...]
[...] iPhone for some time, G1 owners are finally able to receive it. The update is not the sought-after Android Cupcake update many people want, but said to [...]
Read recent Android App Reviews, Apps Blog posts and Announcements.
Browse Android Apps by Category.
Not interested in the new stuff? It's cool, browse the Reviews by previous months.
This “statement” has no substance as the OTA update would come from T-Mobile itself.
Its not a linear process where Google/OHA completes a version of Android and then its mirrored off to the providers, rather its a trough that the other OHA members can “cherry pick” what they want for their own updates.
I am a big fan of Mr. Martin, but in this case, I believe he is incorrect.
In the abstract, what he is saying is technically possible: HTC has access to the Android source code (as do we all) and could “cherry pick” stuff to package in updates as they see fit.
From a practical software development standpoint, HTC would have to be fairly desperate to do that rather than wait for milestone releases. Teasing out *just* the changes to support, say, video recording would be a nightmare even with a static code base. Considering cupcake is a moving target, still under development, trying to get a stable set of files that implement worthwhile functionality, are adequately tested, and won’t cause compatibility problems for future releases…well, I sure wouldn’t want to do it.
But, hey, that’s just me.
So I’m confused. Is it not coming at all? Or just still under development?
@Patuxent My opinion of the info and reading the Roadmap website is that is will eventually be released. Maybe just not as soon as we hoped.
This is just software being made for future cell phones with Android.
That is really dissapointing if it is true.
sooo.. when does the patch arrive that deals with the horrid battery time I keep hearing about?
Love to buy one, if it lasts longer than 4 hours..
It’s not cupcake as you know it. Basic bug fixes and not much added functionality.
Some more interesting features not mentioned before when you manually install Cupcake to a G1 – http://www.googleandblog.com/google-android-cupcake-ingredients/3650
,Michael Martin
Google And Blog
Yikes. Simple English comprehension skills out the window.
“still a work in progress that is considered to be a development branch and not for general availability” DOES NOT EQUAL “will not be released to the general public”.
The message from T-Mobile was sent in response to an inquiry on the rumors that Cupcake would be sent OTA in January. Since we’re nearing the end of January, people are wondering where it is. T-Mobile is simply saying that it’s still under development, still a development branch, and that it is not ready to be distributed to the public yet. NOT that it won’t be released at all.
Software companies build development branches with new features so they can get it all tip-top before shipping to the customer. We don’t give out our development branches — they’re for internal consumption and testing only. Once they’re ready and GA quality, they get distributed to customers. Simple. Because it’s a “development branch” and isn’t ready for prime time does NOT mean that it never will be.
Yeesh.
Will the update include the flash player 10, or will the g1 not have this feature.
Well, Michael Martin has been wrong many times in the past so I’m going to have to side with whoever wrote this article instead.
I would defer to Mark Murphy’s knowledge of the matter, although the way T-Mobile has handled updates in the past led me to my logic and understanding.
@ Jon Boy,
If by stating I have been wrong many times as a reference to the OTA update dates, yes, as it being a direct result of dysfunctional information I was provided from within T-Mobile….publicly T-Mobile hasnt been much better on the communication front.
I also do put out my opinions, of which being the general nature of opinions I will be wrong on some, but saying Carte Blanche I will be wrong on all as a result of the above isnt the most logical.
In the end it spurs conversation and at the bare minimum on the Cupcake front its cattleprodding T-Mobile to get some cupcake crumbs to its customers.
To which it will benefit all of us G1 owners.
,Michael Martin
http://www.googleandblog.com/
I really want to do this…
1st
WAHAHAHAHA
I’m sorry I have been taught that is what you are supposed to write if you have an opinion about what you are reading, viewing, downloading, or getting FOR FREE.
I hope that everyone out there who has posted the above 1st comment in the marketplace finds this post on your website!
I still feel bad for all the developers who have spent countless hours writing code for the awesome apps we do have as G1 owners!
Cheers to all their hard work!
Thank you for spending the time buildling this website too it’s awesome!
*RBM TeamXI*
i just recieved an update today (february 5, 2009) but i don’t see much of difference. It was the update itself that made me go on the t-mobile forum for g1 to see what it was about. i don’t know if this was the cupcake update or not. i just found out today what the cupcake update was. Can anybody else contact me if they what the update was about? (sbatth350@yahoo.com)
@virinderpal The Cupcake update was one of the more rumored and anticipated Android updates as it included the feature I mentioned above plus more. The update you received today was apart of this “T-Mobile Releases Android Firmware Update with Google“, in which T-Mobile is releasing to its customer from 2/5/2009 thru 2/15/2009. Like you mentioned, there were minor fixes, most notably the Google Voice Search app which allows you to search with your voice.
The RC33 features are detailed at http://forums.t-mobile.com/tmbl/board/message?board.id=87&thread.id=30897
Saving pics from Text Messages is a Cupcake feature that made it in.
,Michael Martin
http://www.googleandblog.com/