14 DAY TRIAL // Mobile phone carrier Verizon Wireless and handset vendor Motorola have just started to roll-out a new software solution for one of the nicest devices in Big Red's lineup, the DROID by Motorola. This update is nothing else than the Android 2.2 Froyo upgrade that many have been expecting ever since Google announced it officially, though it seems that some of the most appealing features it was supposed to deliver are actually missing from the official package.
Among these features, Verizon Wireless counts the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot, a feature already popular among users as the 3G mobile hotspot feature. Moreover, it seems that tethering won't be present in the update either, although Android 2.2 Froyo comes with native support for both features. Although there might have been some DROID owners looking forward to enjoy these features on their devices, the handset won't offer them after the update.
The explanation for this seems to be a simple one. According to the wireless carrier, DROID by Motorola does not come with hardware support for the feature. “The Droid by Motorola doesn't have [the] hardware to support a Mobile Hotspot. With tethering there is no Connection on the PC side that will allow you to tether the device so the answer is that option isn't part of this update,” is what Verizon Wireless spokesperson Brenda Raney said on the matter, a recent article on Phone Scoop states.
According to the news site, Verizon's spokesperson also detailed the manner in which the Android 2.2 software update would be delivered to DROID by Motorola owners out there. The carrier plans on pushing it only to a small number of users in the beginning, so as to see whether it all goes as it should or not, and then it would start the general roll-out of the update, which would be made in phases. Users should benefit from as wide range of enhancements and improvements with the new solution, all of which are detailed on the carrier's website here (PDF link).