Samsung Galaxy S2 owners on the Orange network will have to wait until next month to get the Android update to Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), the network has said.
A spokeswoman for Orange confirmed the update will be pushed out in April but was unable to be more specific. So if you use the Orange network, your ICS update could be a week and a half away -- or well over a month.
Samsung began pushing out ICS to S2 owners in the UK who bought their device SIM-free at the start of this week. However, the update hasn't reached all users yet because Samsung is rolling it out in stages -- hence the word began in that phrase.
Three is the first network to push out ICS to S2 owners. It said it was issuing the update on Tuesday, although some CNET readers were reporting that they still hadn't got it today.
O2 has said it expects to push out ICS "at the end of March" -- which is also basically an April arrival date.
Meanwhile, T-Mobile and Vodafone haven't specified when its users should expect the ICS stork to deliver some sugary goodness to their S2. T-Mobile did issue a statement though, saying, "we're working to make our build available as close to Samsung's release date as possible". Not hard enough T-Mo, not hard enough.
Are you as sick as a parrot waiting to get your ICS sugar fix? Are you about to go postal and WRITE IN CAPS ALL OVER THE INTERNET? Get it all off your chest in the comments below or indulge in group therapy over on our Facebook page.
And if you're wondering what ICS will bring to your S2, then check out our video comparing a battered old black S2 running Gingerbread, and a fancy new white S2 slathered with ICS.
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Comments 55
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anonymous 22 March, 2012 17:49
That's great....now can anyone tell me when it's supposed to hit the sim free GS2's now that the 19th march date has proven to be false??
anonymous 22 March, 2012 19:05
Still nothing here in Switzerland... Kinda getting sick of this. Already on other countrys' carriers but still nothing in some countries.
anonymous 22 March, 2012 19:33
i'm cancelling my contract with orange. ** them
anonymous 22 March, 2012 19:59
Has anyone on sim-free actually got the update yet? I'm still waiting! Not particularly happy as I bought my phone on release day! So much for a loyal owner!!
anonymous 22 March, 2012 20:17
Update only due the week commencing 19th in UK so any time until sunday :( Still a fantastic phone on Gingerbread though
anonymous 22 March, 2012 20:49
who do you think pays oranges's wages???? certainly not those cheapskates on sim free, who expect to get gold service on a sh...y price....
yes, 'three' may have got it early, but with lots of bloatware to pay for it...
go ahead dowload the hacked one, and get a useless lump of plastic if you are unlucky... :)
anonymous 22 March, 2012 21:04
CNET need to stop spreading rumours that the rollout has started to SIM-free phones. Not a single UK owner of a SIM-free S2 has received the oficial update to ICS through Keis or OTA. CNET would best serve its readership by harassing Samsung and finding out what is going on
anonymous 22 March, 2012 22:17
If Samsung are "beginning" to roll out ICS update to sim free SGS2 starting week beginning Monday 19, this could very easily mean that it will not necessarily be completed by SUnday 25th. Not at all in fact, because although Samsung say the rollout will begin, they DO NOT SPECIFY HOW LONG THE ROLLOUT WILL LAST, so in fact the update could be at ANY TIME in the future...and certainly not definitely by the end of this week as a lot of people are stating.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 00:30
why all the deceipts false infos by samsung and google android to mislead loyal s2 and nexus s customers ?? why the carriers like o2 orange t mobile etc be proactive like 3G UK ? !!
anonymous 23 March, 2012 01:09
It is pathetic to see there is no news on update for unlocked SGS2, Samsung could have atleast released a statement. Do they not care about customers who bought the phone outside a contract of have an unlocked SGS2 from their network provider? What a shameful way to manage such a major update!
anonymous 23 March, 2012 07:03
So by saying "from the 19th...." what Samsung are really saying is 'any point in time between the 19th and then of time' ???
This means by just giving a start date Samsung are now free to just sit back and release the update when or if they ever feel like it.
They did release the 'Galaxy S2 ICS guide' though, maybe that's all they meant in the first place, not the actual update just the guide.
I wouldn't put it past them to get the two things mixed up, After all it is Samsung, its not like we're dealing with professionals here.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 07:29
When is it coming to US AT&T?
anonymous 23 March, 2012 09:17
What this farce basically shows is that all these so-called expert sites like Crave, T3, Techradar, etc. don't actually know they're @rses from their elbows..... They relentlessly churn out the same press release from Samsung without even bothering to check the facts. I'm sick of reading that as an owner of an unlocked S2 I "already have the upgrade" when that statement is based solely on assumptions and guesswork.
Does anyone from Crave actually read these comments? Or are they too busy doing copy / paste from their competitor's sites?
They should use what little influence they have in the tech world to speak up for their customers rather than worrying about upsetting their advertisers......
anonymous 23 March, 2012 09:52
I'm cancelling my contract with Orange as well. It's pathetic that it's taken so long.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 09:54
I don't mind waiting a week or two with my sim-free s2 if it means it will be more reliable. The purpose of rolling out slowly is so you don't get zillions of customers with bricked phones because some app causes problems.
Rich Trenholm 23 March, 2012 10:14
Anonymous at 9:17, I can't speak those other sites (Techwho? Never heard of 'em) but we're simply passing on the details given to us by Samsung, and yes we do read these comments. Frankly you guys have provided us with more useful information than Samsung has and for that we're grateful, so keep telling us what you think!
anonymous 23 March, 2012 10:29
Orange need to allow the uninstallation of their shitty backup tool. I had to debrand my S2 because their shitty app was hammering the hell out of my phone and couldn't be disabled. Bad times, Orange. Stop gimping nerd-phones.
Natasha Lomas 23 March, 2012 10:31
To add to Rich's comments, I am chasing Samsung for answers re: who has and hasn't got the ICS SIM-free update yet -- and will update as soon as they pass on any new info
anonymous 23 March, 2012 10:59
Unlocked Galaxy S2 just upgraded to ICS via Kies, that'll do nicely :)
anonymous 23 March, 2012 11:20
running ics on an orange sgs2 here:D
anonymous 23 March, 2012 11:44
Bullshit. No owner of a SIM-free GS2 has yet received the ICS update over Keis.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 12:09
checked kies this morning for my sim free s2 and still no update...
anonymous 23 March, 2012 12:44
wtf Samsung how comes network providers are giving out the update already but the sim free phone hasn't received it it? WTF!!!!
anonymous 23 March, 2012 13:14
Samsung obviously has deals with each of the networks, it isn't in their interest to encourage people to go Sim-Free so they may delay the Sim-Free update for as long as possible.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 13:23
Just checked for update via kies again and as of 13:22 its still saying no update available, and that i have the latest firmware :(
anonymous 23 March, 2012 13:41
I am a Sim free owner. Bought my phone through affordable mobiles with contract on three but still no update, I have checked every day but I am now getting bored.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 13:46
A couple of users have said (quite categorically) that no users of SIM free S2's have got the upgrade over Kies yet...)...
Based on what facts? Have you seen EVERY phone in the UK? Or do you know Samsung AND the networks have not pushed it to them yet.... My point being don't upset other contributors based on speculation.. I have seen other forums where people HAVE got the update over Kies and they have a SIM Free SGS2
Closer to home, I am on an unlocked CPW phone and still have not seen it
anonymous 23 March, 2012 13:58
This is a helpful discussion as it shows the vast majority, probably all, of s2 users with unlocked phones have not received the update. One person here has said they have, but I think that's probably just to wind people up. I tried to post a site that is tracking the rollout and says that unlocked phones are still waiting, although 3 rolled out on Tuesday. Unfortunately the moderators have to approve a posting of a site, maybe it'll come through later.
Like others I'm a little disappointed with the CNET reporting of this. The quotes from Samsung clearly state the release was due the "week commencing" 19th, which gives them a (nearly concluded) week's window for release. CNET continue to say that it was released on Monday though, which is not what Samsung said. Unless there is other, unquoted, info CNET should be more precise in their reporting as it gives mixed messages.
Anyway, I can wait a little longer for ics, it sounds like a good step forward.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 14:11
Anonymous 13:58 as has been mentioned by a couple of posters, it does NOT give Samsung a week's window from 19 March for release. It gives them a window from 19 March until the end of time, as ass Samsung say is thatthe rollout will begin on 19 March.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 14:16
Sadly I won't have access to the internet by anyway other than 3g after Tuesday. I need the update now otherwise I will blow my data plan just on trying to download the ICS update.
Please @samsunguk, release the ICS for the SIM-free phones asap.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 14:21
Samsung have actually stated “The UK roll out commenced on Monday 19th March and will continue over the coming weeks… “ meaning they have longer than a week window for release. It could go well into April. Samsung and the mobile networks need to talk to their customers and set expectations. They should have sorted and approved their respective versions of ICS and then communicated a release date to their customers which they stick to. This way no one is continually checking Kies and being continually disappointed. I suspect we’re all going to be disappointed when we eventually do get ICS anyway.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 14:31
From the screenshots i've seen in the ICS manual, i think i actually liked the UI better in Gingerbread.....for example losing some text under buttons and losing some buttons all together....meh..
anonymous 23 March, 2012 14:44
Just some communication from Samsung would help. An explanation as to why they haven't released it to SIM-free phones in the UK when these phones do not depend upon the networks having to tweak the update would be nice. This is a failure of Samsung and they cannot blame the networks for the delay. Poor customer service = disgruntled customers = customers go elsewhere. If Samsung told me I would have to wait 2 weeks I would take it on the chin and wait. If Samsung stay completely silent and treat those people who have bought their product SIM-free with contempt then I can only see more of the same in the future and will never, ever buy from them again. The fact that the update is officially available (as ThreeUK customers have it) makes this even more frustrating.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 15:07
@anonymous 23 March, 2012 13:46
I have done little over the past week but trawl the net, looking for an unlocked, unbranded, UK Galaxy S2 that has actually received the official update. Not one. Samsung are bullshi**ing us!
@CNET
You may not have noticed this, but this update is BIG F**KING NEWS with GS2 owners! How about checking the facts before committing it to HTML? Unlocked phones are NOT getting the update first, as is implied. And, if not, why not? Leave go of your journalistic cocks and drag some real and useful information out of SAMSUNG and report it back to us. Try this one: "why has it taken a major international communications company five f**king days to release an update to unlocked phones, and why are we still waiting?" Screw Orange, T-Mob and the rest, that's up to them how late the release is, but when it's coming from the manufacturer, IT SHOULD BE HERE!
anonymous 23 March, 2012 16:07
They put their ugly logo on the back of the phone (while on the photo on their website the SGSII has nothing on the back), they put their more-than-useless apps on my phone, the contract is expensive... and now they delay the ICS update. F**k Orange !!! I'll leave them as soon as my contract is over.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 16:56
I purchased my phone from Phones4U who say that ALL of their SG2's were sim free.
To date I have not been able to update it via Kies.
Although frustrating it isnt exactly the end of the world now is it.
However, it would be helpful if Samsung were a bit more forthcoming with their release schedule.
anonymous 23 March, 2012 18:35
I can't see why we S2 owners who have unlocked, sim-free phones have to wait - my phone was from t-mobile but runs the unlocked version as is sim-free - when i check the firmware on my win7x64 it reports it's on the latest firmware (PDA:KI4/PHONE:KI1/CSC:KH2(XEU), but when i check it on my win7x32 it reports this is firmware (XWKI4/XEUKH2/XXKI1/XEU) - now my asus transformer tf101 got the ics update when asus said it would get it - so i can't see why we have to wait and users on Three have already got theirs.....
anonymous 25 March, 2012 00:13
its really to overcome if u want ics on ur phone just flash it with odin job done. then when the ics xeu gets released just flash it to that easy as pie. Thats what i have done and it works a dream:)
anonymous 25 March, 2012 03:24
I have the s2 ics from three update. Full of bugs. I did it through Kies on the 22nd.
anonymous 25 March, 2012 13:04
A couple of posters here do not understand what "week commencing 19th March" means!!!! It means within 7 days of the 19th. They did not say commencing 19th March. Notice the lack of week in the second example you illiterate idiots!!!!!!!!!!!
anonymous 25 March, 2012 18:31
to @03:24 on 3 who had received the official ICS update. What bugs have you noticed please ? perhaps you can post on the CNET UK facebook page. It would be helpful to know the nature and severity of the bugs, to try and figure out what the holdup is, in lieu of Samsung actually communicating anything meaningful. thanks!
anonymous 25 March, 2012 19:10
Better off waiting and getting a bug free version. The person who got it on 3 on the 22nd said its buggy, let them get it fixed first .
anonymous 25 March, 2012 22:44
The only reason three got theirs out first is because they didnt thoroughly check the update, now three users have got bugged out SG2s with ICS. I think people just need to be a bit more patient. ICS is not going to change your life!! If youre SG2s are that rubbish without ICS that you cant wait then I suggest you get a new phone. Peace x
anonymous 27 March, 2012 08:57
Looks like O2 has started rolling out now - I'm downloading a new mysterious firmware update that was posted sometime this morning.
anonymous 28 March, 2012 22:55
"i'm cancelling my contract with orange"
Diddums. Grow the **** up.
anonymous 1 April, 2012 13:28
I tried a non-official ICS (4.0.3) on my (Virgin Mobile) GS2 a couple of weeks back. Although it looked at lot better than Gingerbread, it was a bit slow/buggy: scrolling stuttered badly, phone would 'pause' before showing the phonebook or keypad, and "Words With Friends" - the only online game I play - would have to be closed via Task Manager then reopened after EVERY turn! So I'm back on official Gingerbread 2.3.6 and will just wait.
Question: Since VM use T-Mobile's network and on initial phone startup you are asked to choose between the two providers, will VM GS2's accept T-Mobile's ICS update?
anonymous 3 April, 2012 09:45
it's okay but lots of my apps will not work now due to upgrade keith lemon mouthboard is one and a few gameloft games
anonymous 3 April, 2012 15:10
typical, "3" are the ones to rollout the update before the rest. Main reason I left "3" was because of there slo.......w releases (6months if at all usually)
Well guess what "3". Too little too late..... still glad i left you because your service/support sucks donkey testicals.
anonymous 6 April, 2012 14:06
Samsung Galaxy S2 owners who bought their device SIM-free are at the back of the UK Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade queue, Samsung has confirmed to CNET UK. And the reason you've been kept waiting? It's because Samsung is waiting for some mobile networks to finish testing the update, so it can be sure the software will work whatever network you're on. SIM-free S2 owners will get the ICS update "once we've got all of the operator pieces on board", said Simon Stanford, VP of Samsung Telecommunications and Networks for Samsung UK and Ireland, speaking exclusively to CNET UK today. The upgrade process Samsung has used to push out ICS to S2 owners means SIM-free devices can't be updated until all mobile networks have tested and approved ICS -- and since some operators are still testing and approving the update , some SIM-free S2 owners are still waiting to get Ice Cream Sandwich.'It's got to work' "We work in conjunction with our partners to bring ICS to the existing base -- that's primarily what needs to happen, whatever network operator that may be," said Stanford. "In this particular instance, the open market variant [ie SIM-free] you would expect to come out first." Stanford confirmed, however, SIM-free S2 owners have been left twisting in the wind . "As an open-market customer you will be on a variety of networks, so it's got to work on whichever network you have chosen," he said. SIM-free S2 owners -- many of whom shelled out extra upfront for an unlocked handset in the hopes of being at the front of the upgrade queue -- have in fact trailed operators such as Three, which was the first operator to release the ICS update. O2 has also now pushed out the ICS update. "We were working with our operators to make sure that we brought it out to as many people as we can," Stanford added. "Vodafone we're expecting imminently [to release ICS]. Open market will be once we've got all of the operator pieces on board... It'll come at very much the same time."'We don't want to disadvantage anyone' Stanford would not confirm exactly how many SIM-free S2 owners have received the ICS update so far, nor give a completion date for the ICS update rollout -- he would only say: "We're really pushing it hard over the next coming weeks." "It's always very tight, in terms of the testing processes and all the rest of it," he said. "It's not a switch in Korea and then the whole thing just activates every device that is out there... We work very closely with the networks to help them get ICS out. "Everyone holds their hands up and says, 'Well, we need to do more in these instances.'" Asked whether consumers would be better off buying a device from a network rather than SIM-free if they want to ensure they get future Android updates promptly, Stanford said: "In this instance [they would have been better off on a network]. Moving forward, I anticipate the upgrades will come a lot faster, at once, with everybody." He added that it's not Samsung's intention to prioritise SIM-free device buyers in future, rather it wants to level the playing field so everyone gets the update around the same time. "We don't want to disadvantage anyone, we don't want to say that they have to buy it from anywhere, we want everyone to have the same experience, whether or not it's open-market, network, to us they're exactly the same," he said.'Communication can be managed better next time' Stanford conceded that communications is an area where Samsung can make its own improvements. And he apologised to any SIM-free S2 owners who have been disappointed by how long it's taken to get ICS. "The communication itself can be managed a bit better next time," he said. "It's just an ongoing process piece that we work very closely on to try and make sure we get it absolutely bang on so we apologise to anyone -- we really apologise to anyone -- who has been disappointed by this. "We're always desperate to get [updates] out as fast as we can, there's no reason for us not to. We don't like to have unhappy customers, it goes against everything that we do. We do take it very seriously. It's communication sometimes we need to work on -- I accept that. That there needs to be perhaps more overall communication with the partners involved as well," he said. "We are happy now that ICS is rolling out and those people that we've spoken to are very happy with it," Stanford added. "We're always looking for ways to speed it up -- with regards to Galaxy Note ... the upgrade on that will be a lot quicker." Are you still waiting for your SIM-free S2 to be upgraded to ICS? Let us know in the comments, or post your own update over on our Facebook page , and watch my video below to see what you're missing.
anonymous 6 April, 2012 14:09
Read it and weep :-(
anonymous 11 April, 2012 16:15
i spoke to orange today and they have confirmed galaxy s2 will stay with gingerbread no ics update for 2012
anonymous 13 April, 2012 08:18
spoke to orange on twittering yesterday they said they are working on it...
anonymous 13 April, 2012 17:52
My Kies tells me firmware upgrade available...damn my phone needs recharging first.
anonymous 14 April, 2012 22:05
Don't bother, it's only 2.3.6. Still no Ice Cream Sandwich.
anonymous 15 April, 2012 15:53
Hmmm, I Can live with that, I mean to be honest, its just an OS, its not the end of the world, my phone works fine. I had it since last May, sim-free on Orange...I'm just glad there is some clarification as to what has happened, cos i was getting tired of plugging my phone in every other day. I can just wait until the end of the month and see what surprise awaits me