This could very easily be a Verizon thing, not necessarily a HTC issue.  I would not be surprised if HTC has the gingerbread update ready to go, but Verizon is either dragging its heels on testing or has decided that since the DINC2 is out just out-right saying they don't want to update the DINC1.  HTC actually has a better track-record in general for updating phones than Moto and Sammy.

Oh well, it's all academic now!  Verizon just today turned-on the 4g signal in my home town area.  Buying anything less than a 4G phone now would be idiotic. Can't hardly wait for the Moto Droid Bionic to hit the Verizon store!

I'm certain that HTC and Verizon both realize that they have thousands of customers with Incredibles on 2 year contracts that are not due for phone upgrades until mid 2012.  I'm not going to pay out the a$$ for a new phone just to get an OS upgrade.  I'll stick with mine until contract runs out, but I might look closer at iPhone (not really) if this is the way they treat their customers.  I'm sure that the Incredible is more than capable of running 2.3

Oh it's more than capable im sure but look at one of the companies we are talking about here. Verizon. All they care about is money so they want people to get the newest phones to keep the money flowing in.

It is capable...

A VZW rep. I have been getting my info from now says August 8th as a confirmed date:

"Hello this is Evan from Verizon Wireless NRB,

I have gotten confirmation yesterday of the original Droid Incredible update and it will launch on 8/8. This is a reliable confirmation and the same source that confirmed the Incredible 2 update which was correct and weeks prior to anyone knowing on the internet."

If you remember, he got the July 11th date correct, but just mistakenly thought his manager meant OG Inc.. not the Incredible 2...

again, we will believe it when we see it!  

K

SSmith:

It is capable...

A VZW rep. I have been getting my info from now says August 8th as a confirmed date:

"Hello this is Evan from Verizon Wireless NRB,

I have gotten confirmation yesterday of the original Droid Incredible update and it will launch on 8/8. This is a reliable confirmation and the same source that confirmed the Incredible 2 update which was correct and weeks prior to anyone knowing on the internet."

If you remember, he got the July 11th date correct, but just mistakenly thought his manager meant OG Inc.. not the Incredible 2...

i am so glad that yall picked 8/8 for you guess just like i said in my post on 7/11,,,,,be sure to pick 9/20 after 8/8 goes by since i will be off for gears of war 3

^ I caught that and see what you did there :)

Nice estimation @soupcannon.. right on the dot!

@Ken: I posted what he said, I'm right with ya.

Well I emailed HTC the other day and this response I received on July 30th 2011...... Does not sound to me that they are interested in the original incredible anymore and that's a shame. I'm sure it can handle the upgrade. I just feel that if they upgrade it nobody will buy there already doomed Incredible 2 any more. I mean that phone came out and within 2 months it is already out paced by several phones and looks like old tech. It's a shame. Your timing seems way off HTC, better do something real good to get back in the game with verizon anyway. The lack of support to the Thunderbolt is only making you look worse, sorry to say. I mean how do you upgrade the Incredible 2 yet leave the Thunderbolt (your flagship LTE device) still without gingerbread, makes no sense. Also, how do you upgrade the Inc2 (a sequel) and not the original first?  What the hell are you thinking?? Look, I like your products and I like the sense interface, but I'm not sure any more if that can influence my decision for my next phone. You are way behind even motorola this time in upgrading your devices. Hell, even Samsung is updating their devices faster than you. Things to think about HTC...........

Dear P D

We are more than happy to be able to provide some clarity to the situation at hand.

Currently, our developers have to work with Verizon to determine when and if a ROM upgrade will be available. Unfortunately, there is no estimated time for availability of any ROM update. Please check the HTC America website for any software updates that may be released, http://www.htc.com/us. Just click on the support link then choose your device.

Phil, we do apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.

To send a reply to this message or let me know I have successfully answered your question log in to our ContactUs site using your email address and your ticket number 11USCWxxxxxxxx..

Sincerely,

Samantha

HTC

Im disappointed to say that reports say the 2.3 update has been called off by HTC. A user was able to obtain a list of confirmed HTC devices that will or has received Gingerbread. The Droid Incredible was not on that list.

But, a different user emailed HTC and reached another confirmation by HTC that the update was not going to take place. But after close examination at Phandroid, the user reached the HTC Canadian support. The Droid Incredible was not released and is not supported in Canada, so he possibly could've gotten confused with the Droid Eris. I will try to gather more information about the plans being called off as soon as I can.

SSmith

HTC makes great phones, and my original Doid Incredible has been a good one.  However, the fact that they have chosen to abandon this otherwise great phone and not upgrade me Android 2.3 means that I won't buy another HTC phone.  I'll be sporting a new Motorola 4G Droid Bionic when they're released in a few weeks!  So long, HTC!

As most of you know I have been one of the most vocal and staunchest defenders of the HTC Droid Incredible on these forums.  I can no longer give this product or this company my support.

I contacted HTC after I read that they were not planning to update the Droid Incredible to Android 2.3 "Gingerbread" despite many assurances from Verizon and HTC, and many articles in the technical press, that they were going to do so soon, with the date being pushed repeatedly into the future.  The following is my initial query to HTC's support, their reply to me, and my response.

First, my initial contact:
________________________

I have just heard today, to my tremendous surprise, disappointment and anger, that you have dropped all plans to update the operating system of the Droid Incredible to Android 2.3 "Gingerbread."

This stands in stark contrast to information I received numerous times in the past from both HTC and Verizon Wireless, and also contradicts information I have read in the technical press on many occasions.

Could this really be true?  If so, let me express my deep disappointment and resentment, while at the same time giving you my complete and honest assurance that I will never again for the rest of my entire life purchase or recommend any HTC product.  Note that I am a highly respected communications technician and administrator, previously the Internet Services Administrator for NASA Headquarters, and my opinion on these matters is sought out by literally hundreds of other people, many of whom purchased the Incredible solely at my recommendation.

Please tell me that I have bee misinformed, because this is unacceptable with my phone still under contract for many months to come.
________________________

An HTC support person, "Stephen," responded:

Dear (redacted),

Thank you for taking the time to contact HTC in regards to Operating System upgrades to your Droid Incredible, (redacted).

Our goal is to give every customer the best possible experience on every phone. Every HTC phone is a combination of a unique HTC hardware and software experience and a core operating system. We only update our phones if it will provide an overall improved user experience as we balance features, performance and usability. Because of this, we will only be updating certain phones to Gingerbread. At this time, the Droid Incredible is not on that list.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause (redacted), and we hope that this does not detract from your enjoyment and use of the HTC Incredible. We deeply regret any dissatisfaction this issue may have caused. As always, we are here to answer any technical questions or concerns you have from 6am to 1am EDST, 7 days a week, or by phone at 1-866-449-8358. You may also visit us at www.htc.com/us/support for further assistance, user manuals, and helpful tips.
________________________

And this was my final communication with this despicable corporation:

This is unacceptable.  I am quite certain that most of the more technically-oriented people who had been pleased with your product will find it similarly unacceptable and will abandon your company's products in their future purchasing decisions, as I will.

While I will stick with Verizon because they provide truly excellent coverage and user support, when my current contract with Verizon runs out next April I shall opt for a product from Samsung, Motorola, or another manufacturer who has shown themselves to be more willing to stand behind their products than you have done.  The HTC Incredible broke new ground for usability, quality, features and convenience.  It is the product that put HTC on the map, so to speak, and your decision to discontinue full support while most of its owners remain under contract is inexplicable to me, and totally, incontrovertibly, and unforgivably unacceptable.  It damages your company's reputation beyond all repair, and I shall never purchase or recommend your products again.

I shall furthermore express my negative opinion of your extraordinarily substandard behavior in this regard as frequently and widely as possible, on Internet forums and elsewhere, in hopes that others do not make the same mistake that I made in expecting you to stand behind your products.  I mean, Gingerbread was released last NOVEMBER, when my phone was only a few months into its contract.  There is no excuse for this.

I am looking forward to April with a feeling of great anticipation for putting HTC in my past for good.

I knew it was not going to happen from the get go. . . Rooted my phone and installed Cyanongenmod and all is well. My past 3 phones have been HTC but when my contract is up I doubt my next one will be.

OK, now, this just gets stranger and stranger.  I could not accept the answer I got from HTC that I related in my previous posting.  I found it too unbelievable that any company could build such a fine product and then set out to alienate so severely those who had purchased it.  I mean, how could they be so conscientious on the one hand and so blitheringly boneheaded on the other?

So I called the support number that they provide on this website and spoke to a very pleasant young woman in Vancouver, B.C., who, after first trying to answer my question directly and then putting me on hold as she asked others in her heirarchy, could not give me a straight answer.  Evidently some people in her office thought the Incredible WOULD be updated and others did not know -- nobody flatly thought that it wouldn't be.  She suggested that I call their North American corporate headquarters in Seattle.  It was a little too early in the morning so I waited until they opened.

When I called their Seattle office I spoke to a gentleman who, judging by the time he took and his excellent attitude, researched the matter as thoroughly as he could.  He told me flatly that the Incredible WOULD be updated, but that the date it would be pushed was not known and would not be known, even to HTC staff, until at most two days before it actually started rolling out to customers' phones.  He sent me the following e-mail about two hours after our conversation:

_____________________

Dear (redacted),

Thank you (redacted) for your response. I certainly understand how frustrating it can be when you are trying to find out about update. Being that it is a combined effort between HTC, Google, and your carrier to produce working updates for our Android devices, we don’t have any information about updates that are coming out until they are released for those devices. Your device will be updated unfortunately I am not able to give you an exact date. When an update is available for your device you will receive a notification letting you know. What you can do is keep an eye out on HTC’s social network pages, Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as your carrier’s webpage for more information about updates.

_____________________

I particularly liked the phrase, "Your device will be updated."

This is all very odd.  What we have here is a failure to communicate.  At least I HOPE that's all it is.