Rogers HTC Magic, Dream Android 1.5 update to feature Sense UI; Android 2.1 coming to Magic by mid-year

It was just a few days before Christmas when HTC Canada disclosed over at their support page that there won’t be an Android 1.6 update made available for the Rogers HTC Magic and Dream Android phones. Today, however, they’re now singing a different tune.

We’ve just received a letter from an HTC rep regarding the matter which counters their previous stand on the issue. They’ve decided reconsidered their position and is, in fact, announcing that there will be an Android 1.5 update released in the coming weeks for both the HTC Dream and Magic which will feature a number of improvements including the HTC Sense UI. The OS version, however, will still remain at 1.5. HTC Magic owners, meanwhile, can expect an Android 2.1 update to be released sometime by mid-2010.

Below is a copy of the message sent to us:

We know there has been a lot of interest from both you and your readers on the current status of the HTC Dream and HTC Magic with Rogers, and we wanted to reach out to you directly to let you know what users of these devices can expect.

While there has been a lot of confusion regarding software updates for these devices – we want to make sure that everyone knows that Rogers has been pushing hard to ensure the best possible outcome for all customers who have purchased an HTC Dream and Magic. Although we previously announced that we did not plan an upgrade to either device, we have reevaluated based on Rogers request and agreed to move forward.

First, we will be implementing an update for the 1.5 OS to both the HTC Dream and HTC Magic in the upcoming weeks. These will offer a number of benefits for these devices, including bringing the HTC Sense experience to the HTC Magic, although the OS version will remain 1.5.

By mid-year, HTC will issue an upgrade to Android 2.1, including the highly acclaimed HTC Sense experience for the HTC Magic.

However, due to certain limitations on the HTC Dream, the software path for the HTC Dream will not be developed beyond the next Android 1.5 update. While we regret not being able to offer the same updates to both devices, by bringing this upgrade to the HTC Magic, we are delivering the best solution possible given the situation at hand.

We also want to emphasize that the situation with HTC Dream and HTC Magic devices is true across markets, and is not limited to Canada. While “Google Experience” devices built on the same platform (like the T-Mobile G1) do have different upgrade paths – this is due to the use of a stock Android build, rather than a custom build used on the HTC Dream and HTC Magic.

So, there you have it folks. HTC Sense will officially be rolling out soon for both the Rogers HTC Magic and Dream Android phones though the OS will still remain at version 1.5. HTC Magic owners have the better end of the deal though as they’ve also got Android 2.1 to look forward to later on in the year.

This is certainly good news to start off the new year. Hopefully, Rogers won’t forget their other Android phone offerings, including the upcoming Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10, and will also be pushing hard for the necessary firmware updates to be made available for them as well.