Ditch "Sense" on an HTC?

The big advantage of Android's open approach is innovation. The big danger is operating system fragmentation. You can see the tension in recent developments related to HTC implementations of the "Gingerbread" version of Android.

HTC initially said its new "Desire" device wouldn't be getting an official Gingerbread update due to memory constraints, saying there wasn't enough space on the phone for Gingerbread and HTC Sense.

Then, 24 hours later the manufacturer responded to feedback from Desire owners and changed its mind, committing to delivering Gingerbread alongside a trimmed-down Sense UI.

Now Australian carrier Telstra has indicated it's willing to go even further to get Gingerbread onto its Desire handsets. "Sense" makes the Android user interface "different." But if you have used Sense, you know why users say they want it.

I happen to think HTC does really nice hardware, and I really enjoy "Sense." What I'd do if an HTC device did not have Sense, and I was shopping for a new device, isn't clear. It would be an issue, but it's hard to say if it is a deal breaker. It would be a major negative, though.

Australian carrier says it'll ditch Sense to get Gingerbread on the HTC Desire