The forthcoming Verizon Android 2.2 Motorola Droid update being rolled out to customers this week
will omit two key features natively supported in the latest Android version in Mobile Hotspot support and in support for tethering via USB.
Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney issued the following statement:
"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."
While the Verizon Motorola Droid has not officially supported mobile hotspot access or tethering, the Android mod and software development community has proven that tethering and hotspot creation do indeed function without issue on the device when loaded with certain unofficial Android builds or when using select software such as PDAnet, which places the aforementioned statement in question.
This also contradicts previous statements regarding the device’s capability, as the carrier
previously confirmed tethering and hotspot after the device was launched in November of last year.The update will still include the expected updates to support Flash and other
key features of Android 2.2, though in light of the recent launch of the Droid X and discontinuation of the Droid ahead of the release of the Droid2, it appears Verizon and Motorola have decided to focus on its successor instead of continuing to support what was once its flagship Android device.