HTC Desire Android 2.3 Gingerbread update will arrive at end of July

Firm also set to unlock Sensation bootloaders starting in August

HTC has confirmed that it will roll out the long-awaited Android 2.3 Gingerbread update to its Desire smartphone from the end of July.

The manufacturer had originally stated that the Desire did not have enough RAM to support the upgrade, but was forced to make a u-turn after a backlash from unhappy customers.

HTC promised a workaround, saying that it would leave out some applications in order to facilitate the upgrade.

Testing has gone well, according to the HTC UK Facebook page, and the company will "begin rolling out the update at the end of July".

V3.co.uk contacted HTC to determine whether the update will be made available over the air or whether Desire owners will have to wait for their carrier to push out the new software.

The company was unable to confirm how the upgrade will be rolled out, suggesting that the latter is the most likely method.

Meanwhile, HTC is also set to unlock bootloaders, as promised by chief executive Peter Chou in May.

The unlocking of bootloaders will make it easier for developers to customise software on handsets and load alternative operating systems and features.

Software updates to support bootloader unlocking will be rolled out in August for the HTC Sensation, HTC said in another Facebook post.

"We're in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates," the firm said.

"We'll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments."

It is unclear which other handsets will come with an unlocked bootloader, but HTC said on its international Facebook page that the EVO 3D will also be unlocked.

The HTC Evo 3D is due in the UK this month, but it is unclear whether the handset will ship with an unlocked bootloader. If there are any delays to shipments, this could be a possible reason.

In a further attempt to build its developer community, HTC will also launch a series of tools to build an ecosystem based around its Sense interface.

Central to the release will be the HTC OpenSense SDK, which will allow Android developers to create apps that "deeply integrate" with the Sense 3.0 interface.

The company will also launch HTCdev.com this summer, offering resources such as tutorials, documentation and support.

Customers can register their interest on the site and will be notified when the OpenSense SDK is ready to download.