Julien from Rovio has informed us that the Mighty Eagle has landed for Android! Thanks, Julien, for keeping AngryBirdsNest in the loop.
Now, before we get lost in a sea of confetti, Android’s Mighty Eagle is currently only available through the T-Mobile Mall — a service clearly only available for T-Mobile customers. In the Julien’s shared article, it states:
T-Mobile customers can send a free text – ‘BIRDS’ to 6255 – to receive a link with instructions on downloading the exclusive title via the T-Mobile Mall. Through Oct. 13, T-Mobile customers will be the first to be able to call on the Mighty Eagle to help defeat those pugnacious ‘lil piggies. …
Additionally, customers who download this version of Angry Birds will receive a 25% discount off the purchase of an additional game from the T-Mobile Mall.
If you read that closely it sounds like this is a separate app, not an In-App purchase. We can’t confirm or deny that just yet though, so if you’re a T-Mobile customer please give us some insight into how the process works. Maybe this is just a “demo”, with an In-App purchase coming down the road. I’m just speculating now…
Update: Downloading the app from the T-Mobile Mall is free (ad-supported) and overwrites your existing “Android Market” version while maintaining your progress. When you first try to use the Mighty Eagle, you are prompted to purchase him for $1 US (appears on cell phone bill). Then voila! Mighty Eagle ready for action!
Additionally, the ads have an “X” on them. If you click the “X”, you are prompted to remove ads permanently for $1 US (appears on phone bill again). It is unclear what would happen if an Amazon (ad-free) user were to download the T-Mo app, so we would like to hear from any who wish to try. (Special thanks to kathi17 for all of her fantastic info!)
As for when the Mighty Eagle will land rest of Android, hard to say, but the article’s mention of 13 Oct. seems to imply a staggered release across different Android marketplaces. Also, it is not clear when the Mighty Eagle will land for Seasons.
Compatibility Information: Since the release of the Mighty Eagle via the T-Mobile Mall, there have been questions about compatibility. The basic question: Can users who purchase the Mighty Eagle and/or ad-free versions of the app update via the Android Market (Google Play) risk-free? Well, after many months, we seem to have our answer. However! A disclaimer is necessary that neither AngryBirdsNest nor Rovio are responsible for any lost data if it happens. Nonetheless, thank you to Mike and @kathi17 for the following information (source: link):
I have the T-Mobile version of ABo for Android with the Mighty Eagle. Rovio told me that if I updated it through the Markets, I would lose my score and Mighty Eagle. A few posts above, Mike told me I wouldn’t lose those.
Well, today, I updated using the free version from Android Market/Google Play, and he was right, I still have my paid version, and Surf and Turf and Birdday Party both have the Mighty Eagle, and my score is still there! Anyway, if anyone else has the T-Mobile version, just update to the free version, and you will still have your paid version plus the ME and all of your scores!
For more information about our massive aviary friend, read more about the Mighty Eagle in this post. As a quick summary, the Mighty Eagle is a one-time purchase with two functions. First, it can be used to skip a level which has not yet been passed. This function, however, can only be used once per hour. Second, it can be used to earn feathers for Total Destruction of each level. This is a fun, though sometimes frustrating, mini-game. For particularly troublesome levels, we have video walkthroughs available.