Android 3.0 Should Be Ready for Prime Time by December, Won’t See 4.0 Until Late 2011
There is no doubt that Gingerbread (what the world has been calling Android 3.0) is well along in its development process — if you don’t believe me, just check out our lengthy post giving just a nibble of info on what to expect — and the latest reports are indicating that Google should be ready to ship the new OS out to its manufacturing partners in December. That is right around where we expected (though previous rumors had suggested October for an unveiling, but as the days pass that is looking more and more unlikely), and just in time for the likes of Motorola, HTC, and Acer to get the new version of Android ready for devices to be debuted at the CES expo in January.
If you recall, Google had come out saying they wouldn’t recommend Android 2.2 for tablets, but 3.0 would have specific functionality and support built-in for slate style devices. The biggest tablet to launch to day, the Galaxy Tab, features Android 2.2 out of the box, but even Samsung is said to be eagerly awaiting the next iteration of Android for distribution to their device.
As for Android 4.0 (whether that will be Honeycomb or Ice Cream), that shouldn’t be expected until the second half of 2011, which fits in perfectly with recent statements by Eric Schmidt explaining that the life cycle of Android updates should settle down to around once a year and contain a bigger focus on innovation rather than simply trying to catch up the platform with the current mobile market.
Doesn’t it make perfect sense now? A platform built from Gingerbread just in time for the holidays.
[via Electronista]