Next Android Update 'Gingerbread' Later This Year

Next Android Update 'Gingerbread' Later This Year

Techtree News Staff, May 21, 2010 0845 hrs IST

FAQ of Google's freshly announced media file format points to the next Android update

While Google is yet to announce the details of its much anticipated Android 2.2 'Froyo' update, the web is already abuzz over the next major Android update dubbed Gingerbread.

As per the folks at the Google's newly announced open, royalty-free, media file format WebM, Android Gingerbread would be released in the fourth quarter of 2010, reported EuroDroid. Apparently, Android Gingerbread is touted to be the major Android 3.0 upgrade.

However, we are still expecting Google to announce the Android 2.2 'Froyo' update anytime, while we've already seen Cupcake (1.5), Donut (1.6) and Eclair (2.0/2.1) updates already. The existing Eclair update is based on Linux Kernel 2.6.29 and Froyo update will be based on Linux Kernel 2.6.32 version.

Back in February this year, Brain Swetland, Google's Android Linux Kernel Guru, revealed details about the Android Gingerbread's Linux Kernel details stating, "This week we're finalizing our move to 2.6.32 for the Android "Froyo" release, and we'll likely be on .33 or .34 for Gingerbread." Now this upcoming Gingerbread is claimed to support WebM video playback.

The newly announced WebM Project's FAQ states:

WebM support in Android is expected in the Gingerbread release (currently planned for Q4, 2010). We expect many other Google products to adopt WebM and VP8 as they prioritize it with their other product requirements.

We don't know what exactly Google will tag the version number as. It could be Android 2.3 or 3.0, but we can't be sure.