The next version of Google's mobile operating system is
expected to be launched at Google I/O next week, but details of Froyo, as
Android 2.2 is known, are emerging early.
Adobe and Google have already confirmed Android 2.2
supports Flash 10.1, and rumors hold that Froyo will also reduce fragmentation.
It also appears Google Android 2.2 sports a 450 percent
performance boost over Android 2.1, according to the Android Police blog. TechCrunch,
meanwhile, learned the OS supports tethering and serves as a WiFi hotspot.
Android Police said it has been testing Froyo on a Nexus
One for a week and put it through the Linpack benchmark test for gauging how
fast the phone can operate with the OS compared to other devices.
The testers found Froyo on the Nexus One ran at 37.5 megaflops (megaflops are equal to one million floating-point operations per second). That compares to
speeds of Android 2.1 on the Nexus One of 6.5 to 7 megaflops for a 450 percent
performance boost. See the screenshots here.
Meanwhile, TechCrunch said Froyo will have built-in USB
tethering to let users share their data connection with their laptop. The OS
will also let users turn their Android device into a WiFi hotspot. See the
screenshots here.
These features show Android is capable of turning phones
not just into tiny, mobile computers, but mobile computers that can enable some
of the functionality offered on today's laptops and desktops.
These are significant features in the OS, so the looming
question is how long before Android 2.2 is featured on smartphones. This is crucial because
iPhone 4.0, the next generation of the smartphone that has sold more than 50
million units, is launching next month.
Enterprise Mobility News & Reviews 
