Android 3.0 'Honeycomb' Is the Most Important Version Yet: 10 Reasons Why

5. Android 2.2 doesn’t cut it

Through 2010, Google had very little presence in the tablet space, relying mostly on Android 2.2 to help it compete with Apple’s iPad. But as Google pointed out last year, Android 2.2 doesn’t cut it on tablets. And, for the most part, it seemed like a bridge to Android 3.0. For Google, that’s a good thing. If the company didn’t have a solution for tablets that could best Android 2.2 Froyo, it would be in trouble.

6. Developers will like what they see

Based on what’s known about Android 3.0 Honeycomb right now, developers will probably like what they see in the platform. Google has redesigned user-interface widgets to help developers do more with their apps. The platform’s Action Bar should help developers do the same. Perhaps most important, Android 3.0 Honeycomb’s developer-friendliness could improve the platform’s chances of matching iOS in terms of available apps. Right now, building up the stock of Android apps is an important goal.

7. It should keep Google’s momentum going

Google is performing extremely well in the mobile market. Not only did the company’s platform outperform Nokia’s Symbian operating system in the fourth quarter, but, in the tablet space, Android saw some success running on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab tablet. With the help of Honeycomb, Google can keep the pressure on and continue to prove to customers that it will deliver more appealing services with each passing year.

8. Better multitasking

Android 3.0 Honeycomb is expected to deliver an improved multitasking interface. That’s something that folks who use iOS, Android, or any other mobile OS sporting “multitasking” will like to hear. Multitasking on mobile devices has been suspect, to say the least. In iOS, the standard by which other multitasking options are judged, switching between applications is more difficult than it should be. Google hopes to solve that. If it’s successful, the company could have a winner on its hands with Honeycomb.

9. It could change browsing on tablets

Another key aspect of Android 3.0 Honeycomb is that it offers a vastly improved browsing experience. According to Google, users will have full-tabbed browsing functionality, auto-fill of forms, and the ability to sync with existing Google Chrome bookmarks. An incognito mode for private browsing will also be available. If those features are implemented well, consumers might quickly realize that Apple’s Safari browser falls short—in a big way.

10. It integrates Google’s many tools

Honeycomb’s importance to Google and the wider tablet market goes beyond that space. The operating system could have a profound impact on Google’s other businesses. According to the company, its platform will offer “3D interactions” with Google Maps 5, integration with Google Talk, and the ability to access Google eBooks. If Honeycomb succeeds, it will make the company’s other services all the more popular. And that would  make all the difference in the world.