A recently aired Russian podcast detailed some specs about the upcoming Google Android 3.0 Gingerbread operating system which stated that the new OS would be having minimum requirements to work with mobile phones. The rumor also specified that the Android 2.1 Éclair and Android 2.2 Froyo would be used for older mobile phones.
The announcement brought plenty of Android fans wondering if the news was actually true. If it was, it would mean that most Android smart phones today would not be compatible with 3.0 Gingerbread.
The issue was quickly solved by Google, by officially announcing that the rumors are false and that the upcoming Gingerbread OS would not require the stated minimum hardware requirements.
Had the rumors been true, many high end smart phones running the Android would still not be compatible with the new OS. Details regarding minimum screen sizes alone were too high. According to the rumors, phones would need a 4 inch TFT capacitive touch screen. This meant that not even the Nexus One or the HTC Desire would be compatible as both phones used a 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen display.
In other Android news, the Froyo update is already available for the Nexus One and many users are enjoying the new features such as better speed and more help for new users. The speed boost is quite noticeable when browsing the internet as page content loads a lot quicker.
So far, most of the current Android 2.1 Éclair owners are still waiting for phone-specific updates. Samsung has confirmed that the i9000 Galaxy S will be getting an update soon while the HTC Desire, Legend and Wildfire are getting an upgrade later this Q3. Sony Ericsson released a phone specific patch that improved the performance of the Android 1.6 Donut for the XPERIA X10.