2.2 Froyo to the EVO in July - EVO 4G General
Today at the Google IO keynote, Google announced the new features that Android 2.2 code named "Froyo" will introduce. Android 2.2 will be available via update for the super popular HTC EVO 4G phone this July.
One of the many improvements that Android 2.2 will bring is better performance when running applications. They have made improvements to how applications are compiled that allows apps to run more efficiently, which ultimately allows the applications to run faster and smoother than ever before. Android's web browser Chrome, has also been improved with a 2-3x javascript performance boost using the V8 engine which allows web apps to load a lot faster with Android 2.2. During the live demonstration using Sun's standard Spider javascript test, Chrome on Android 2.2 out performed the same phone running Android 2.1 and even outperformed the Apple iPad running Safari!
Google also announced that Android 2.2 will improve the Chrome browser by adding better HTML 5 support which will allow the browser to utilize features of the phone that were never possible in previous Android OS versions. These new features include the ability for the browser to utilize the phone's accelerometer in web based apps such as Google Maps to change the viewing angle instead of having to use on-screen controls. They also demonstrated how HTML 5 will allow you to use the phone's camera in web-based apps such as Google Buzz to take a picture and share it right from your web-browser! To top it off, Android 2.2 will be the first mobile operating system that will have native flash support. With Android 2.2, the Chrome web browser will have full Adobe Flash Player 10.1 support to allow you to view flash-based websites, play flash games, and more! This is something that not even the iPhone is capable of doing!
While many smartphones already support push notifications to receive email, instant messages, and other notifications instantly. Google is taking this idea to a whole new level with their Cloud to Device messaging API. This new feature allows users to send commands to their Android device to launch applications, perform tasks, and much more. For example, if a user is viewing Google Maps on his desktop computer, with one-click in his desktop browser, the phone will automatically launch Google Maps and open up to the same location that was being viewed on the desktop browser. This is going to be really useful for users who need to quickly switch from their desktop/laptop environment to their phone in a moments notice!
One of the most exciting features for our readers is that Android 2.2 will add a feature that turns your Android device into a portable hotspot. This feature will create a WiFi network that provides internet connectivity for up to 8 WiFi-capable devices using the 3G or 4G mobile networks. While Google didn't say if this will require an additional monthly fee for a tethering plan, we suspect that this feature will require the tethering plan on your phone which is usually an additional $30/month.
While Google said that there are over 20 new enterprise features, they only mentioned that in Android 2.2 there would be Microsoft Exchange support, including auto-discovery, integration with global address book, forced security policies, remote wiping of the device, the ability to easily move application data from one phone to a new Android device, and many more enterprise friendly features that would be announced in the near future.
If you are currently an Android user, you know how great Google's voice search is for searching the web using your own voice. While their voice search feature is already very good, they demonstrated that voice recognition has improved since Android 2.1 as well as a new feature that uses Google Voice called "intentions". "Intentions" is designed to work like a personal assistant, if you say "Call Fifth Floor Restaurant" it will search for the restaurant based on your GPS location, find the phone number for this restaurant, and automatically place the call for you. In Android 2.2 Google Voice also will have a voice translation feature that will translate and speak almost anything you say into another language. This is going to be a must have feature for anyone who travels frequently!
There are also going to be several updates the the Android Market Place including:
Automatic Updates - The ability to have all of your applications automatically update when new versions are available, instead of having to choose to manually update each application.
Google's Auto-Fill Search - Uses Google's Auto-fill search to guess at what you are trying to search for as you begin to type in your search keywords, just as you see on Google's web search.
Search within application data - Now allows you to search within application data such as financial documents, office documents, spreadsheets etc, so that you can find your personal information more quickly and efficiently!
Install/Move Apps to SD Card - With Android 2.2 you can move large applications to the SD card to free up internal memory, and you can even configure Android 2.2 to automatically install large apps to the SD card when internal memory is low.
Desktop Android Marketplace - You will now be able to access the Android marketplace via your desktop on your web-browser. From the desktop version of the marketplace you can view your Android devices, which apps you already have installed, and purchase applications. If you have an Android 2.2 device, when you purchase apps from your desktop, they will be automatically pushed & downloaded to your Android 2.2 device via 3G/4G connectivity without having to tether via USB to sync the application to your phone!
Google also announced a new feature to Android 2.2 that will allow users to access and stream their entire music library from their desktop computer or media center device to their Android device via WiFi, 3G, or 4G! Google has partnered with Sprint & HTC to provide the new HTC EVO 4G to all the developers who attended the Google IO conference. Google said the HTC EVO 4G will provide consumers with the best Android experience possible with it's 4.3in screen, 8mp camera, HDMI output, and most of all the first phone to use 4G technology to provide speeds up to 10mbit/sec!
July? Really? Do you have any other outside sources to confirm that? If so, that kicks some major ass.
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/05/20/htc-desire-incredible-android-2-2-froyo/
Thanks notown775!
Wicked!....if its true!
I doubt it will be in july, froyo may one out publicly and be pushed to the N1 in july but not to the evo, because of sense UI.
I would agree with July as some have mentioned that it might be released wth Froyo 2.2 on June 4th. Since that timeline is very near a July push is more than welcomed news. It's kind of like having a 1.5Ghz processor now instead of 1.00Ghz I think the improvement is going to be spectacular.
There will so many many new phones out and I will be broke by the end of the year
Too bad they were not all GSM based phones so I could just swap out my SIM card and have just one phone number or use the google voice and call it a day
Ummmm, "second half of the year" can be July, or it can be December. It doesn't mention anywhere that it's going to be July.
Judging by past HTC updates, I highly doubt it will be in July. And if HTC does get it, you can be sure Verizon/Sprint etc will be taking it before it goes OTA and disabling the built-in tether, delaying it even longer.
.....yeah its official, July 4th @ 7:05am it will be in my hands :-D
Sent from my soon to be replaced HTC Hero using Tapatalk
they keep mentioning the EVO 4g, so i wouldnt put it past them to have it ready by july.
that sounds to good to be true and too soon for the supersonic.where are you guys getting all the infos from anyway?
2.2 should run fantastic on the Evo hardware. Doubt the update will be allowed OTA on Sprint as soon as it's available from Google, if history is any teacher.
Hopefully WP7 takes a lesson from both Android and iPhone: regular OS updates that enhance functionality on a MOBILE platform.
Either way, whenever the update gets pushed down, it will be a good thing.
Well i doubt we will get the update in july, but engadget said HTC released a statement saying most 2010 phones will get the update. So n1, Desire, Incredible, and the Evo. Most phones by htc in 2010 have ran sense UI so i dont think that will be as big a problem now to get the update, not as much as Sprint pushing it to the Evo will be with the built in teether. engadget.com/2010/05/21/htc-most-phones-launched-in-2010-will-get-android-2-2/
I think the EVO will get priority from HTC since it is essentially their "flagship" device.
We can always hope.
Let's say there's a two or three month delay between Evo release and 2.2 availability - will 2.2 break ROM's created since the 6/4 release? Or any other apps?
That's what stinks.
Technically it should be pretty soon.
I believe the reason it took so long for the Hero to get 2.1 is because it was coming from 1.5 or 1.6 (I don't remember). Since HTC already has 2.1 running with Sense, upgrading to 2.2 with Sense shouldn't be all that difficult considering the bulk of changes are under the hood and have no changes made to the UI itself.
I wonder...what makes Android upgrades more difficult: changes in UI, or under the hood? Any developers out there that can chime in on this?
I think the major problem here is the carrier. I'm sure OS upgrades have to pass some internal control on the carrier, which explains why Nexus One users get updates immediately.
Nexus One got it so quickly due to the fact it didn't have sense UI. Like a computer getting upgraded windows or MAC or Linux, its easy to upgrade the OS but when you have UI its more difficult to keep everything working properly. And it would be a stupid move for HTC to not have this ready for Tue EVO 4g a few weeks, NO days after its released on the N1 !
khov07 said:
I wonder...what makes Android upgrades more difficult: changes in UI, or under the hood? Any developers out there that can chime in on this?
I think the major problem here is the carrier. I'm sure OS upgrades have to pass some internal control on the carrier, which explains why Nexus One users get updates immediately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe the UI is the biggest problem. Look at CLIQ or Hero or xperia's phone. Also coming from 1.5 Sense to 2.1 Sense is probably a lot more work coming from 2.1 Sense to 2.2 Sense.
HTC offers the updates on their site I believe, not sure if it has anything to do with the carrier.
This one might, as 2.2 enables tethering and hot-spot capabilities. I'm sure carriers will have something to say about that - they have so far.
2.2 isn't as huge an upgrade from 2.1 as it was from 1.5 to 2.1. 2.2 Should be out a lot quicker, as i doubt sense will have to be updated that much
Related
new Features - Google IO
Just got through watching day 2 of the Google IO event. Android will soon get features like Apps2SD, remote wipe, OTA application downloads when purchasing from the web android market on your computer to one or all android devices you own, MS Exchange support, Browser access to hardware including camera, accelerometer, using your android phone as a Remote controller for Google TV-coming this fall and even leverage keyboard and speech to txt for keyboard functions for typing on GTV. I just cant wait to see what for these to be released. What do you think ?
There's already 5 of these threads.
Seriously?! There are not 3, not 8, but 12 Froyo threads on the first page alone. Not only can you not search, but you must be blind. Think before you post...
As there appear to be a significant number of threads on this topic as it is, I am going to close this one. Regards,
Forward-Locked Apps?
I have a question that is purely out of curiosity. I'm not a developer, nor do I have any desire to become one... at this time. In the process of answering questions for my father about his new Android phone, I came across the Android Developers website. Being the infinity curious person that I am, I started to browse through it and came across something that I was particularly curious about, the "Forward-Locked Application" market filter. It states that an application in the market can be set to not be visible to developer devices and unreleased devices. What I'm curious about is why would a developer not want their app to not be visible to said devices? Wouldn't it be to their advantage to allow their app to be visible, installed, and possibly tested if the owner of the developer phone or new unreleased phone so chose to do, after all, this is potentially new hardware that the app developer may not have support for in their app. Now not being a developer myself, I'm sure there are valid reasons for the filter and I am just curious as to what they may be.
Because you haven't tested your app on a new OS build, and want ensure compatibility before offering it for sale. Other reason is that the new OS build either obsoletes, duplicates, or just plain breaks your app. An example would be the updates to the calendar API's in Android 2.2. Every calendar widget in the market that tied into the built-in calendar app ceased to function because the way it interacted with outside apps had changed.
So the lock is not in reference to developer or unreleased hardware, it pertains to developer or unreleased software or OS?
They would check build/version number in the build.prop or whatever they use... It's just like how FroYo builds couldn't see protected apps while it was in pre-release.
garfnodie said: So the lock is not in reference to developer or unreleased hardware, it pertains to developer or unreleased software or OS? Click to expand... Click to collapse yes this is correct. The developer phones have different software that allow native root access and this would be defined in the build.prop . That would also allow people to rip applications and pirate them. That switch is mainly a quality assurance/anti-piracy measure.
ATnTdude said: Because you haven't tested your app on a new OS build, and want ensure compatibility before offering it for sale. Other reason is that the new OS build either obsoletes, duplicates, or just plain breaks your app. An example would be the updates to the calendar API's in Android 2.2. Every calendar widget in the market that tied into the built-in calendar app ceased to function because the way it interacted with outside apps had changed. Click to expand... Click to collapse Actually, those apps that broke, broke because they were using private APIs. As explained, if you stick to public APIs your app should not break when updating OS iterations because ALL APIs are frozen as soon as a release is cut.
Here's another question then, are app's allowed to do automatic bug reporting back to a developer with out the user consent, or even with the users consent. It seems to me that say Google is testing Android 3.0, and one of their in house testers decides to install your app, but your app does not support 3.0 for whatever reason, if there is automatic bug reporting, you could be made aware of a potential incompatibility with a new API and have time to fix it long before the new OS is ever released. This all could never happen though if you have the market filter set.
garfnodie said: Here's another question then, are app's allowed to do automatic bug reporting back to a developer with out the user consent, or even with the users consent. It seems to me that say Google is testing Android 3.0, and one of their in house testers decides to install your app, but your app does not support 3.0 for whatever reason, if there is automatic bug reporting, you could be made aware of a potential incompatibility with a new API and have time to fix it long before the new OS is ever released. This all could never happen though if you have the market filter set. Click to expand... Click to collapse bug reporting is going to be a new feature of 3.0. I dont think many if any apps have their own built in bug reporting. Also it really is on the developers side if their app doesnt work with new OS revisions. They should program their apps in such a way that they wont have to make drastic changes for updates. Google also give plenty of time for developers to make fixes before the first iterations of the new update goes out (almost 1 month in the case of froyo) however some developers just dont care (e.g Co-Pilot)
[Q] Windows Phone 7 Update - any news about this?
Hello, I am wondering if anyone has any information about the supposed MS update which was to take place on February 7th? Also, are we going to be notified of this directly by MS through our phone's update feature or Zune? What I mean, is our hacked rom capable of detecting those official updates? Any information about this will be most welcome. Thanks guys. http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/wp7-update-with-faster-app-load-times-copy-and-paste-is-real-r/ http://pocketnow.com/windows-phone/microsoft-to-unveil-major-wp7-update-at-2011-mwc http://www.windows7news.com/2011/02/02/microsoft-details-upcoming-wp7-update/
This would be good to know. Especially if the update includes more than what their website says: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/features/update-info.aspx Copy and paste is good (not sure why they missed this from the start being that iPhone got mocked for this so much at their beginning), but I really think they need more in this update. Does the update have: - Updated BING to have navigation - The ability to attach videos to emails/texts (I understand what they are doing here, pushing people to use their "Skydrive") If it is a "yes" to both of these, I will be jumping back into Windows Phone 7 from Android. The Windows Phone 7 is super slick I think. The number of apps is lacking, but hopefully people will get on board (yahoo fantasy football, espn, etc).
From neowin.net: Neowin received confirmation from multiple sources, that pins the first Windows Phone 7 update for March 8. According to the sources - including someone well placed inside a European carrier - the update has been delayed due to last minute changes by Microsoft and/or OEMs. The update must then be tested by carriers for two-three weeks prior to launch.
Updates: The first update to Windows Phone 7 brings copy & paste, CDMA device support, large performance improvements and better marketplace search. The update, entitled "NoDo" will be the first in a series of updates over the coming months, according to Microsoft. "Mango" is rumored to be next update for Windows Phone 7, which is pinned to bring multi-tasking for third party apps, HTML5 and the IE9 browser engine to the platform. Supposedly delivered either through Zune or via OTA - but as our ROM has been 'fixed' by the various cooks, i'll probably hold off from either...
Windows Phone 7 update coming in 'early March
Microsoft announced several new Windows Phone 7 features coming in 2011. The first major update is coming next month with Copy and paste functionality and on the second half of this year they will bring more functions to WP7 like. Twitter integration directly into the People Hub. Support for Office documents in the cloud. Dramatically enhanced Web browser experience based on IE9. A new wave of multitasking applications. In addition, the phone will be available soon on networks such as Verizon and Sprint.
What I am hoping to see on the NEXT major update for WP8
.... It doesn't matter what models you have... but when you tilt your phone to landscape (either way), i'm hoping to see the tiles rotate and be able to scroll either left or right. Now, that would be a great addition as far as feature-wise. Also would like to see a freedom to change or customized accent colors of each tiles to your liking - this would be suhhhweet! Additionally, it would also be nice if we could add or customize wallpapers in the background besides having them Black or White but i think that could compromise a bit of battery life but shouldn't be a major deal. Also wouldn't mind seeing different apps for Lock Screen aside of having to swipe up... Anything else or ideas that you guys would love/like/hope to see!?.... Take a crack at it!
Yeah, that's not gonna happen; well at least anytime soon. MS just doesn't care what we want, all the care about is about what they want.
I would simply like to see Windows RT instead of Windops phone. Same hardware, why not same OS and apps?
It's not the same hardware.
Custom Notifications
Custom sounds for messages, for different senders, for notifications, and would like to see live apps popping out if there is a change.
sinister1 said: Yeah, that's not gonna happen; well at least anytime soon. MS just doesn't care what we want, all the care about is about what they want. Click to expand... Click to collapse I feel like I already heard that from Iphone owners. :3 Maybe they don't add -yet- more features to make what is already there as stable and efficient as possible ? Sent from my LG-P970 using Tapatalk 2
I still prefer MS over Apple, but I'm not going to give them a pass on this kind of lockdown crap. WP8 is a good utility / tool OS, but there's no reason it couldn't be a general-purpose OS, and yet MS actively fights against that possibility.
Xbox Music Pass in Poland, led light notification, App instalation from SD card, root XD
Install To SD Card Update App from SD Card Seperate volume levels for notifications and music Import bookmarks to IE More stable FB chat Skype integration to Message & Phone Hub Mobile data monitoring (for every device, not just some carriers) Toast notification logger Remove "Help & Tips" possible Select where to "save contact" (Microsoft Account only atm) Less store restrictions (same app available everywhere on iOS or Droid, but not WP8) Auto-upload photos to 3rd party (Box.net) Edit ascii emoticons End "Nokia Only" non-nokia apps - eg Mass Effect Infiltrator SD Card & USB Storage Explorer App Enable and "encourage" global purchase - buy app on WP8, use it on WP8, RT or Win8 Force re-check for apk files on SD Card (so no eject or reboot req)
As for auto-uploading to other Services than SkyDrive. Microsoft won't implement Providers for other Services but WP8 is already able to be Extended in that regard using Apps. So if you have a Box.net App it could Register as an Auto-Upload Provider and you could then configure it to be used instead of SkyDrive. So basically: the OS supports this right now, it's up to developers to implement it.
CruciasNZ said: Less store restrictions (same app available everywhere on iOS or Droid, but not WP8) Click to expand... Click to collapse Can't say about iOS, but Android does have regional restrictions - Google Currents was limited to certain countries for quite some time. And there are device restrictions which prevent installation of some phone-based apps on a tablet (buy the HD version for an extra $$$), the target Android version is also restricted (hello Samsung and HTC who almost never upgrade devices to the latest Android version). CruciasNZ said: Enable and "encourage" global purchase - buy app on WP8, use it on WP8, RT or Win8 Click to expand... Click to collapse Windows RT/W8 apps are different from WP8 because of a huge difference in screen sizes. It's pretty easy to port apps between WP8 and WinRT, but requires some effort from developers who probably won't give you a free product for the other OS. That's how it's currently with Android apps. When the first iPad was first announced people were making fun of its 2x scaling of iPhone apps or running apps in 1:1 resolution in a tiny box in the center of the screen. So even is MS allow this the results won't be pretty. Syncing between phone and desktop/table would make sense though - IE on Win8 syncs favorites, but IE in WP8 doesn't.
zlogic42 said: Can't say about iOS, but Android does have regional restrictions - Google Currents was limited to certain countries for quite some time. And there are device restrictions which prevent installation of some phone-based apps on a tablet (buy the HD version for an extra $$$), the target Android version is also restricted (hello Samsung and HTC who almost never upgrade devices to the latest Android version). Click to expand... Click to collapse O yeah, there are tons of apps my Nexus 7 cannot get in New Zealand; but it can get textPlus and heyWire, but my WP8 cannot because they are region locked. I want MS to encourage people to make equivalent apps with equivalent region restrictions, right now the markets a bit of a joke from New Zealand zlogic42 said: Windows RT/W8 apps are different from WP8 because of a huge difference in screen sizes. It's pretty easy to port apps between WP8 and WinRT, but requires some effort from developers who probably won't give you a free product for the other OS. That's how it's currently with Android apps. When the first iPad was first announced people were making fun of its 2x scaling of iPhone apps or running apps in 1:1 resolution in a tiny box in the center of the screen. So even is MS allow this the results won't be pretty. Syncing between phone and desktop/table would make sense though - IE on Win8 syncs favorites, but IE in WP8 doesn't. Click to expand... Click to collapse Yeah, I am aware of such limitations having had a go at making WP7 apps. I said enable and encourage, not force - if a developer wants to offer it then they can.
sinister1 said: Yeah, that's not gonna happen; well at least anytime soon. MS just doesn't care what we want, all the care about is about what they want. Click to expand... Click to collapse Almost, its the carriers and OEMS at have ms bent over backwards, ms will do as they told, just not from us Sent from my Arc using xda app-developers app
I would love them to allow more control over background tasks, the ability to attach any code you want to that task, the ability for processes to properly run in the background (over resume) or lock screen, and the ability to access the music library on demand with more control!
Separate volume controls for media and ringer. Custom live tile update intervals. Custom notification sounds. Landscape mode(won't happen). Use of entire screen for tiles. Wp8 leaves narrow bars on lumia 920 now. Jail breaking support for Cydia like apps. Widgets. Better than live tiles for music apps.
My single biggest gripe is AUDIO PROFILES!!! When I plug in a set of headphones, I expect the OS to remeber what settings I had them on when I last plugged them in...Conversely, When I unplug them, I expect the system-wide audio to auto-magically rever to what I had it set to BEFORE I PLUGGED THEM IN!!!
sinister1 said: Yeah, that's not gonna happen; well at least anytime soon. MS just doesn't care what we want, all the care about is about what they want. Click to expand... Click to collapse If they added every feature that any old idiot came along and requested, you'd end up with a big old mess. You'd end up with Android.
"Ending up" with the most popular mobile OS in the world, which is well on its way to being the most popular consumer OS for any form factor, isn't a terrible thing... they should be trying to make a better Android, not trying to make a better iOS. The ways in which WP8 is better than Android right now are almost completely compatible with adding in more features (or, often enough, not locking out so many features that would otherwise already be present)!
MikeyMike01 said: If they added every feature that any old idiot came along and requested, you'd end up with a big old mess. You'd end up with Android. Click to expand... Click to collapse Well said. My only one hang up was no custom text tones. I know it's pretty inane to get upset over, but considering I could make a text tone for phones made 6 years ago, I don't see why this wasn't a feature for all smartphone OS's from the start.