Google has released the SDK and NDK for its latest mobile operating system, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and it brings a host of improvements and new features to the table. The first device to sport the operating system will be Google’s latest flagship phone, the Google Nexus S, and we should start seeing other devices early in 2011, including the Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone.
[RELATED_ARTICLE]Apart from refinements from simplicity, speed and power efficiency, Gingerbread also plenty of enhancements for gaming, as well as new platform technologies such as native VoIP/SIP/NFC (Near Field Communication) support, as well as support for a host of new sensors, such as gyroscopes and barometer.
The Gingerbread platform also brings with a new media framework, which apart from support for VP8 video and WebM image compression technologies, offers support for previously unsupported formats, such as AAC and AMR.
Check out the introductory video below, as well as a more complete list of new features, à la Google. Refer to Google’s Gingerbread page for more details, as well as download links for the SDK and NDK.
New User Features
UI refinements for simplicity, speed and power-efficiency
Faster, more intuitive text input (redesigned keyboard and text input)
Improved power management
Control over applications (Manage Applications – running tab)
New ways of communicating, organizing (NFC, VoIP, SIP)
Downloads management
Camera access (front and back)
New Developer Features
Performance
Concurrent garbage collector
Faster event distribution
Updated video drivers
Native input and sensor events
Gyroscope, rotation vector, linear acceleration, gravity, and barometer supportImproved 3D motion processing
Open API for native audio
Native graphics management
Native access to Activity lifecycle, window management
Native access to assets, storage
Robust native development environment
Mixable audio effects
Support for new media formats
Access to multiple cameras
New Platform Technologies
Media Framework
New media framework fully replaces OpenCore, maintaining all previous codec/container support for encoding and decoding.
Integrated support for the VP8 open video compression format and the WebM open container format
Adds AAC encoding and AMR wideband encoding
Linux Kernel
Upgraded to 2.6.35
Networking
SIP stack, configurable by device manufacturer
Support for Near Field Communications (NFC), configurable by device manufacturer