Report: Android 3.0 to arrive in mid-October with minimum specs - Update

According to several reports, the next major release of Google's open source Android mobile operating system will ship in mid-October and will require a minimum set of hardware requirements. Android 3.0, code-named "Gingerbread", will reportedly require at least a 1 GHz processor, a 3.5-inch display and 512 MB of RAM. Devices that don't meet the new requirements will likely remain on either version 2.1 or 2.2 of Android.

The reports also say that a new resolution of 1280 by 760 will be supported for devices with screens larger than 4 inches – possibly hinting at future Android-based tablets. New device rumours include a mobile phone with a 4.3-inch display and a dual core 800 MHz processor running Android 3.0 called the HTC Vision, and a 2 GHz Android-powered phone from Motorola.

In mid-June, "multiple sources close to Google" told TechCrunch that the company is "laser focused" on the operating system's user experience, noting that it hopes that it can get Android's user experience closer to that of Apple's iPhone, while also making custom user interface (UI) layers, such as HTC's Sense or Motorola's Blur, unnecessary. Exact details of the Android 3.0 release, however, have yet to be confirmed.

The latest release of Android is version 2.2, code-named "Froyo", released at this year's Google I/O developer conference. So far, the only device to be officially updated to Android 2.2 is Google's Nexus One smartphone.

Update: Android's Open Source and Compatibility Tech Lead Dan Morrill commented on yesterday's reports, on Twitter, saying "In summary, please remember that rumors are not official announcements. ;)".

See also:

• Google update Nexus One to Android 2.2 "Froyo", a report from The H.
• Google release Android 2.2 "Froyo" source code, a report from The H.
• Google I/O: Android 2.2 "Froyo" announced, a report from The H.

(crve)