Android 3.0: all the latest updates

Information about Android 3.0 - Android Honeycomb - is coming thick and fast now as a raft of Android 3.0 tablets are lined up for release this year.

Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far.

On 20 October 2010, we reported that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets were rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. This resulted in a huge range of tablets arriving at CES 2011, with UK release dates later in the year, but none of the tablets on show were actually running Android 3.0.

Android 3.0 release date

Android 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.

In a video on All Things Digital posted on 7 December 2010 Google's Andy Rubin showed off a prototype Motorola Android 3.0 tablet and confirmed that the Android 3.0 release date will be "some time next year".

As of mid-February 2011, we've seen Android 3.0 running on a wide range of tablets which are all due out soon, which means Android 3.0 is very nearly ready for launch. We're guessing on a Honeycomb release date some time in March/April.

Android 3.0 features and specifications

UPDATE: As we reported on 9 March 2011, Google is working on integrating Google Voice into Android 3.0. The announcement was made by a Google employee called Zeke who posted on the Google Voice forum: "As you've noticed, Google Voice isn't available for Honeycomb yet. We're working on it, and I'll update this thread as more info is available."

As we reported in July 2010, a Russian podcast detailed how Android 3.0 Honeycomb will be restricted to high-end handsets and tablets. The podcast explained that Android 3.0 phones will require at least a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 3.5-inch or larger displays.

A Korean electronics firm then claimed that Android 3.0 will actually require a dual-core processor to run. Google's Dan Morrill scotched the rumours in a tweet, saying "there's no hard minimum processor requirement for Honeycomb. Trust me, if there were I'd know."

According to the Google Mobile Blog, Android 3.0 has had a huge amount of user interface refinement, and is designed specifically for large-screen devices (so, tablets). Widgets have been made more interactive, and the Home screen has received a snazzy 3D makeover.

The new Chrome browser in particular has received some major polish, with the addition of tabbed browsing, auto-fill, syncing with desktop versions of Chrome and private browsing all bringing it closer to the browsing features of a PC.

Android Market is now also web based and it's designed for the tablet - you can purchase directly from here and finally search more comprehensively for applications.

'Bubbled' widgets are also being introduced - they can present multiple stories, videos, emails or books without you having to enter the application, giving easy access to your important information without entering any apps.

Also, all applications will be able to use the fragmentation mode, meaning that, like Gmail, things like Twitter will be able to have side by side information in the same app. Support for in-app purchases is coming too.

Google has detailed more of the new features in this video:

Android 3.0 is also set to offer music syncing, as we reported on 18 January 2011.The 'sync music' option could enable Android 3.0 devices to sync local music with cloud-based services.

UPDATE: For now, as we reported on 25 March 2011, Google has taken the decision to keep Android 3.0 Honeycomb development in-house, saying that it isn't yet ready for the open-source arena. Android boss Andy Rubin says the team "doesn't even know whether it would work on mobile phones" and that making it open source now would run the risk of tarnishing Android's reputation.

Android 3.0 tablets

Acer has announced 7- and 10-inch Android tablets which are slated for release in April 2011. They'll be running Android 3.0. The two tablets are the Acer Iconia Tab A100 and the Acer Iconia Tab A500.

Asus announced a range of tablets at CES, including the 7-inch Eee Pad MeMO, which comes with a capacitive stylus for use with a dedicated note-taking app.

Pansonic has announced the Viera Tablet for use with the company's connected TVs, though it's unclear whether it will use Android 3.0 or an earlier version.

The Motorola Android 3.0 prototype that Andy Rubin showed off last year surfaced as the Motorola Xoom, now confirmed to be sporting a dual-core processor 10.1-inch screen, front- and rear-facing cameras and HD video recording. We were able to get some time with it at CES, and at MWC 2011 we brought you our Hands on: Motorola Xoom review.

LG also got in on the Android 3.0 game at CES, launching the T-Mobile G-Slate. The LG Optimus Pad is on its way too. We played with the Optimus Pad at MWC 2011 for our Hands on: LG Optimus Pad review.

We're also going to see a Honeycomb tablet in the form of the HTC Flyer (see our Hands on: HTC Flyer review) and the Dell Streak 10.

We got hands-on time with the Android 3.0 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 at Mobile World Congress. The new Tab features a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 CPU and a luxurious 10.1-inch (1280 x 800 pixel) touchscreen.

In a separate event back in the UK, Toshiba let us get hands on with its as yet unnamed Toshiba tablet which will be running Android 3.0 when it goes on sale.

Android 3.0 phones

One of the first Android 3.0 phones could be the Samsung Galaxy S2 if another rumour is to be believed. However, in our hands on Samsung Galaxy S2 review from Mobile World Congress the S2 was confirmed as having the 'latest generation of Android on it', with the current iteration running Android 2.3.1.

On 27 October 2010, reports appeared that Google was planning to release an Android 3.0 powered Nexus Two with Carphone Warehouse, although we now know that the next Nexus - called the Nexus S and available through Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy - is running Android 2.3. Check out our Google Nexus S review for the lowdown.

It's also been claimed that the PSP Phone will be running Android 3.0, but again, the version we got hands on with - now officially called the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, was running Android 2.3.

So where are the Android 3.0 phones? After a chat TechRadar had with Google in January 2011, it seems quite possible that Android 3.0 is a tablet-only OS and will never be coming to mobile phones.

On 16 March 2011, a leaked picture of the HTC Pyramid surfaced on XDA.cn, a Chinese site. XDA also claimed that the phone would launch with Android 3.0, but we'd take that rumour with a large pinch of salt as Android 3.0 is increasingly looking to be tablet-specific.

We'll bring you more Android 3.0 details as they emerge.