Google has just officially announced the next version of the Android Platform, Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
The long-awaited follow-up to Android 2.2 Froyo will be making its debut on the new Samsung Nexus S smartphone. On its developer blog, Google highlights some of the new features in Android 2.3.
These features include:
Rich multimedia -- including support for VP8 and WebM video and new audio effects.
Support for front-facing cameras, SIP/VoIP and Near Field Communication (NFC).
Enhancements for game developers, including new sensor types.
The Nexus S
The first phone to get the Android 2.3 treatment is the Nexus S. Details of the Nexus S were leaked last month. The phone, which was developed alongside Samsung, combines many of the hardware elements of the popular Galaxy S series of devices with the new features in Android 2.3.
The Nexus S has a pretty impressive spec sheet. It features:
1 GHz Cortex A8 processor
16GB of built-in flash memory
4-inch Super AMOLED screen and Samsung's new Contour Display curved glass screen
5 megapixel rear camera and front-facing VGA camera
In the U.S., the Nexus S will be available unlocked and without a contract at Best Buy stores on December 16, 2010. Although the phone is quad-band and unlocked, it was designed to run on the T-Mobile network. The phone will be available for $199 with a contract or $529 without.