While it is obvious that Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) is better than Android 2.2 (Froyo), going through their comparison will help you understand what are these new features in Gingerbread which give it an edge over its predecessor.
A joint venture between Google and the Open Handset Alliance, Android operating system doesn’t need any introduction today. It doesn’t really matter whether the popularity of Android OS is attributed to the amazing features that it has to offer or whether it is attributed to the drawbacks of its competitors. At the end of the day, it’s popularity that matters, and when it comes to popularity factor Android is the name you need to watch out for. Android has come a long way since the release of Android 1.0 on 23rd September 2008.
At the Google I/O 2011, the company announced the new Android OS – Ice Cream Sandwich, which will be made available towards the end of this year. While the release date of Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS is not yet in sight, Android 2.2 and 2.3 are two options that smartphone users out there are left with.
Android 2.2 (Froyo) Vs. 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) – which happens to be the latest Android OS version for smartphones, was released on 24th February, 2011, as a follow-up for Android 2.3 which was released earlier on 6th December, 2010. Android 2.3 is basically a successor to Android 2.2 (Froyo) which was released on 20th May, 2010. The rule of the thumb that the current version is bound to be better than its predecessor is tailor-made for the tech arena wherein technology becomes outdated within a few weeks. It is least surprising that you get to see something similar when it comes to 2.2 vs 2.3 battle, with the latter overshadowing it predecessor with great ease.
Why is Android 2.3 Better than 2.2?
While Android 2.2 was armed with Linux Kernel 2.6.32, the 2.3 version is armed with Linux Kernel 2.6.35. One of the most obvious new element in Android 2.3 is the updated UI – with new color schemes and tweaks, in the 2.3 version which makes it a lot simpler and faster as well as more appealing than the 2.2 version. Even the keyboard in version 2.3 has been tweaked to make it fast and accurate. The 2.2 version was armed with Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi connectivity and boasted of Wi-Fi hotspot functionality which meant you could use your smartphone as a wireless router with this version on board. The 2.3 version, on the other hand, comes with all these 2.2 features plus has NFC (Near Field Communication) technology – which facilitates e-transactions, digital content exchange, etc., to its credit. At the same time, the 2.3 version also boasts of native support for SIP VoIP telephony for Internet calling.
It also boasts of native support for sensors like gyroscopes and barometers which was missing in the previous version. Gingerbread is also loaded with audio enhancement features – like equalization and bass boost, which add to the users experience. As far as battery life comparison is concerned, Android 2.3 easily edges out the former with its improved power management system which manages apps more efficiently. More importantly, the 2.3 version does this without compromising on the speed factor. The new download management feature in 2.3 lets you manage all your downloads from one place. Even the multitasking abilities that the new version has to offer are far better than that of its predecessor, and all these factors make it better than Android 2.2.
There is no doubt about the fact that Android 2.3 Gingerbread has an edge over Android 2.2 Froyo. Does that mean Android 2.3 is the best Android OS out there? Today it indeed is, but Ice Cream Sandwich – which is expected to bring all those Android tablet features to your smartphones, is bound to be better than the Gingerbread. Scheduled for release in Q4 this year, Ice Cream Sandwich is – as Android engineer Mike Claren puts it, ‘most ambitious release to date’. However, we will have to wait for a little while before we lay our hands on this update, and until then it is Gingerbread all the way. Irrespective of whether it is 2.2, 2.3 or the Ice Cream Sandwich, the fact remains that Android has strengthened its position in the market, and it will take something really amazing to bring it down.