Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Android Gingerbread

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Developer
  
Google

Preceded by
  
Android 2.2.3 "Froyo"

Android Gingerbread

Initial release
  
December 6, 2010; 6 years ago (2010-12-06)

Latest release
  
2.3.7 (GWK74) / September 21, 2011; 5 years ago (2011-09-21)

Succeeded by
  
Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" (Tablets)

Official website
  
developer.android.com/about/versions/android-2.3-highlights.html

Android 2.3–2.3.7 "Gingerbread" is a legacy version of the Android mobile operating system developed by Google and released in December 2010. The Gingerbread release introduced support for near field communication (NFC)—used in mobile payment solutions—and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)—used in VoIP internet telephony.

Gingerbread's user interface was refined in many ways, making it easier to master, faster to use, and more power-efficient. A simplified color scheme with a black background gave vividness and contrast to the notification bar, menus, and other user interface components. Improvements in menus and settings resulted in easier navigation and system control.

The Nexus S smartphone, released in 2010, was the first phone from the Google Nexus line that ran Gingerbread, and also the first one from the line with built-in NFC functionality.

Gingerbread uses version 2.6.35 of the Linux kernel.

As of September 5, 2016, statistics issued by Google indicate that 1.5% of all Android devices accessing Google Play run Gingerbread.

Features

New features introduced by Gingerbread include the following:

  • Updated user interface design, providing increased ease-of-use and efficiency.
  • Support for extra-large screen sizes and resolutions (WXGA and higher).
  • Native support for SIP VoIP internet telephony.
  • Improved text input using the virtual keyboard, with improved accuracy, better text suggestions, and voice input capability.
  • Enhanced copy/paste functionality, allowing users to select a word by press-hold, copy, and paste.
  • Support for Near Field Communication (NFC), allowing the user to read an NFC tag embedded in a poster, sticker, or advertisement .
  • New audio effects such as reverb, equalization, headphone virtualization, and bass boost.
  • New Download Manager, giving users easy access to any file downloaded from the browser, email, or another application.
  • Support for multiple cameras on the device, including a front-facing camera, if available.
  • Support for WebM/VP8 video playback, and AAC audio encoding.
  • Improved power management, including more active management of power-consuming applications.
  • Enhanced support for native code development.
  • A switch from YAFFS to ext4 file system on newer devices.
  • Audio, graphical, and input enhancements for game developers.
  • Newer version of Unity available for game developers.
  • Concurrent garbage collection for increased performance.
  • Native support for more sensors (such as gyroscopes and barometers).
  • Android API levels: 9 and 10

    • References

    Android Gingerbread Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA