Google launched Android 2.0 today, the latest edition of the search giant's platform for smartphones. In addition, Google officially added support for version 2.0 to the Android software development kit (SDK); so developers can start bringing the boatload of new features brought by the operating system update into their applications. See here for a comprehensive list of new features in Android 2.0 and here for information about the SDK. Below is Google's Official Android 2.0 video. It offers a brief overview of what's in the major platform upgrade.
After the break is a comprehensive list of new user features in Android 2.0 from Google's developers site.
New User Features
Contacts and accounts
Multiple accounts can be added to a device for email and contact
synchronization, including Exchange accounts. (Handset manufacturers can
choose whether to include Exchange support in their devices.)
Developers can create sync adapters that provide synchronization with
additional data sources.
Quick Contact for Android provides instant access to
a contact's information and communication modes. For example, a user can tap a
contact photo and select to call, SMS, or email the person. Other applications
such as Email, Messaging, and Calendar can also reveal the Quick Contact widget
when you touch a contact photo or status icon.
Email
Exchange support.
Combined inbox to browse email from multiple accounts in one page.
Messaging
Search functionality for all saved SMS and MMS messages.
Auto delete the oldest messages
in a conversation when a defined limit is reached.
Camera
Built-in flash support
Digital zoom
Scene mode
White balance
Color effect
Macro focus
Android virtual keyboard
An improved keyboard layout to makes it easier to hit the correct characters
and improve typing speed.
The framework's multi-touch support ensures that key presses aren't missed
while typing rapidly with two fingers.
A smarter dictionary learns from word usage and automatically includes
contact names as suggestions.
Browser
Refreshed UI with actionable browser URL bar enables users to directly
tap the address bar for instant searches and navigation.
Bookmarks with web page thumbnails.
Support for double-tap zoom.
Support for HTML5:
Database API support, for client-side databases using SQL.
Application cache support, for offline applications.
Geolocation API support, to provide location information about the device.
tag support in fullscreen mode.
Calendar
Agenda view provides infinite scrolling.
Events indicate the attending status for each invitee.
Invite new guests to events.
New Platform Technologies
Media Framework
Revamped graphics architecture for improved performance that enables better
hardware acceleration.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 2.1
New BT profiles: Object Push Profile (OPP) and Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP)
