Google releases Android 2.2 source code

OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE HOUSE Google has released the source code for its Android 2.2 mobile operating system to developers.

Code named "Froyo", this next version of the Android OS was shown off at this year's Google I/O developer conference. Froyo is the seventh release of Android since 1.0 and will be the next official update.

According to the Android developer's blog, Froyo 2.2 has a number of changes, improvements and new features compared to the 2.1 release code named "Eclair" that came out in January,.

First up there are several new APIs and services, such as new data backup APIs. There's also a Dalvik JIT compiler that improves overall CPU-bound code performance by two to five times compared to version 2.1. And there is more support for enterprise capabilities such as Exchange account auto-discovery and calendar sync, remote wipe and global address lists look-up.

There is a "faster, more powerful" web browser that includes the V8 Javascript engine, resulting in a three times improvement in Javascript speeds and the ability to send Android Application Error reports.

Apparently Nexus One smartphone owners with previous development builds of Android 2.2 are already starting to pick up the update. Those who run the 2.1 release that shipped with the Nexus One are not getting it.

Nexus One owners get a few additional features including the ability to turn their phone into a portable WiFi hotspot that can be shared with up to eight other devices. µ