There was a familiar rumor floating around the Android world that Google has minimum hardware requirements for Honeycomb (3.0). The same rumor went around when we first heard about Gingerbread, but were quickly squandered by Googlers with inside knowledge of the situation. That is exactly why we were skeptical this time around when we heard that there were strict requirements for manufacturers; it turns out we were right to be suspicious.
Dan Morrill, who works for the Android team, tweeted confirmation that there are no minimum hardware requirements. So there you have it folks, no requirements from Google, just false rumors starting from misinformation. [Twitter]
Reader comments
Morrill: No minimum processor requirements for Honeycomb
rumor is what fuels us all
I love how they shut down stupid rumors so fast.
Admittion by denile. Works for the government at Area 51!
I was never worried about big G giving oem's minimum specs for Honeycomb, but rather interested to see how it will play out for phones. There are also rumors flying around that Honeycomb is optimized for tablets, and with the tablet craze going on now, it may have some merit. I just don't wanna see a sluggish OS on my phone because it was designed for a tablet.
Now I don't know when any new versions of Android will be released, or what devices will get them, or even if this is a genuine concern or not. Hell I haven't even been paying attention to tablet specs so not even sure if they are much different from high end smart phones, aside from screen size. I trust Google will work it all out, tho. With Android booming, and a huge part of that obviously being smartphones, I can't imagine then pissing millions of users off with a choppy os just to make the tablet users happy. Amidst all the 'end of days' Android rumors so far, I must say that I've been pretty happy with how Google has done things to make Android phones above all others. So I'm sure ill just sit back and let them handle the details as I usually do, and I bet I end up at least mostly excited about the new Android versions. Now if I could just get Verizon to stop walking all over their customers as they backpedal into the past, I'd be golden.
There's going to be some minimum MARKETING requirements for Honeycomb devices though...and a dual core will be needed to match the spec sheets of rival devices. People buy specs as much as they buy magic.
Wonder if Apple will jump on the dual core bandwagon with the iPad 2? Because if they don't, they're going to give up a LOT of ground in 2011 to Android tablets. People buy specs as much as they buy magic.
>"So there you have it folks, no requirements from Google, just false rumors starting from misinformation."
Why anyone would have believed such a stupid rumor from the start is what amazes me. And, of course, anti-Androids posted the crap to Slashdot to further fan the flames of stupidity. Ug.
The rumors were squandered by Google insiders? E.g., spent foolishly? Maybe you mean squelched.
Assuming so, that's a good thing. Not sure about what it means if they frittered the rumors away.
"The rumors were squandered by Google insiders . . ."
In the immortal words of Inigo Montoya, "I do no tink that wor means wha you tink it means."
No minimum requirements even for tablets? Hmm.. I doubt it.
Obviously there is sort of a minimum requirement because for a device to sell well it will need to perform. But Google is not going to enforce minimums. Google is smart to let the market play this out. People are starting to learn what to look for in these devices and as they become more educated they will want power, and I can guarantee some company will be there to deliver it. Free markets ALWAYS lead to better and faster innovation. I love Google's business model with android
how did we make the leap from "no hard minimum processor requirement" to no minimum hardware requirement? The last time that I looked at a cellphone specsheet it listed more than the CPU.
Now if I hear that it's confirmed that there's no minimum display resolution requirement for Honeycomb I'll get really excited and hope that the Incredible gets the update. After I can stop hoping that it gets the Gingerbread update, that is.