Android 2.2 brings tethering and wi-fi hotspot
By Wilson • May 14th, 2010 • Category: HTC, Industry News
- Photo: Android
The last few Google Android updates have brought a heap of new features and Android 2.2, Froyo, brings one particularly big bombshell with it: a wi-fi hotspot.
Wi-fi and tethering
TechCrunch broke that outside of the major speed update, as well as wholesale Flash support, it appears that the latest version of Google Android will have official USB tethering support – which is the act of using laptop on your mobile computer by using your mobile’s 3G access. In addition to tethering, the real big deal feature is a wi-fi hotspot. In other words, a built-in function of this build of Android will create a wi-fi network on the phone which your mobile device – and other people’s, too – can use to access the web.
Carrier concern
Though these features give Android 2.2 as a platform a clear advantage over competing mobile OS platforms, there is one giant elephant in the room: the carriers. The implication of a wi-fi hotspot at will on carriers with unlimited all-you-can-eat bandwidth plans is devastating. Devastating not only to bandwidth, but more importantly to network performance. So, in this respect, as the report indicates, it’s unclear if carriers will have the option to toggle the feature from their side.
Bigger worries than carriers
However Android 2.2, Froyo, is a far bigger deal than what it means for Verizon, Vodafone, Everything Everywhere and co. It’s another major Android advance in Google’s mission to unseat Apple’s iPhone dominance.
If the NPD’s recent report that cumulatively Android handsets outsold iPhones for the first time recently, than Google is clearly succeeding at its intended goal prior to Froyo’s release.
We expect a deluge of Froyo and general Google Android info to be released at the Google I/O conference on 19 and 20 May.
Tags for this article: Android 2.2, Froyo, google android, iPhones, wi-fi hotspot
