What Is 3G Network

What is 3G?

Here are some abbreviated and shot terms used in communication technology.

  

2G

The name usually given to original GSM, CDMA, and TDMA networks. It uses the spectrum more efficiently than analog (1G) systems, and offers digital encryption of conversations. 2G networks introduced data services for mobiles starting with SMS.

3G

Analog cellular phones were the first generation while digital marked the second generation.

3G is loosely defined, but generally includes high data speeds, always-on data access, and greater voice capacity.

The high data speeds are possibly the most prominent feature, and certainly the most hyped. They enable such advanced features as live, streaming video.

There are several different 3G technology standards. The most prevalent is UMTS, which is based on WCDMA (the terms WCDMA and UMTS are often used interchangeably).

CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access)

CDMA is a digital technology for transmitting data. It is a general technology utilized through various standards.

CDMA has no limit on capacity but the base station will only connect users upon determining that the call quality would fall bellow a predetermined limit.

The term is often used to refer to one specific family of technologies - IS-95 (often referred to cdmaOne) and CDMA2000. Networks using this technology operate in the 800 and 1900 MHz frequency bands and are primarily used in the Americas and Asia

WCDMA(Wideband Code Division Multiple Access)

Wideband CDMA is a third-generation (3G) wireless standard which allows use of both voice and data and offers data speeds of up to 384 Kbps.

The frequency bands for WCDMA are as follows: Europe and Asia - 2100MHz, North America - 1900MHz and 850MHz.

WCDMA is also called UMTS and the two terms have become interchangeable.

Some parts of the WCDMA are based on GSM technology and the networks are designed to integrate the GSM networks at some levels.

EV-DO

A 3G technology add-on for CDMA networks that allows for theoretical download speeds as fast as 2.4 Mbps, though actual rates tend to be far slower.

There are two major versions: Release 0 and Revision A.

Release 0, the original release, is widely deployed. It offers data rates of 2.4 Mbps, with real-life speeds averaging 300-600 Kbps.

Revision A is capable of slightly faster downlink speeds of 3.1Mbps and significantly faster uplink speeds of 1.8Mbps. Rev. A also introduces enhancements that allow features such as VoIP and video calling. Although EV-DO does not support voice calls natively a future upgrade may enable VoIP.

UMTS

UMTS or the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is a third generation wireless network technology which allows speeds of up to 2Mbps.

UMTS is based on the WCDMA technology, which is why these terms have become interchangeable.

In terms of display technology.

AMOLED display (Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode)

AMOLED is an emerging display technology used in portable devices like mobile phones. Active-matrix OLED displays provide the same performance as their passive-matrix OLED counterparts, but they consume significantly less power.

This advantage makes active-matrix OLEDs well suited for portable electronics where battery power consumption is critical.

LED (Light-Emitting Diode)

A semiconductor diode that emits light when charged with electricity. They come in diverse colors and some LEDs even contain multiple elements and are therefore capable of emitting light with different colors.

LEDs are used for displays, for keypad or display backlighting, etc. Bright white LEDs also can be used as flashlights and flashes for mobile phones. Even if they are not as bright as the xenon flash, LEDs are much more compact and require less energy - and also can be used as video light.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

A liquid crystal display is the most common display type among mobile phones because of its low power consumption and good image quality. They are generally easy to read, even under direct sunlight.

The smallest element of an image displayed on a LCD is the pixel. Each pixel normally consists of a layer of molecules aligned between two transparent electrodes, and two polarizing filters.

Some of the types of LCD displays are STN, TFT and TFD. The first one, STN, offers low cost and low power consumption, but low image quality. TFT features greater image quality and response time, yet its displays are more expensive and need more power.

Three other types of LCDs are transmissive, reflective, or transflective. Transmissive displays offer nicer image quality in low or medium ambient light, while reflective ones work best in bright ambient light. Transflective displays combine the best of both.

VGA (Video Graphics Array)

One of the resolution standards used for images, videos and displays. VGA means a resolution of 640 pixels x 480 pixels.

TFD (Thin Film Diode)

TFD is a kind of Liquid crystal display (LCD) technology. It is an active-matrix technology which means that a diode is situated next to each pixel making it possible for the pixels to be turned on and off individually. This allows a quicker response time and more contrast than passive-matrix technologies.

TFD takes the excellent picture quality and the fast response of TFT displays and combines them with the low power consumption and cost of the STN ones.

TFT (Thin Film Transistor)

TFT is one of the best Liquid Cristal Display technologies in terms of image quality and response time. However, it also consumes more power and is more expensive.

TFT, like TFD, is an active-matrix technology. This means a transistor is located next to each pixel, allowing it to be turned on and off individually. This ensures faster response time and greater contrast.

Major OS(operating software)

Apple iOS

Previously iPhone OS, Apple's iOS is the company's own mobile operating system developed and originally released on the Apple iPhone and the Apple iPod Touch back in 2007.

Several years later it was renamed to iOS and was extended to support other Apple devices such as the iPad and the Apple TV.

Unlike Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows Phone, Apple does not license iOS to other manufacturers and it is the sole maker and seller of iOS devices.

iPhone OS 1.x (up to 1.1.5)

The first version of the OS was released initially with the first iPhone (the iPhone 2G as it was pet-named by the public due to the lack of 3G connectivity).

The iPhone OS 1.1.1 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• Home button double-click shortcut to phone favorites or music controls.
• Mail attachments are viewable in portrait and landscape modes.
• Stocks and cities in Stocks and Weather can be reordered.
• Support for TV out.

The iPhone OS 1.1.3 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• The iPod Touch gets Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes apps.
• Google Maps on iPhone gets the "Locate Me" button, hybrid map support and the "Drop Pin" feature.
• Icons on the home screen can be rearranged and placed on multiple home screens (up to nine).
• You can add web shortcuts on the homescreen.
• SMS messages to multiple recipients.
• Multi-touch keyboard allows pressing of modificator keys such as Shift.

iPhone OS 2.x (up to 2.2.1)

The iPhone OS 2.0 was introduced with the iPhone 3G. It also marked the introduction of the Apple AppStore and the support for third-party apps by the iPhone OS.

What's new:

• A number of email enhancements: push email support, Microsoft Exchange support, mass mail delete, mass mail move, saving attached images enabled.
• Search in the contacts list.
• Numerous interface localization options: languages/dual language keyboard.
• Importing SIM contacts is now possible.
• You can view MS Office and iWork attachments in Mail.
• Push email, push contacts, push calendar.
• Remote device configuration, security policies, remote wipe.
• Screenshot capability right out-of-the-box.
• Ability to save pics from Safari or Mail to Photos.
• Bonjour service discovery protocol.
• Addition of Parental controls(apply only to the iPod, Safari, YouTube, iTunes and AppStore).
• Scientific calculator in landscape mode.
• Image geotagging in the Camera.
• A number of Safari web browser changes - photo download, show inline YouTube videos on web pages, new domain extensions available to the .COM button on the keyboard (.net, .edu, .org), entering passwords is more user-friendly showing the last character.
• The Apple AppStore is introduced - a ground-breaking application download/install manager.

The iPhone OS 2.2 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• Maps app gets Google Street View, public transit and walking directions, you can share location via email.
• You can download or stream podcasts via the iTunes application (over Wi-Fi and cellular networks).

iPhone OS 3.x (up to 3.1.3)

The iPhone OS 3.0 was introduced with the iPhone 3GS. It was available as an update both to the iPhone 2G and 3G models.

What's new:

• New Spotlight search tool is now added.
• System-wide Cut, Copy and Paste text feature (even from web pages).
• Moving apps through homescreens is now easier.
• Push background notifications service is introduced.
• Stocks app gets news stories and stock details. It also shows graphical history in landscape mode.
• Parental Controls are extended to movies, TV shows and App Store content.
• Native coice recorder app has been added with editing, cropping and email/MMS sharing. It can record in the background, but doesn't record during calls.
• A maximum of 11 application screens now allowed instead of 9 previously
• Peer-to-peer via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth now available
• Improved predictive dictionary
• Turn-by-turn navigation is now possible (but only with third-party apps and third-party maps)
• Find My iPhone online service via Apple MobileMe
• System-wide landscape keyboard (doesn't work with popups or in Calendar)
• There's now MMS support but it's an operator dependent feature. MMS is also not available to iPhone 2G without some tinkering.
• Individual search bars in the Messages, Calls Log, iPod music player
• New action button in Photos lets you choose multiple pictures to attach to a mail message
• You can now send full-res camera photos via email (but only when you copy and paste them in the email body as opposed to attaching them)
• SMS forwarding introduced.
• Safari gets password and auto fill managers, an anti-phishing tool, proxy servers support, new Copy Link and Open in New Page commands, faster JavaScript performance, video streaming capabilities (HTML 5 video, h.264 and HTTP).
• The iPod music app gets shake-to-shuffle function
• Third-party apps can now get access to your iPod music library
• Media scrubber allows more precise rewinding and fast-forwarding in music and video by 4 variable rates
• Support for YouTube accounts (login), commenting and video rating in the native YouTube app
• Stereo A2DP Bluetooth streaming is on (not available to iPhone 2G).
• Internet tethering is now supported both via Bluetooth and USB (availability depending on the carrier and not to the iPhone 2G).
• You can rent and purchase movies straight from the iPhone.
• You can manage iTunes/AppStore accounts straight from the device (for instance, toggle between two AppStore accounts)
• New way of browsing app screenshots in the AppStore - by scrolling sideways.
• Application subscriptions introduced (for a monthly fee).
• Third-party applications can offer In-App Purchases.
• Optional numeric battery percentage view added
• Speaker independent Voice Control. Can be use to call a phone number, play music by song/album/artist name, shuffle music
• Built-in support for Nike+ jogging system
• TV-out outputs 480p instead 480i resolution
• Text-to-speech feature called VoiceOver is included in the new Accessibility menu
• System-wide Screen Zoom is also included in the Accessibility menu

iOS 3.2.x for iPad only (up to 3.2.2)

With the introduction of the first iPad the iPhone OS was renamed to iOS. Version 3.2 debuted on the iPad and represents a separate separate branch of the iOS development, which eventually merged back into the main iOS version channel.

Differences compared to the iPhone (list not exhaustive):

• The screen auto-rotation works on the homescreen, too.
• Compatible third-party apps (not just the system ones) can be broadcasted to an external display via the TV out link
• Users can change the homescreen wallpaper (at that time the iPhone only had a customizable wallpaper on the lockscreen)
• The Maps app gets a 3D Terrain view mode.
• Supports Bluetooth keyboards.
• A built-in system dictionary gives definitions of words in supported apps.
• Safari has a new thumbnail view of the opened web pages.
• The Photos app has a Places tab allowing users to view their photos pinned on the map
• Users can now watch 720p HD videos in the YouTube app.

iOS 4.x (up to 4.3.5)

The iOS 4.0 was introduced with the iPhone 4. The iPhone 2G and the iPod Touch (1st gen) were no longer supported and were left out of this update. The iPhone 3G and the iPod Touch (2nd gen) could be updated, but have feature limitations. The iPhone 3GS and the iPod Touch (3rd generation) could be updated and support all features.

What's new (list not exhaustive):

• Homescreen wallpapers
• Folder organization of the homescreen icons
• Multitasking and fast app switching
• Google/Wikipedia search in Spotlight
• Bluetooth keyboard pairing support
• SMS character counter
• SMS search
• Email threading
• Unified Email inbox
• Email archiving is now available when you setup Gmail
• Spell checker
• iPod music player can now create, edit and delete playlists
• 5x digital zoom in still camera
• Touch-focus in video capture (for video enabled iPhones)
• Keyboard layouts span over QWERTY, QWERTZ, and AZERTY
• Minor icon design facelifts
• FaceTime video call support (only for the latest then iPhone 4, only over Wi-Fi, and only to other FaceTime users)
• iBooks e-book and PDF reader

The iOS 4.1 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• Fixes iPhone 4 proximity sensor issues.
• Fixes Bluetooth connectivity issues.
• Fixes iPhone 3G performance issues under iOS 4.x.
• Adds High dynamic range camera mode (only to the iPhone 4).

The iOS 4.2 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• Introduces AirPlay, which offers wireless Wi-Fi streaming for video, music, and photos (requires an Apple TV).
• Introduces AirPrint, which offers wireless printing
• Adds text search on web pages in Safari.
• Delivers iOS 4 features to the iPad (multitasking, folders, etc.).
• The Physical iPad screen rotation lock switch is converted into a sound/silent switch in iOS 4.2 (just like on the iPhones), with a virtual screen rotation lock switch added to the multitasking tray.
• The multitasking tray on the iPhone and iPod Touch gets volume controls and AirPlay controls.
• Adds the ability to initiate FaceTime calls to the Voice control.

The iOS 4.2.1 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• Find My iPhone remote management feature becomes free for updated devices (iPhone 4, iPod Touch (4th gen), & iPad).

The iPhone OS 4.2.5 was introduced only on the CDMA iPhone 4 sold by Verizon. It has an exclusive Personal Hotspot feature, allowing the iPhone to turn into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

The iOS 4.3 was presented along with the iPad 2 and it brings the following changes for the whole family (list not exhaustive):

• AirPlay video support for third party apps (requires an Apple TV).
• Improved Safari performance with the new "Nitro" JavaScript engine.
• Ability to switch on automatic downloads (for iTunes Music and App Store applications).
• Ability to cancel and delete an app, which is still downloading.
• Stream from an iTunes library to iOS using Home Sharing.
• Personal Hotspot feature (Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 5 simultaneous devices) on supported carriers. (GSM iPhone 4 only)
• Ability to choose function of iPad's physical switch between rotation lock or mute.
• Photo Booth & FaceTime app (iPad 2 only).

iOS 5.x (up to 5.1.1)

The iOS 5.0 was introduced with the iPhone 4S.

What's new:

• Revamped notifications - real time on-screen notifications, lockscreen notifications and pull-down Notification Center.
• iMessage service in the Messaging app enabling instant messages to other iOS users.
• Reminders - including location-aware options.
• Customizable notification sounds - email, voicemail and calendar alerts.
• Twitter integration.
• iCloud service integration – wireless backup and restore, app and content syncing.
• Enhanced Camera app - viewfinder grid, can use a volume button as a shutter key.
• Integrated photo editing - crop, auto enhance, rotate and red-eye fix.
• Updated Safari browser - tabbed browsing (on iPad), private browsing mode, integrated Reader, Reading list and optimized performance.
• Dictionary lookup throughout the interface.
• Computer free operation - independent activation, OTA updates, iCloud backup and restore.
• Wi-Fi synchronization with iTunes with automatic operation.
• New features in the Mail app - Bold, Italic, Underline and Quote options, extended Search, mass Mark as Read/Unread and Flag setting, Add/Delete mailbox folders.
• Updated Calendar (new weekly view) and Game Center apps.
• Newsstand app combining all of your magazine subscriptions.
• Music player now called Music instead of iPod, has a new icon.
• Separate Video player app on the iPhone.
• AppStore purchase history.
• New Storage management options (list of and info about all installed apps).
• AirPlay screen mirroring for the iPad and iPhone 4S (requires an Apple TV).
• New accessibility options involving the LED flash, custom vibrations and Assistive Touch.
• Maps app gets the option to print maps, to find alternate routes and there is also traffic information in supported regions.
• Introduces a built-in basic photo editing: crop, red-eye, auto-enhance and rotate photos.
• Ability to create keyboard shortcuts to replace custom phrases. By default includes “omw” which expands to “On my way!”.
• Spotlight search now includes Reminders and searches through Messages.
• Adds a new weather forecast tab for the user's current location.
• Week view in landscape orientation of the Calendar.
• Siri voice control (iPhone 4S only and available only in English, French and German). Retains beta status throughout the lifetime of iOS 5.x. Allows speaker independent commands in natural language, voice dictation and Text-to-Speech functionality.
• iPad only - Allows a split keyboard: swipe up or pull apart to split keyboard in half.
• iPad only - Adds an undock keyboard option: keyboard can now be moved up and down the screen.
• iPad only - Introduces tabbed browsing.
• iPad 2 only - Adds multitasking gestures with 4 or 5 fingers.

The iOS 5.0.1 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• Adds multitasking gestures with 4 or 5 fingers to the original iPad.
• Adds a new camera button to the lockscreen - visible only after a double click of the Home button.

The iOS 5.1 was introduced along with the iPad 3 and it brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• Redesigned Camera app (for iPad).
• Camera shortcut on lock screen is now always visible and activates the camera with a slide-up gesture.
• Improved face detection and video stabilization (iPhone 4S & iPad 3 only).
• Siri receives improved dictation skills and Japanese language support.

iOS 6.x (up to 6.1 for now)

iOS 6.x is the current generation of iOS. It was introduced with the iPhone 5, but is also the out-of-the-box OS for the iPod Touch (5th gen), iPad 4 and the iPad Mini.

What's new:

• Siri becomes available on iPad 3 and the iPod Touch (5th gen.)
• Siri now speaks Canadian English, Spanish (Spain/Mexico), Italian, Italian (Switzerland), Korean, Mandarin (Chinese/Taiwan), Cantonese (Hong Kong.)
• Siri can now provide sports scores, movie and restaurants reviews. It can launch apps and do status updates on Facebook or Twitter.
• System-wide Facebook integration: Facebook contacts and events appear in the phonebook and calendar.
• Notification center gets quick Facebook/Twitter update keys
• New Maps app with TomTom data, turn-by-turn voice navigation, 3D/Flyover view mode, Lock screen integration and annonymous traffic info crowdsourcing.
• Improved Safari browser with iCloud tabs, full-screen mode, offline reading, faster performance, support for up to 25 open tabs on iPad, photo upload to web forms.
• Passbook e-ticket app handles loyalty coupons, boarding passes, tickets.
• The Photo app can share photos with other iOS users via Photo Streams. Likes and comments are supported.
• Updated Mail with VIP and Flagged mailboxes.
• Unified FaceTime/iMessages ID. FaceTime now works over the cellular network.
• New UI for the App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, Music, Weather apps.
• Downloading of new apps continues in the background and no longer returns the user to the home screen.
• Newly downloaded apps get a blue "New" ribbon.
• Updating an app no longer requires a password.
• You can set songs from your music library as alarm tones.
• Improved privacy settings.
• New accessibility options and guided access (single-app mode for kids.)
• Improved HDR camera function.
• Built-in Panorama mode in the camera.
• Game Center now supports challenges (achievements).
• Reject call with SMS.
• Do Not Disturb mode allowing users to avoid calls and notifications in certain times of the day.
• Lost mode.
• Improved keyboards and auto-correction.
• The manual display brightness override only works temporarily.
• Users can create custom vibrations for various alerts.
• French, German, and Spanish dictionaries.

The iOS 6.1 brings the following changes (list not exhaustive):

• New music controls on lock screen when you double-press home button.

Siri can now purchase movie tickets via Fandango (USA only).

Android

Android is a Linux-based smartphone operating system and software platform created by Google.

Android beta

The beta release of Android OS was released on 5 November 2007. The first SDK was released a week later, on 12 November 2007.

Android 1.0

Android 1.0 was the first commercially available release of the OS. It was available on the pioneering device - the T-Mobile G1 (released October 2008 in the US and the UK) along with the Android source code.

Android 1.1

Android 1.1 was pushed out on 9 February 2009, coinciding with the announcement of the HTC Dream, an internationally available twin of the T-Mobile G1.

Android 1.5 Cupcake

Android 1.5 Cupcake was released on 30 April 2009. It was the first major Android overhaul and it also was the first Android release to be pet-named after a dessert - a tradition that has been kept alive ever since. Every subsequent Android release was named after a dessert, whose name started with the next letter of the alphabet.

Version 1.5 Cupcake introduced the software on-screen keyboard to Android and allowed the production of touch devices sans QWERTY keyboards such as the HTC Magic (announced February 2009). Equally importantly, it enabled Android smartphones to shoot video.

Along with that, v. 1.5 Cupcake added support for third-party software keyboards, third-party widgets, stereo Bluetooth, copy and paste in the web browser, screen auto-rotation, and an option to upload media to YouTube and Picasa.

Android 1.6 Donut

Android 1.6 Donut was released on 15 September 2009. It added text-to-speech, updated Android Market now offered app screenshots, and it introduced support for WVGA screens. The camera became faster, and the gallery, camera and camcorder got deeply integrated with each other.

Android 2.x Eclair

Android 2.0 Eclair SDK was released on 26 October 2009. Android 2.0 introduced multiple account sync, Microsoft Exchange email support, Bluetooth 2.1, the Quick Contact feature, showing a pop-up for call, SMS and email, as soon as you tap on a contact's avatar. The camera received new features such as flash support, digital zoom, scene mode, white balance, color effect and macro focus. The web browser UI was updated and some new features were added such as double-tap to zoom.

We saw the much overdue native support for multi-touch interaction with software. Live wallpapers were first introduced with Eclair, as well. The UI was redesigned, there were multiple performance improvements and we welcomed the support for more screen sizes and resolutions.

Google Maps Navigation was also introduced alongside Android 2.0 Eclair, quickly turning into a key selling point for Android smartphones in the supported countries.

Android 2.1 was a subsequent release, which was dubbed Eclair, too, as it wasn't a major update in terms of functionality. This sort of minor upgrades between major releases became commonplace in future versions.

Along with Android 2.1 Eclair Google introduced its first Nexus devices as well. Manufactured by HTC, but sold directly by Google, the Google Nexus One was released in January 2010 and in May 2010 it also became the first phone to be updated to Android 2.2 Froyo.

Android 2.2.x Froyo

Android 2.2 Froyo SDK was released on 20 May 2010. Froyo brought significant performance improvements over Eclair. Storage access and applications became faster thanks to the added JIT compiler. The web browser got a speed boost too, courtesy of the new JavaScript engine.

Android 2.2 Froyo also introduced push notifications, USB tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, an updated Android Market with automatic updates and batch install. The web browser could use embedded file upload fields. For the first time users could officially install applications to the external memory. The Adobe Flash support was another major new feature of the web browser.

Minor revisions were later released as updates such as Android 2.2.1, 2.2.2, and 2.2.3.

Android 2.3.x Gingerbread

Android 2.3 Gingerbread SDK was released on 6 December 2010. This Android release offered an updated user interface and even better performance optimization.

It added native support for SIP VoIP internet telephony, improved text input and keyboard accuracy, enhanced copy/paste functionality (word-by-word selection), Near Field Communication (NFC) support, new audio effects such as headphone virtualization and bass boost, new system-wide download manager, and native support for a front-facing camera.

Developers also received a number of under-the-hood enhancements, giving them lower-level access to audio, graphics, and inputs, plus concurrent garbage collection for increased performance and native support for extra sensors such as gyroscopes and barometers. All this allowed devs to write faster native code.

Newer phones, which came out of the box with Gingerbread, now used the newer ext4 file system.

Android 2.3 Gingerbread however, was mainly touted for its enhanced power management, which took a more active approach to dealing with apps, which kept the phone going for much longer.

As of December 2012, Gingerbread is still the most widely used release of Android in the world.

Minor revisions were later released as updates such as Android 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.3.4, 2.3.5, 2.3.6, and 2.3.7.

Among the more important updates of those from a user's point of view is Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread (April 2011) introduced support for voice or video chat via Google Talk. Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread (July 2011) introduced an improved Gmail app, camera enhancements, and an even better battery efficiency.

Google continued the Nexus lineup with the launch of the Samsung-made Google Nexus S (December 2010), which was the first phone publicly released with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and also the first phone to support NFC on both hardware and software level.

Android 3.x Honeycomb

Android 3.0 Honeycomb SDK was released on 22 February 2011. It was Android's tablet-only version and was available concurrently with Android Gingerbread for phones.

Android Honeycomb introduced a new all-touch user interface, which did not rely on any physical navigation buttons. Unfortunately, it was plagued by performance issues throughout its product life.

Besides the visual differences, Honeycomb was first to introduce native hardware acceleration and support for multi-core processors. Honeycomb offered support for video calls over Google Talk even before Gingerbread smartphones did (the feature was only released in Android 2.3.4).

Later on Honeycomb was updated to Android 3.1 and 3.2 before Gingerbread and Honeycomb were both replaced by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Android 3.1 added support for USB accessories such as external keyboards and pointing devices, joysticks and gamepads. Android 3.2 brought along refinements in performance via optimizations for a wider range of tablet devices.

Android 3.x Honeycomb release was not accompanied by a dedicated Nexus device, but Google widely used the Motorola XOOM as an ambassador and main demonstration platform for Honeycomb.

Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich

The Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich SDK was released on 19 October 2011.

Android ICS was released along with the Google Galaxy Nexus (November 2011) - the next successor in the popular Nexus lineup.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich or ICS, as it is better known, integrated the phone and tablet branches of Android into a single edition with a common interface, which again didn't rely on physical navigation buttons.

One of the most prominent changes in the UI was that the Widgets were now moved to a tab of their own in the main menu. Numerous other changes were introduced too, such as a new typeface throughout the UI - Roboto, the ability to launch apps from the lockscreen, support for real-time speech to text dictation, Face Unlock, Google Chrome web browser came preinstlalled with tabs and syncing of bookmarks, camera with time-lapse and panorama and a built-in photo editor, data usage analysis, and new calendar and mail apps. The UI graphics and animations got hardware acceleration and Wi-Fi Direct functionality was now supported natively.

Minor revisions were later released as updates such as Android 4.0.1 and 4.0.2.

In December 2011 Android 4.0.3 was released, fixing most bugs spotted in the previous releases plus adding enhanced video stabilization.

Android 4.0.4 is another minor update, which further enhanced the performance of the OS.

Further minor revisions were later released as updates ranging from Android 4.0.4 to 4.0.5 and 4.0.6.

Android 4.1.x Jelly Bean

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean SDK was released on 9 July 2012. A new version 4.2 was released later on under the same Jelly Bean moniker.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has a focus on performance, aiming to get rid of stutter by introducing Vsync (Vertical synchronization) of the timing of the frames output and the screen's refresh rate. Also, Jelly Bean adds triple buffering in graphics.

Instead of a smartphone, Google chose to display a tablet along with its Android 4.1 Jelly Bean release - the Google Nexus 7 (July 2012) was meant to show that Jelly Bean looked equally good on a tablet screen.

Beyond performance, there are other interesting features such as, offline voice recognition and dictation, expandable notifications, USB audio output and HDMI multichannel audio output, App encryption and Smart App updates. The Roboto font has also been refreshed, widgets are now dynamically resizable, and word prediction has been updated, too. Google Now is also a pretty big deal - it processes various data about your location, time of day, your schedule, etc. - and it shows you a pack of information cards, which it deems important to you in the current context. It also supports an advanced natural language voice search function, which is quite flexible.

Minor revisions of 4.1 Jelly bean were later released as updates such as Android 4.1.1 and 4.1.2.

Android 4.2.x Jelly Bean

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean builds on the foundations of 4.1 Jelly Bean and adds many new features. There is now support for multiple user accounts on tablets, native settings shortcuts in the notifications pane, gesture typing (ala Swype), wireless screen streaming via Wi-Fi Direct (over the Miracast protocol), widgets on the lockscreen, support for USB audio docks, redesigned camera app with HDR mode, Photo Sphere capturing and a built-in editor with filters, as well as further stability improvement.

A minor revision of Android 4.2 was later released as an update - Android 4.2.1. Most importantly it added native support for Bluetooth gamepads and joysticks.

The release of the Android 4.2 was supported with the announcement of a fourth Nexus smartphone - the LG-made Google Nexus 4 (November 2012).

Not only that, but Google also unveiled a 10-inch tablet - the Samsung-made Google Nexus 10.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

Google announced Android Jelly Bean 4.3 in July 2013. Along with the announcement, Google also unveiled the 2nd generation Nexus 7 tablet, which was the first device to ship with Android 4.3 out of the box.

The improvements introduced by Android 4.3 are mostly marginal from a user's point of view:

• Bluetooth LE (a.k.a. Bluetooth Smart) support
• OpenGL ES 3.0 support, allowing for improved game graphics
• Restricted access mode for user profiles (Kid mode or Guest mode)
• Virtual surround sound by Fraunhoffer
• Filesystem write performance improvement by "trim" support
• Auto-complete in the dialer of the Phone app
• Bluetooth AVRCP 1.3 support - displays track names when streaming to a stereo.
• Faster user switching
• Location detection through Wi-Fi even with Wi-Fi off
• Improved Photo Sphere
• 4K resolution video capture support
• Background Wi-Fi location still runs even when Wi-Fi is turned off
• Many security enhancements, performance enhancements, and bug fixes

Android 4.4 Kit Kat

Rumored to be called "Key Lime Pie", the next version of Android was announced on 3 September 2013 under the name KitKat (with the endorsement of Nestle).

BlackBerry Playbook OS

The BlackBerry Playbook OS was developed by Research in Motion (RIM) for its Playbook tablet. It was based on the QNX Neutrino real-time operating system designed to run Adobe AIR and BlackBerry WebWorks applications.

The OS has been received really well by reviewers worldwide despite the lacking features in the original release. Later on, most of these have been added and the OS even got a native Android app launcher (though app support is rather limited).

The Playbook OS is no considered an evolutionary dead-end as no new generation of tablets have been released by RIM.

However, RIM’s latest endeavor – the BlackBerry 10 OS – is similarly based on QNX and it will replace the long-standing BlackBerry OS on smartphones in 2013.

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