Gingerbread is the latest version of Google's open-source Android operating system for smartphones. Each version is named after a dessert, and they go in alphabetical order: Cupcake, Donut, and so on.
The last version, Froyo, was sort of like Mac OS X Leopard in that it introduced a ton of new features. (For you Windows fans, it was like Vista except that it worked.) Gingerbread is more like Snow Leopard or Windows 7, in that it doesn't add very many new features but it just makes things better overall, with things like an improved on-screen keyboard and streamlined interface. You can read Ed Burnette's rundown of its new features here.
So when am I going to see Gingerbread on my Android phone?
That's a good question.
Can I have a good answer?
Maybe. It depends on a lot of things, really.
Like what?
Well, first, older phones probably won't see it at all. This may be partly because of heavier system requirements, but is mostly because of two things: Manufacturer customizations, and manufacturers' priorities.
Because of who to what now?
Manufacturer customizations are things like Motorola's MotoBLUR, Samsung's TouchWiz, and HTC's HTC Sense interface. They're like overlays layered on top of Android, that are supposed to improve it in some way or another. (HTC Sense is the most popular, in the Android community, while the others tend to be merely tolerated.)
The thing is, these customizations aren't just separate apps. They're like a layer of melted cheese on top of your Android sandwich, and they get all into the rest of it. So the hardware manufacturer can't just rip-and-replace, not if they want to keep from surprising people by taking their features away. They have to write a new version of their layer, that works with both Gingerbread and your phone.
That's probably the biggest reason why your older phone may never see Gingerbread.
You said two things, though. What's this about "manufacturers' priorities?"
The fact that they'd rather get you to buy a new phone than make your old phone better.
But Apple does free iPhone upgrades all the time!
That's Apple, not Android. For an Android smartphone the upgrade process is often painful and messy, if it even happens at all. I was lucky my HTC Aria got an update to Froyo, and I had to blow the whole thing away to install it. Then it messed something up on my phone, and I had to work around that.
OK ... so is my phone getting Gingerbread or not?
The easiest way to find out is to check with your manufacturer or wireless carrier, and see what they have to say. You can also type "(the name of your phone) gingerbread" into your favorite search engine.
There are a few phones that are rumored to be getting Gingerbread soon. These include the Droid Incredible 2, the Samsung Droid Charge, the HTC Desire and the Samsung Epic. That's partly based on rumors, and partly based on official communication; in the HTC Desire's case, HTC previously said they wouldn't upgrade the Desire before changing its mind.
Of course, there are two other ways to get a Gingerbread phone.
What are those?
The first one is to root your phone and install a custom ROM, like CyanogenMod. I didn't really enjoy doing that, but somebody else might.
The second? Do what the manufacturers want you to do and buy a new phone that has Gingerbread on it. If you like your old phone, though, there's really no need. Just wait out the rest of your contract.
Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.
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