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Google Says Honeycomb Will Not Come To Smartphones

Posted by timothy on from the xda-devs-need-some-love dept.

tekgoblin writes "Google has officially announced that Honeycomb will not be coming to Android based smartphones. Android 3.0 Honeycomb was specifically made for Tablets according to a Google spokesperson. Although, certain features that are present on Honeycomb will become available over time on Android smartphones. Google has not offered any information to what features will be ported over specifically." On the bright side, Honeycomb will come with disk-encryption capabilities built in.

37 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Heh... Riiight... by Svartalf · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They said the same basic thing about Tablets and the pre-Honeycomb versions of Android... ChromeOS was supposed to be for Tablets earlier on- and people went and did Tablets with 1.x and 2.x versions anyway to mostly good results. If there's not anything explicitly keeping it from being useful on phones, SOMEONE will do a phone with it.

    --
    I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
  2. Fragmentation by Trev311 · · Score: 2

    So on a platform that (supposedly) is already rife with fragmentation they are going to have completely different versions just for tablets? How does this make any sense? I understand that tablets and smartphones have different uses and thus different needs, but really a completely separate version?

    As an aside... What does this mean for smartphone android version numbers? Will it never get to 3.0? Or will it have a different 3.0?

    1. Re:Fragmentation by click2005 · · Score: 2

      If the instruction set and APIs are compatible it should make it no harder to create apps than it is for the Iphone & Ipad.

      --
      I am a free slashdotter. I will not be modded, blogged, DRM'd, patented, podcasted or RFID'd. My life is my own.
    2. Re:Fragmentation by robmv · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think this is no different than iOS iPad version, Apple released a different UI than the one used on iPhone, with a lot of different APIs, then later both were merged when iPhone got a new iOS release. So Google saying Honeycomb is not for smartphones means, we need another release to integrate both, that makes sense to me

    3. Re:Fragmentation by Zizagoo · · Score: 4, Informative

      The Director Engineering said as much to TechRadar two weeks ago, so I'm surprised this is news. http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/honeycomb-may-never-come-to-mobiles-922897 So Phones = 2.X, Tablets = 3.X, until Google reunite the number systems. According to the Dev blog post today, they're creating a Fragments API static library for use with phones going down to 1.6. http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2011/02/android-30-fragments-api.html so universal apps for tablets and phones can be coded.

    4. Re:Fragmentation by TiberiusMonkey · · Score: 2

      I know you might find this hard to accept, but Apple actually did this with the iPad. The first iPad version of iOS never hit the iPhone and iOS 4 wasn't available on the iPad at release. They slowly blended them together, which, shock horror, is pretty much exactly was Google is doing with Android.

    5. Re:Fragmentation by DragonWriter · · Score: 2

      So on a platform that (supposedly) is already rife with fragmentation they are going to have completely different versions just for tablets?

      One: Note the word "supposedly".
      Two: Nope, they won't. While Honeycomb is for tablets, Ice Cream will be for phones (or phone/tablet convergence) has been previously reported, followed by the statement leading to the misinterpretation in TFA, Google has clarified, stating “The version of Honeycomb we’ve shown is optimized for tablet form factors. All of the UI changes are the future of Android. Yesterday’s event focused on tablet form factors, which is where you’ll first see Honeycomb.” (emphasis added)

    6. Re:Fragmentation by usul294 · · Score: 2

      From Android Development's Website:


      Android 3.0 brings a new UI designed for tablets and other larger screen devices, but it also is fully compatible with applications developed for earlier versions of the platform, or for smaller screen sizes. Existing applications can seamlessly participate in the new holographic UI theme without code changes, by adding a single attribute in their manifest files. The platform emulates the Menu key, which is replaced by the overflow menu in the Action Bar in the new UI. Developers wanting to take fuller advantage of larger screen sizes can also create dedicated layouts and assets for larger screens and add them to their existing applications.

      So, to sum up, old apps work fine, a small tweak will make the UI look right, and you can add a custom tablet UI to existing software.

    7. Re:Fragmentation by jrumney · · Score: 2

      You mean they should have done what Apple did? Release an incompatible SDK for tablets only as a minor version update then immediately issue a major version update for the phone OS with a key feature that would be extremely useful on tablets (except Android had multitasking from the start so they would have to find something else), and leave users of the shiny new tablets as the ones waiting for months for their OS to catch up.

  3. Re:Apple can do it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    iOS works on tables AND phones... is Android inferior?

    Android was smart enough to know that tablets and phones are not the same thing. Yes diesel and petrol engines are both essentially the same thing but you can't load diesel into petrol or vice versa. It defeats the purpose of specialization...

  4. Honeycomb for Tablets only by TroZ · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess that is because
    Honeycomb is Big!
    Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
    It's not small!
    No, No, No!

  5. Not at launch they didn't. by pavon · · Score: 4, Informative

    At launch the iPad was running a version of iOS (3.2) customized specifically for it, and this version never was released for the iPhone. Furthermore, when Apple released iOS 4, it wasn't compatible with the iPad. It was 7 months before they released 4.2 which was compatible with both. Google could very well be taking the same route here; getting things right on the tablet while continuing to advance the phones, and merging in a later release.

    1. Re:Not at launch they didn't. by somersault · · Score: 2

      Bah, you had to go and spoil a good troll with meaningless facts.

      --
      which is totally what she said
  6. Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by Voyager529 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The following is a legit set of questions...

    First, are tablet PCs *REALLY* the future of computing? I mean, PADDs were cool on Star Trek and all, but are they really more desirable than either smaller form factor laptops and/or the iPod Touch and its ilk on a grand scale? I realize that not everyone is like me and needs to carry around an 11-pound laptop everywhere, but despite the current iPad/Galaxy Tab craze, is it really likely that tablets will be the de facto laptop replacement in five years?

    Second, and more relevant to the topic, what's the major difference at an OS level in Honeycomb that makes it ideal for a tablet that's either 1.) unsuitable for mobile phones, or 2.) optimized for a tablet? I can see things at the application level that could be different (a bleeding obvious example being the Office 2007/2010 Ribbon), and making apps optimized for a tablet sized display would yield different capabilities, the least of which being a little UI scaling so there aren't unnecessary empty areas where additional controls could replace cascading menus,but at the OS level, what kind of tablet optimizations would make the code so radically different from smartphones and iPod Touch clones that it deserves its own fork?

    1. Re:Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by ducomputergeek · · Score: 5, Interesting

      For most users the answer is "Yes, these are the devices of the future of computing".

      I bought my iPad about a year ago. By July I stopped carrying a laptop. I didn't need it anymore and once I was able to get printing from the iPad, it did everything I needed at home and 95% of what I needed at work. I still have to dive into code/troubleshoot technical problems at work, but even that is getting less often. I still have an iMac there. I bought one of those bluetooth keyboard cases from think geek over christmas, but before that I used a docking station at home and the wireless keyboard at the office.

      But as far as email, word processing, spreadsheets, and even presentations go, I can do all of that on my iPad now. Even our SVN hosting has an iPad/iPhone app that I can check bug report status messages, assign tasks, etc.. If Barebones came out with BBEdit for iPad, I probably could get away with not even having a computer at work. (None of the work I do involves compiling anymore).

      --
      "The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money" - Thatcher.
    2. Re:Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by Howitzer86 · · Score: 2

      No, tablets aren't the future of computing, just a part of it. All because I can make spreadsheets on my rooted Nook Color doesn't mean I want to. There will always be tasks you will want to keep doing on the PC.

    3. Re:Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by Haedrian · · Score: 2

      I have a tablet. And I used to think like you. Tablets would never replace laptops.

      And I still think they won't. The thing is, I personally don't view tablets as 'small laptops' but rather 'large mobiles'. If you think of it that way, you get the clearest idea of what they're going to replace. You can't type as fast on a tablet , that's true. But if you want to read a document? Its brilliant. I can walk around, holding my Galaxy Tab in one hand, and I can sustain that for hours. I can watch videos on the bus. I can play games on it when I'm bored.

      So no. Tablets won't replace laptops. But I think they'll replace Mobiles. Or rather fall in between. Carrying a 7'' tablet around is borderline. 10'' I'd say impossible.

    4. Re:Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by h4rr4r · · Score: 2

      1. My phone has both a real keyboard and will accept a bluetooth one.
      2. The tablet can be placed in a cradle if you plan to use it for long periods.
      3. There are many android phones with HDMI out. This means having a small screen while on the go and a large one at your desk are not at odds with each other. Multiple Monitors would require more HDMI outs, but that is not a huge limitation.

    5. Re:Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by teadrop · · Score: 2
      To answer your questions:

      are tablet PCs *REALLY* the future of computing?

      For us (i.e. /. people), no, . But for the other 90% of population, it would be a resounding yes. I have seen many non-IT people using computers and I have never seen them doing any task that exceed the capability of an ipad.

      For years those 90% have been scammed into buying overpowering computers and thus brought down the average price of computing equipment so people like us would benefit. But that may not happen in the future...

      A CALL OF ACTION: we should talk down the tablets so those non-IT people would continue to over buy their computing equipment so we can continue to enjoy the lower price of computers in the future...

      For your second question regarding the difference between tablet and smart phone OS... they are pretty much the same other than scaling and positioning issues (smart phone is mostly one hand and tablet is mostly used by two hands...)

    6. Re:Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Don't extrapolate too much -- computing seems to be finally diversifying, and making the assumption that $latest_new_thing is somehow generally the best solution for most people in most cases is ... probably over-eager. Don't get me wrong, I realize Ipad is awesome for you and millions of other people: I just don't see any evidence to support the claim that they are the "future of computing for most users"

    7. Re:Okay, can someone please break it down for me? by breeze95 · · Score: 2

      I have a tablet. And I used to think like you. Tablets would never replace laptops.

      And I still think they won't. The thing is, I personally don't view tablets as 'small laptops' but rather 'large mobiles'. If you think of it that way, you get the clearest idea of what they're going to replace. You can't type as fast on a tablet , that's true. But if you want to read a document? Its brilliant. I can walk around, holding my Galaxy Tab in one hand, and I can sustain that for hours. I can watch videos on the bus. I can play games on it when I'm bored.

      So no. Tablets won't replace laptops. But I think they'll replace Mobiles. Or rather fall in between. Carrying a 7'' tablet around is borderline. 10'' I'd say impossible.

      Really? Are you going to carry around your 7" or 10" tablet to make phone calls? My cell phone can fit in my shirt pocket and my tablet will not and wasn't meant to replace it. I just bought a Barnes & Noble Nook Color, and it is meant to fulfill most of the functions of my old laptop, if possible. My wife who is looking to buy a 10" Netbook would buy an iPad instead if it had a keyboard and she can use it to login into her school's website. The millions of iPad, Nook Color and Android tablets owners aren't replacing their mobile devices. They are using their tablets to replace a lot of the functions of their laptops. The way I see it, tablets will replace low end laptops and high end laptops will replace desktops.

  7. Re:Apple can do it... by ducomputergeek · · Score: 2

    At my company we had to change our pricing for mobile application development. If our customers want iOS, the price is X and includes QA for iPhone, iPod, and iPad. If you want Android, the price starts at $X with the Nexus being the device that undergoes QA. Each additional platform (handset/device) they want a QA agreement on is an additional $X. On average this makes Android 3X more expensive as they'll want at least a motorola(Verizon), HTC (Sprint/T-Mobile), and Samsung handset tested and approved.

    We'll just be treating the new tablets each as a separate platform for QA/billing purposes.

    --
    "The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money" - Thatcher.
  8. Just kidding by oldmankdude · · Score: 5, Informative

    Looks like Google clarified what they said a bit (original source): http://www.bgr.com/2011/02/03/google-will-not-bring-honeycomb-to-smartphones/

  9. Re:Apple can do it... by blackest_k · · Score: 4, Informative

    no the article is wrong
    i think the original article was written for pc magazine and has been rewritten on other sites.

    http://www.bgr.com/2011/02/03/google-will-not-bring-honeycomb-to-smartphones/

    UPDATE: It turns out there may have been a bit of confusion surrounding Kovacsâ(TM) comments at the Google event. Google reached out to clarify, supplying BGR with the following statement: âoeThe version of Honeycomb weâ(TM)ve shown is optimized for tablet form factors. All of the UI changes are the future of Android. Yesterdayâ(TM)s event focused on tablet form factors, which is where youâ(TM)ll first see Honeycomb.â

    --
    Blarney Quality Restaurant, Plants
  10. Re:Apple can do it... by h4rr4r · · Score: 3, Informative

    There are not minor adjustments between the two. Diesel engines lack spark-plugs and are compression ignition, this is totally different than both Otto and Atkinson cycle engines. Dies-Otto does blend the two concepts but it is quite unlike both of its parents.

    It seems your knowledge about android is as limited as your knowledge about engines.

  11. Re:Of course it doesn't by LBArrettAnderson · · Score: 2

    Do a Google search for iPad. Look at the most common image for it (the one showing the home screen). Are you really trying to tell me that isn't nearly identical to the iPhone? The apps' UIs are the only thing different between the two.

  12. Already Corrected by mmurphy000 · · Score: 5, Informative
    If you actually get to the Boy Genius Report post, you will see that this statement has already been corrected, at least somewhat:

    The version of Honeycomb we’ve shown is optimized for tablet form factors. All of the UI changes are the future of Android. Yesterday’s event focused on tablet form factors, which is where you’ll first see Honeycomb.

    --
    The Busy Coder's Guide to Android Development
  13. Incorrect by vinng86 · · Score: 2
    BGR, the source of this info writes:

    UPDATE: It turns out there may have been a bit of confusion surrounding Kovacs’ comments at the Google event. Google reached out to clarify, supplying BGR with the following statement: “The version of Honeycomb we’ve shown is optimized for tablet form factors. All of the UI changes are the future of Android. Yesterday’s event focused on tablet form factors, which is where you’ll first see Honeycomb.”

    In other words, they said it's going to be optimized for tablets first but did not specifically state that it won't be on phones.

  14. The future of computing by DragonWriter · · Score: 3, Insightful

    First, are tablet PCs *REALLY* the future of computing?

    No, they aren't the future of computing, anymore than any one of servers running could-enabling software, traditional laptops, smartphones and so on is the future of computing.

    Like each of those other things, tablets are part of the present of computing that is bound to have a role for quite some time in the future.

    is it really likely that tablets will be the de facto laptop replacement in five years?

    No, its likely that tablets will replace laptops for some users in 5 years (and, for some, they already have) and that they will fill serve new roles that laptops don't currently serve for other users. The set of niches for computing devices to fill is not fixed with new devices competing over the same limited set of niches. When laptops were introduced, some of them displaced desktops, but more of them opened up new roles.

    Second, and more relevant to the topic, what's the major difference at an OS level in Honeycomb that makes it ideal for a tablet that's either 1.) unsuitable for mobile phones, or 2.) optimized for a tablet?

    The ActionBar and some other UI changes are pretty much the only tablet specific parts. Other bits may be more resource intensive and not appropriate for current smartphones, but I wouldn't be surprised to see all of the features make it into Android versions targetting phones eventually. (Probably many of the features will come to phones relatively quickly in Ice Cream.)

  15. Official Stance by DragonWriter · · Score: 3, Informative

    And this is just Google's official stance.

    Or not. As pointed out a couple other places in the thread, Google has since clarified, saying “The version of Honeycomb we’ve shown is optimized for tablet form factors. All of the UI changes are the future of Android. Yesterday’s event focused on tablet form factors, which is where you’ll first see Honeycomb.”

  16. Re:What? by exomondo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Same reason iOS 3.2 wasn't iOS Tablet 1.0.

  17. Re:Apple can do it... by Dishevel · · Score: 2

    You really should not post about things that you have no real knowledge of.
    Not saying that you are stupid, but a post like that could lead many to that conclusion.

    --
    Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
  18. Re:Apple can do it... by sortius_nod · · Score: 2

    Wow, you've just stated the differences and said they are completely different. Meanwhile they still work on the same principles. Learn something about engines yourself.

  19. Re:Of course it doesn't by BasilBrush · · Score: 2

    You'll find plenty in this document that tells developers what needs to change when making iPad versions of iPhone apps.

    http://www.hung-truong.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/iPadHIG.pdf

  20. Re:Apple can do it... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

    It's the same iOS, but some UI classes are only available on the iPad and some UI elements are slightly different on the iPad -- as they should be.

    There's a clear delineation between iPhone and iPad. With android, there are 3" phones, 5" phones, 7" phones, 7" tablets. It's like being bi-sexual -- you like dick, you like vagina, you think you're doubling your options but you're really just creeping people out. Better for everyone if they decide to be a phone or a tablet and design around that.

    My God. You just called Google a pervert.

    This can't end well for you.

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  21. Re:Apple can do it... by larry+bagina · · Score: 2

    And I'm sure you think sticking your dick in a chick's asshole is no different than sticking your dick in a dude's asshole.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  22. Wow, self-fragmentation on Android... by Assmasher · · Score: 2

    ...anyone else think this is a seriously bad idea?

    You're essentially creating two operating systems to develop for. Now I don't just have to support the quirks of iPhone+iPad+iTouch/Android I have to support Android Tablet as well.

    I seriously hope, and there very likely is, a plan at Google exists for merging at 3.1 or something similar. Come on Google, Android is much more developer friendly than iOS, let's keep it that way (please note that I did not say 'better'.)

    --
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