Android 2.2 To Bring Tethering, Flash, Mobile Hotspot Support

Google's Android mobile operating system is making a huge impact in the smartphone industry. Recent reports show it growing even faster than the iPhone OS, and while it still has a long ways to go to reach the 150000+ apps that the App Store has for Apple users, it's well on the way. Android 2.1 is the most current version, and those with phones using older versions are constantly clamoring for their respective carriers to push out the v2.1 update.

If you thought people were wishing for 2.1, just imagine how loud the whining will be for Android 2.2. Code named "Froyo," this future build of Android will bring about two critical features that the vast majority of smartphones lack from the factory. Tethering and Mobile HotSpot features are both widely yearned for, yet infrequently supported. Palm's Pre Plus for Verizon is one of the very few smartphones that offers the latter for free, and while select phones can tether once jailbroken, rooted, or hacked, few carriers support it natively. And those that do, charge extra for it.


Android 2.2, reportedly, will offer both of those features right out of the box, which will instantly make Android one of the most attractive mobile operating systems on the market, as if it weren't attractive enough already. Then, of course, there's Flash support. Something that the iPhone OS will never have. All of a sudden, it looks like Android may just be superior to the iPhone OS. Guess that explains those recent numbers, right?