What is Android Honeycomb? The version 3.0 of Android

Android Honeycomb - version 3.0 of Android

Android Honeycomb is version 3.0 of the Android Operating System published by Android on the 22nd of February 2011. And the honeycomb is the version got released after the Android version under the code name of Gingerbread.


1. What is Android Honeycomb?

Android Honeycomb does an extreme specialty in the operating system of it's kind. Android's focus was to develop an operating system that can support tablet devices. Android Gingerbread allowed the large display devices to run Android for the first time, but there was calibration with regard to the touch and other components when it comes to usability.

The Android Honeycomb is the first Android release that is only focused on large display devices such as tablet PCs and other large screen sized display embedded devices.

Android Honeycomb is designed on top of the Linux kernel 2.6.36 to get the features that were there in the Linux kernel at the time to ensure the security and performance of the devices.



Android VersionAndroid APICode NameReleased Date
3.0API 11
Honeycomb
22nd February 2011
3.1API 1210th May 2011
3.2
API 13
15th July 2011
3.2.120th September 2011
3.2.230th August 2011
3.2.330th August 2011
3.2.4December 2011
3.2.5January 2012
3.2.6February 2012


2. Features of Android Honeycomb

As the first android device which solely focused on android running smoothly and fully functional on large display devices, the majority of the customization done to the core Android OS.


2.1 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.0

Android version 3.0 was the first release of the Android Honeycomb. The initial release of android honeycomb recognized by the android as the 11th API version or the API 11 of the android. The very devices which were officially supported android honeycomb were the Motorola Xoom tablet which was released to the market on the 24th of February 2011.


  • Capability to access the newest holographic user interface which allows users to interact.
  • An updated version of the Easter egg-themed with a bumblebee.
  • Capability to access the newest type of system bar which enables the users to access quickly to the notifications, status of the device, and soft navigation buttons at the bottom of the display itself.
  • Capability to access the newest type of action bar which gives the user's access options, navigation, widgets, brightness control, and other settings from the top of the screen on the device.
  • Embedded simplified multitasking feature by the recent application on the navigation soft button on the system bar allows users to check the snapshots of the task which is computing by the device and jump between apps quicker as than before.
  • A newly designed keyboard which to cater to the high resolution and large display devices, to allow users to type faster with better accuracy and efficiently.
  • Simplified system functionality of the copy and paste feature to enhance user productivity and easiness to achieve complementary features. 
  • Capability to access the newest and revamped browser, where it enables the users to use a single view browser with multiple tabs rather than using the multi-window browser to each web page.
  • Capability to access faster to camera's exposure, focus, flash, zoom, front-facing camera, time-lapse and other camera features inside the camera app which is embedded to the Android Honeycomb.
  • Capability to view albums and other collections in full-screen mode in Gallery App, which enables users to view larger thumbnails for other photos that are in the album.
  • The re-engineered contacts user interface which allows users to locate and navigate contacts by scrolling the first letter with two-pane features.
  • Re-engineered email interface which allows users to view the email and scroll email list without closing the viewing email content with two-pane features.
  • Enhanced and accelerated hardware to ensure the performance of the device.
  • Capability to support multi-core processors in the device.
  • Capability to encrypt all user data stored in the device.
  • Capability to support HTTPS stack improved with server name indication also known as SNI by the operating system itself.
  • Upgraded file system in userspace with the FUSE kernel module.
  • Disallows applications or apps to write data into the secondary storage devices such as memory cards.

2.2 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.1

The second release of the android honeycomb was released on the 10th of May 2011 as the version of 3.1 of Android. Version 3.1 of android was published as the 12th API version of Android or API 12 of Android.
  • Changes to the API core.
  • Enhanced user interface optimizations and refinements.
  • Capability to offer connectivity to USB accessories also known as USB On The Go or USB OTG via the Mirco USB port of the device itself.
  • Accessibility to the expanded recent applications list.
  • Capability to resizability of widgets on the home screen.
  • Capability to support external keyboards and pointing devices via USB OTG or USB On The Go which can be attached by using the Micro USB port of the device.
  • Capability to support joysticks and gamepads to play games on the tablet PC.
  • Capability to support FLAC audio playback.
  • Capability to access the newest High-Performance WiFi lock which enables the user to maintain high-performance WiFi connections through the device's screen is off.
  • Capability to support HTTP proxy for each connected WiFi access point. 

2.3 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.2

The third release of the android honeycomb was released on 15th July 2011. Version 3.2 was recognized by the android as 13th API or the API 13 of Android.
  • Updated core API.
  • Enhanced and improved hardware support and firmware to make the android honeycomb to be installed on a wide range of tablet PCs.
  • Capability to access files that are in the secondary storage devices to the apps or applications which were installed in the device to use on functionalities like synchronization.
  • Capability enabled to make the android honeycomb to compatible display mode for the devices which were not officially fine-tuned by android.
  • Capability to access the new display support functions which allow developers to more control over display appearance on different android devices.

2.4 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.2.1

Version 3.2.1 of android honeycomb was released under the 13th API of android or the API 13 of android on 20th September 2011 after the 3.2 release version of the android honeycomb.
  • Bug fixes into the WiFi stability and minor security improvements.
  • Capability to access the updated Android Market (Currently known as Play Store) with automatic updates and easy view to view and read terms and conditions text per app.
  • Capability to access the updated google books.
  • Capability to access the updated and enhanced Adobe flash support into the native browser on android.
  • Capability to access the enhanced and updated Chinese handwriting prediction inside the android honeycomb.

2.5 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.2.2

The version 3.2.2 of android was released on 30th of August 2011 under the API 13. The majority of the release content was to support Motorola Xoom 4G to perform smoother and better.
  • Bug fixes in the Android honeycomb for Motorola Xoom 4G.
  • Enhancements focused on Motorola Xoom 4G.

2.6 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.2.3

The version 3.2.3 of android was released on 30th of August 2011 under the API 13. The majority of the release content was to support Motorola Xoom 4G and Motorola Xoom to perform smoother and better.
  • Bug fixes in the Android honeycomb for Motorola Xoom 4G and Motorola Xoom.
  • Enhancements focused on Motorola Xoom 4G and Motorola Xoom.

2.7 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.2.4

Version 3.2.4 of Android Honeycomb was released in December 2011 under the API 13 release.
  • Capability to access the Pay As You Go feature for 3G and 4G tablets.

2.8 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.2.5

The version 3.2.5 of android was released on January 2012 under the API 13. The majority of the release content was to support Motorola Xoom 4G and Motorola Xoom to perform smoother and better.
  • Bug fixes in the Android honeycomb for Motorola Xoom 4G and Motorola Xoom.
  • Enhancements focused on Motorola Xoom 4G and Motorola Xoom.

2.9 Features of Android Honeycomb version 3.2.6

The version 3.2.6 of android was released on February 2012 under the API 13. The majority of the release content was to support Motorola Xoom 4G and Motorola Xoom to perform smoother and better.
  • Bug fixes in the data connectivity issues in Android honeycomb for Motorola Xoom 4G when the user wants to disable the airplane mode of the device.