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Google Has Sweet Tooth, Plans Donut, Eclair And Flan Updates For Android

After Google dropped its Chrome OS bomb last week, there were a lot of questions about Android's future. Have no fear, says Google's Andy Rubin. Chrome OS and Android have different futures, and Android's is full of sweet updates -- including three more updates to the mobile OS this year.

Google decided to name all its Android OS updates after desserts. Hence the name of Android 1.5, which was known as Cupcake. According to Google's Andy Rubin, chief mastermind behind Android, the next three updates for Android will be Donut, Eclair and Flan.

Rubin didn't provide any details about when these operating system updates will become available, nor what new features will be included. About the only thing he disclosed is that Google plans to make Android more socially apt.

"Social is a big push for now," he said, and explaining that future versions of Android will have better integration with social networking services such as Facebook. Google, HTC and T-Mobile are all primed to release the second handset based on the Android operating system later this summer.

Rubin was sure to differentiate Android from Chrome. He said that Chrome is going to be very Web centric and that Chrome is in no way a replacement for Android. Android will continue to be developed for smartphones and will contain the code necessary to perform telephony functions, where Chrome will not have those abilities.

Another interesting tidbit to emerge is that Google plans to make it easier for developers for the Android platform to charge for their applications. Google is working hard so that Android will support multiple billing systems, and not just Google Check-Out. By giving developers more avenues to be reimbursed for their work, it will entice them to create more/better apps for Android.

Stay tuned for more on Donut, Eclair and Flan as details emerge.

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