Google Android Version 1.5

Google announced that it will be improving on the Android’s software. This is good news for those with G1. The bad news for the Android is that Apple’s iPhone is still the leader in mobile software, and there are upgrades on the way. Google needs to step its game up a bit more if they hope to overtake iPhone’s supremacy.

Back on the subject of Google’s Android, a virtual on-screen keyboard support is being added in the next software update. That means Google’s partners can come up with phone mobiles that don’t have physical keyboards. Hopefully Google’s software is better than the iPhone’s problematic keyboard program.

Other features to be included with the revamped Google Android are speech recognition and home-screen widgets. There are features that handset manufacturers and developers can use to make Android phones and apps. These features will be released with Android version 1.5. It is already available for testing and the final version will be out by the end of April.

These seem to be big improvements in the software but it is not enough to cause some hype with app developers. This is in contrast with Apple’s plan of releasing iPhone 3.0 later this year. People are really excited on what features the new iPhone will bring to the table this time.

People are guessing that the iPhone will be featuring copy-and-paste ability, and a digital compass, features that the Android already has.  What’s new is that Apple opened the door for third party hardware manufacturers to make gadgets that can work with the iPhone. This definitely gives the advantage to iPhone over its competitors.

But that doesn’t mean that Google’s Android can’t compete with iPhone. Google can get a bigger consumer base if mobile phone companies use the Android on their mass-market phones, not just in the high end models. When that happens, expect more developers to get involved in making apps for the Android. That could take a while to materialize. For now, Apple’s iPhone remains the king of mobile phones.

While this might be the case, the Android has no place to go but up. There is still much room for improvement, plus it is a more accessible development platform than most. According to the recent press release from Google, the Android will be making its way to becoming mini-notebooks as well. That means more devices will be running on Android. But when it comes to mobile phones, Google might have to settle for second-best.