Eric Schmidt shows off a Nexus S at the Web 2.0 summit, says Gingerbread coming in ‘next few weeks’
We had a feeling Eric Schmidt would be doing something surprising at the Web 2.0 summit, and the man didn't disappoint — he just showed off the Nexus S running on T-Mobile …
Context & Ripple Effects
Reports had already put Gingerbread on a near-term timetable, including an unconfirmed report of an imminent Nexus One update and a May projection for a Q4 release. Schmidt’s on-stage Nexus S demonstration gives that software schedule a visible reference device and ties T-Mobile to the reveal.
First-order effects
- Google turns the Nexus S into the public hardware showcase for Gingerbread, while putting a weeks-long release window on the Android update.
- T-Mobile gains immediate association with the demonstrated Nexus S, making its network part of the device’s first public presentation.
Second-order effects
- Android handset makers and carriers face a clearer near-term software benchmark: Google has shown both the next Android release and a handset running it.
- The earlier expectation of a rapid Nexus One Gingerbread update is overtaken by Google’s public emphasis on the Nexus S as the release vehicle.
Third-order effects
- If Google repeats this pairing of a flagship handset with a major Android release, platform updates become a tool for steering attention toward a reference device as well as for distributing new software.
- The episode points to Android competition being shaped by release timing and carrier visibility, not hardware announcements alone.
The trend: Android is increasingly using major software releases and a visible reference handset together to set the pace for its device ecosystem.