Updated: Android 3.0 rumours: what you need to know

While Android 2.3 rumours are starting to pile in, details about its successor Android 3.0 – Android Honeycomb – are also starting to emerge.

Because it was previously expected that the next Android release would be Android 3.0, it's still unclear which features will make it into Gingerbread and which will be pushed back to Honeycomb.

Here's what we know about Android 3.0 so far.

On 20 October, we reported that Android 3.0 tablets are rumoured to be heading out to engineers in time for Christmas. If true, this means that we'll see a whole bunch of tablets running Android 3.0 at CES 2011. Of course, these tablets could now be running Android 2.3.

Android 3.0 release date

Android 3.0 release date is looking like early 2011.

Android 3.0 features and specifications

As we reported earlier in July, a Russian podcast details how Android 3.0 will be restricted to high-end handsets (and tablets). The podcast explained that Android 3.0 phones will require at least a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 3.5-inch or larger displays.

The feature list for Honeycomb is currently scant, but will include elements that don't make it into Android 2.3.

Android 3.0 phones

One of the first Android 3.0 phones could be the Samsung Galaxy S2 if another rumour is to be believed. The leaked details of the Galaxy S I9200 claim a 4.3-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720.

On 27 October 2010, reports appeared that Google is to release an Android 3.0 powered Nexus Two with Carphone Warehouse, although it now looks as though the next Nexus - code named the Nexus S - will be running Android 2.3.

It's also possible that the PSP Phone will be running Android 3.0.

We'll bring you more Android 3.0 details as they emerge.