Android 2.2 is already out, and one group of users that is definitely celebrating are the business owners. It might sound strange to mention Android and business owner in the same sentence, but it’s true — business owners are beginning to really embrace Android as their cell phone platform of choice. It’s better to get into a platform that is known for being open and very encouraging of development than a traditional platform that’s more locked in. The next generation of the Android platform is called “Froyo”, short for frozen yogurt. There are plenty of new features to be had in Android 2.2, which is why business owners are looking forward to it.
One of the biggest features that have business owners happy is the rise of better support for Microsoft Exchange. Even though Gmail is generally the email of choice for more casual users, business owners have been using Exchange for a long time, and have most likely invested a lot of money in Exchange maintenance and management. This means that switching away form Exchange is a bit more complicated than it would be for the casual user to sign up for Gmail.
Still, that’s not the only feature that has business owners excited. There’s now support for a portable hotspot, which means that certain phones in the Android lineup could be turned into full out Wi-Fi hotspots at a fraction of the price. Corporate users usually end up buying costly devices from other companies that are far more than the cost of an Android-enabled phone. In 2.2, users will also be able to just connect their phone to their laptop and use the 3G connection there. With the rise of the Sprint EVO 4G, that will become a 4G connection that offers blazing fast speed. Not every business is located in an area known for blisteringly fast internet connections. This would be a great feature for business owners that have to go out on the road a lot to places that don’t have good internet access. One area of note would have to be hotels that promise to have high speed Internet, only to find that the wireless connection is spotty at best and terrible at worst.
Overall, there’s plenty to be had in Android 2.2 for just about every type of user you can think of. Business owners should definitely check to see which Android phones are scheduled to get the 2.2 upgrade, and act accordingly.