Google releases Android 1.6 SDK; OS could be available to consumers in October

Google has released the software development kit for Android 1.6, an update for the mobile operating system code named "Donut" that could make it into consumers' hands by October.

The update includes support for CDMA devices in addition to GSM, multiple screen resolutions including QVGA and WVGA displays, and some interesting new features.

Android 1.6 features a Quick Search box that lets users search their device and the web at the same time. They are able to look up and view business listings or weather information without launching the browser. Applications can choose to let the universal search browse through their content, too. For example, a user could search for a dictionary entry that is included in a reference library app on the device. The new operating system version also includes a text-to-speech API that supports multiple languages.

Android's camera and gallery experiences have also been improved. The company says that launching the camera is now 39 percent faster and that the time in between taking photographs has been reduced by 28 percent.

The updated Android Market application storefront, which we reported on earlier this month, is also packaged with 1.6. The new Android Market features an interface overhaul, new sorting options, software screenshots, and user reviews.

Google says the new operating system could hit devices as early as October and that applications built for previous versions of Android won't be broken by the update. The SDK can be downloaded here. [via AndroidAuthority]