Android SDK 1.5r1 Available for Download

Release 1 of the Android 1.5 SDK is available for download now. Additionally, a system image for the ADP1 (Android Developer Phone from Google) is available for 1.5 now, as well.

This is the third full release of Android, corresponding to API Level 3 (Android 1.1r1 was Level 2 and Android 1.0r1 and 1.0r2 corresponded to Level 1).

This time, though, the Google map services are in an SDK add-on. A vanilla API Level 3 distribution may not contain these. Testing this is made possible through an emulator target that contains these services and one that doesn't, where even clicking on a map link from within an application won't work.

This capability opens the door to other third-party add-ons, a very exciting potential.

Android 1.5: Going Live Within The Next Few Weeks

The much-awaited Android 1.5 SDK update is coming soon to a development environment near you. This update is based on the Cupcake branch of the Android source project and features substantial improvements and additions to the Android APIs, as well as developer tool suite updates and some much-needed UI polish and performance improvements to the overall Android user experience.

You can find a short list of highlights coming in Android 1.5 as part of the Android Developer SDK 1.5 preview on the Android Developer website as well as download the pre-release ("preview") version of Android SDK 1.5 and give it a spin.

You may also find the Cupcake branch roadmap useful.

The SDK 1.5 is expected to be released within the next few weeks. An over-the-air update will likely be sent to Android phones in the field soon thereafter.

What are you looking forward to in this release? We're looking forward to being able to create home screen widgets.