Dec 18, 2010 09:27 GMT  ·  By

The source code for the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system has been released. The move was meant to offer manufacturers the possibility to start readying the installation of the platform on new devices, but it would also enable enthusiasts come up with custom builds . The release of Gingerbread's source code occurred soon after the first customers in the United States got their hands on the Nexus S by Samsung, the first mobile phone to arrive on shelves with this OS version on board.

“The source code for the Android 2.3 platform and software stack has been released,” one can read on the AOSP (Android Open Source Project).

“This release allows OEMs to begin preparing Android 2.3 for installation on new and existing devices, and allows hobbyists, enthusiasts, and researchers to develop custom builds.”

All the necessary details on how to get the Android files, and on how to set up a local work environment, or to start using Repo, were made available here.

With the source code released, we should expect for those already promised custom ROMs for some of the most popular Android-based devices out there to start emerging in the near future.

Since Nexus S and Gingerbread are tightly connected, one would expect for most of the AOSP work to be done on this device, though Google advises against it at the moment.

“Even though Nexus S is designed to be suitable for AOSP work, there are some caveats. I very strongly recommend against trying to use Nexus S for anything related to AOSP at the moment,” Jean-Baptiste Queru notes on Google Groups.

“Trying to unlock or use your Nexus S for AOSP work could easily turn it into a Nexus B (where B means "brick"); I have two of those, they're not very useful. I'll send some guidelines about what is currently possible once I've finished pushing the source code.”

Of course, that won't stop enthusiasts from making the move, nor would it delay the work on custom ROMs for Android devices, so keep an eye on this space for additional info on the matter.