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Google’s operating system for mobile phones and tablets, Android, is based on the Linux kernel, but is in the current situation is not compatible with the current version 3.2. Instead, Google has chosen to create its very own version of the Linux kernel for Android as they develop internally.

The dual versions of the Linux kernel creates extra work, not just for Google but also for the mobile manufacturers who do not have full transparency in the process. Nor is it possible to run Android on a standard Linux kernel as user programs in Android will not compile.

Greg Kroah-Hartman, a former employee of Suse, but now employed by the Linux Foundation lets the other hand, to announce that it will soon change all that.

Starting with version 3.3 of the Linux kernel that is part of the Android-specific code is implemented, which means it will be possible to compile Android for the standard Linux. Is it the case, that means you should be able to run applications for Android directly on Linux.

Androids special functions for power management is however not yet implemented, but they appear to be coming in version 3.4.

– Almost all the code is already there. Version 3.3 of the Linux kernel will allow you to boot into Android without any modiferingar but without good features for power conservation. Version 3.4 of the kernel will hopefully have the power saving features that Android needs along with some other minor parts that can not be in version 3.3.

Since version 3.3 of the Linux kernel is still under development, it looks like we’ll have to wait for autumn’s Linux distributions have come out before we can run Android applications on Linux right from the start. Curious who can not wait can however download and compile the Linux kernel when it is released and get Android on the way.