It was only last month that sources were suggesting that Google's next Android operating system would be called Honeycomb, and now Samsung's president and head of the company's Mobile Communications Business department, JK Shin, has confirmed to Pocket-lint that the next variation of the OS, after Gingerbread, will be called just that.

"There will be a Honeycomb tablet device", he stated, while talking about future versions of the Galaxy Tab at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Germany. And he was keen to stress that, while the first of the company's tablets will run on Froyo (2.2), future generations will exploit updates in Android as it matures.

Of course, this is the first time we've heard the name Honeycomb said with conviction, by a major manufacturer. But, when will we be getting the new OS from Google? The date is still not yet confirmed, and Samsung was keen to focus discussions on the current version rather than future models.

What we do know however, is that it won't be for the current gen Samsung Galaxy Tab. That will only be likely to get the next iteration - Gingerbread.

Excited about the Galaxy Tab? Or do you think that Apple will respond with something better? Let us know in the comments below...

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