Last night Google introduced the next version of Android, Version 4.0 (also known as Ice Cream Sandwich).
Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS, represents the biggest step forward for Android since the transition from Android 1.6 (Donut) to Android 2.0/2.1 (Eclair), which represented the first time Android was considered a true player in the mobile operating system world.
So, let’s talk about what ICS brings to the table, future ICS devices, and the future of Android itself.
Part One: Ice Cream Sandwich – Updates and New Features!
Because people are already asking about it, I’ll tackle upgrading first. Google has stated that if your device can run Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) it can run Ice Cream Sandwich. That being said, ICS is designed for modern hardware like dual core processors, 1GB of RAM, HD screens, etc., so no guarantees.
Now, on to new features!
First up, Ice Cream Sandwich has a completely different look than it’s predecessors. Google stated they wanted to give Android a “soul”, and that soul is Ice Cream Sandwich.
Google also decided to do away with hardware buttons, replacing them with an “Action Bar” running across the bottom of the screen that will change based on the application. The default buttons are Back, Home, and the new Recent Apps menu.
For you font geeks, Google has created a new font, “Roboto”, for Ice Cream Sandwich, designed specifically for HD-resolution devices.
All of the core Android apps like Contacts, Calendar, Email, etc. have been updated.
- Contacts is now called “People”, and integrates more sources of information than ever before.
- Gmail has been updated with offline reading and searching, new gestures, and has made finding contacts even easier.
- Calendar now lets you pinch to zoom, so you can go from a full week, to a day, to a single appointment in one gesture.
- Browser now lets you view webpages in either mobile or desktop versions. This has long been available in 3rd Party browsers, but is now part of the default browser. It will also sync your Bookmarks between your desktop Chrome browser and your Android device.
- Camera now has a built in set of filters and on-device photo editing, as well as zero shutter lag and the ability to take a photo while taking video, plus a Panorama mode.
One of the hallmarks of Android has been it’s ability to do true multitasking, and Google has improved that in ICS. The new Recent Apps menu will display all the running applications on your phone, which can be dismissed with a quick swipe.
Notifications, also an Android strength, have been significantly improved as well. Notifications can now be swiped away as well, and can be displayed on the lockscreen.
One of the most welcome changes to ICS will be giving end users the ability to uninstall any piece of software on the phone. Don’t like the Verizon or AT&T or Sprint or T-Mobile crapware? Uninstall it. Don’t like the default ICS browser and want to use Firefox? Uninstall it.
To address users with capped or tiered data plans, ICS has a new Data Usage app that will let you set alarms when you reach certain levels of mobile data usage, and give you a breakdown on what apps are using how much data.
NFC, or Near-Field Communication, was originally introduced with the Nexus S, but ICS introduces a whole new level of functionality. Along with the pre-existing Google Wallet app, which will let you use your phone for NFC payments, the new Android Beam functionality will let you transmit any kind of data, simply by tapping your phone to another NFC-enabled phone. Want to send someone a map, contact info, or play a game with them? Beam it to them.
The keyboard has been improved, including enhanced accuracy, better predictive text, and an inline spell-checker.
Voice commands, which were introduced in Android 2.0, are further integrated into the system, as well as better voice recognition.
Finally, one of the coolest new features is facial recognition unlocking. You will be able to unlock your phone using your face, rather than a password, PIN, or pattern. Those will still exist as backup options, of course.
Part Two: Present and Future ICS Devices
If you bought an Android device in the last few months, don’t be too concerned. It’s likely that it will be updated to Ice Cream Sandwich. I am obviously not privy to every manufacturer’s upgrade plans, but I can make some educated guesses.
Verizon:
- HTC Thunderbolt
- Motorola Droid Bionic
- Motorola Droid X2
- LG Revolution
- Samsung Continuum
- Sony Xperia Play
- Motorola Droid Charge
- Pantech Breakout
- Motorola Droid 3
- HTC Droid Incredible 2
AT&T:
- Motorola Atrix 2
- Samsung Galaxy S II
- Sony Experia Play
- LG Thrill
- HTC Inspire
- Motorola Atrix
- Samsung Captivate
Sprint:
- Google Nexus S
- Samsung Galaxy S II Epic
- HTC Evo 3D
- Motorola Photon
- Samsung Epic
- Samsung Conquer
- LG Marquee
T-Mobile:
- T-Mobile G2x
- Samsung Galaxy S
- T-Mobile myTouch 4G
- HTC Sensation
- Samsung Galaxy S II
If your phone isn’t on that list, I wouldn’t count on getting ICS.
Now, as for future devices, there are going to be some pretty incredible things coming out in the next few months. I can’t speak to other carriers besides Verizon, as Big Red is my carrier, but right now Verizon has four phones on deck: the Motorola RAZR, the HTC Rezound, the LG Revolution 2, and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
The Motorola RAZR was announced yesterday before the Google event yesterday evening. The RAZR features a 4.3″ qHD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 540×960, a 1.2GHz Dual Core processor, and 1GB of RAM. The device is the thinnest smartphone announced or on the market at 7.1mm and weighing 127g. It will be 4G LTE capable. Motorola has indicated that the RAZR will be updated to ICS in early 2012.
The HTC Rezound, codename Vigor, has not been announced or released but the specs are widely known. The Rezound will feature a 4.3″ HD display with a 720×1280 resolution, a 1.5GHz dual core processor, and 1GB of RAM. It will also be 4G LTE capable. The Rezound will run HTC’s custom implementation of Android, Sense. As previously stated, I have a great deal of affinity for Sense; however, it remains to be seen how it will integrate with ICS. As HTC uses a different processor than Motorola or Samsung, as well as implements Sense, HTC typically takes the longest to upgrade new devices to the newest software; I would not expect to see Sense on an HTC device for at least six months.
The LG Revolution 2 is also unannounced, but will feature similar specifications to the RAZR and Rezound.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be Verizon’s new flagship device, and the first device to run ICS. The Galaxy Nexus will also run stock Android, without any carrier or manufacturer modifications. The Galaxy Nexus will feature a 4.65″ HD display at 720×1280, a 1.2GHz Dual Core processor, and 1GB RAM. It will be 4G LTE capable. Nexus devices are administered by Google, so they will always get the latest updates to Android.
All these devices are set to hit the market in mid-November, with a contract price of $299.
On a related note, there are tablets that will be running ICS, such as the Asus Transformer 2 and Motorola Xoom 2, but little is known about those at this time.
Part Three: The Future of Android
Now that Google has released ICS, the inevitable question is “What’s next?”. The next version of Android, currently rumored to be named Jellybean, will likely be released next year. Included features are unknown, but Google has stated that they want to simplify the upgrade schedule to an annual cycle, so point releases are unlikely. Phone screen sizes are likely to stabilize around 4″-5″, with any larger encroaching on the tablet market. Resolution will increase, pushing toward 1080p Full HD resolution. 4G LTE adoption will continue, and quad-core processors are likely, as well as 1.5-2GB of RAM. SD Cards will continue to increase in size past 32GB, all the way to 64 or 128GB.
And that, fellow geeks, is all I have to say about Ice Cream Sandwich. Please, leave comments and I’ll do the best I can to answer them.
