Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: First look

18 October 2011
Google just unveiled how the next iteration of the Android mobile operating system Ice Cream Sandwich. This version 4.0 of the OS aims to unite smartphones and tablets under one software roof and promises to end fragmentation, but will it succeed?

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  • u
  • uncle bob
  • Tkh
  • 19 Oct 2011

google has confirmed all gingerbread devices will run ICS.

You have to remember, htc samsung etc.. have to update their software(touchwiz, htc sense) to be able to blend with android, this will be the reason for any delay

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • ptR
    • 19 Oct 2011

    AnonD-843, 19 Oct 2011people hub from wp7 mango swipe from meego nfc data shari... moreThat's why it took them so long. They had to play the waiting game and see what Nokia had up their sleeves. Then started the copying and implementation stage at Google.

      • t
      • tay
      • PU0
      • 19 Oct 2011

      hopefully samsung galaxy note will update to this new os ,then it will be perfect

        • m
        • meduza
        • SaQ
        • 19 Oct 2011

        i willbe able to udpate my desire hd to Ice Cream Sandwich????????????????????????
        i need answer

          • A
          • Abadi
          • nTp
          • 19 Oct 2011

          Wonderful Work

            • t
            • twiggy
            • LhN
            • 19 Oct 2011

            had a little laugh from how they've blurred Mr Lyoneidas number from all the screenshots but the phonebook :D good job guys, good job :D

              • D
              • AnonD-843
              • 2SR
              • 19 Oct 2011

              people hub from wp7 mango
              swipe from meego
              nfc data sharing and facelock from symbian

              nice copying work done by google :p

                • j
                • john
                • syd
                • 19 Oct 2011

                so there an android 4.0 now and my samsung galaxy s2 is still on 2.3.3... one of the things i don't like about samsung is the lack of updates to the os. c'mon samsung i want android 3 on my galaxy s2!!!

                  • D
                  • AnonD-24865
                  • 33Z
                  • 19 Oct 2011

                  I say they fixed a lot of things and now android rules the world.
                  But the question, will it come to HTC Sensation XL? and the latest htc phones?

                    • d
                    • dulawimps
                    • IVB
                    • 19 Oct 2011

                    The question should be "Is the other OSes (iOS, Window 7 etc) as user friendly as Ice Cream Sandwich??
                    iOS is a Dumbo App Launcher with Many Apps™ (DULAWIMPS)

                      • R
                      • RAID
                      • PFx
                      • 19 Oct 2011

                      please bring it to my SGS II QUICK!!

                        • S
                        • Sun Down
                        • PF5
                        • 19 Oct 2011

                        I'm impressed with the update, thought not without a perk of doubt here or two. The 'People' which replaced contacts feels too similar with WP7 Mango's own 'People', though admittedly Mango's feels more refined. The rest of IS looks great and makes the Google Nexus simply irresistable. I do hope that IS would be much more resource-friendly towards the budget Android devices though.

                          • D
                          • AnonD-21269
                          • 0xf
                          • 19 Oct 2011

                          I just want to know when will this thing actually hit other phones, like the O2X, not just Sammy's smartphones...

                            • v
                            • vikster84
                            • w49
                            • 19 Oct 2011

                            Many of these features, while radical, seem to be already available on customised versions of android, for example on the SE Xperia range, like the creating folders a la iOS, folders in the dedicated menu bar below, face detection and panorama in the camera app, screen capture, etc etc...

                              • M
                              • Mithafashi
                              • PTi
                              • 19 Oct 2011

                              Does ICS support Indic scripts?

                                • D
                                • AnonD-1825
                                • p77
                                • 19 Oct 2011

                                ant, 19 Oct 2011WOW!! at least we know that what new features will come to ... moreGoogle copied taking screenshots from phone from iOS, also how to make folders, it works just like iOS. Deja Vu

                                http://pinoytutorial.com/techtorial/ice-cream-sandwich-face-unlock-voice-texting-problems-not-working/ Fail :)

                                What was all the hype around 4.0? it didn't bring anything new to table, just mostly things copied from iOS and WP7.

                                  • t
                                  • terry
                                  • sR1
                                  • 19 Oct 2011

                                  i'm glad to see that Google is moving right directionto solve the fragmented version issues

                                    • D
                                    • Daniel
                                    • nq7
                                    • 19 Oct 2011

                                    But will Samsung Galaxy S 2 get Ice Cream Sandwich?

                                      • u
                                      • uncle bob
                                      • Tkh
                                      • 19 Oct 2011

                                      If your a loyal android fan boy, then you will understand that this is start of great things to come. There is only so much you can do with an OS. Ice cream is intended to now attract developers and create some unique and amazing apps that can truly rival apples app store.

                                      ice cream is the start of something big

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • nFw
                                        • 19 Oct 2011

                                        Generally seems good, but I don't like some things:

                                        - Gingerbread task switcher showed 8 of your last used apps but new screenshots only 4 which seems like will add unnecessary scrolling.

                                        - swiping left or right to remove things is inconsistent and contradictory to the stated aims of UI consistency.

                                        - font is not practical and does not distinguish between l and I.

                                        - I think removing tactile buttons is not good. Removing the menu button and adding an extra row of options also only wastes screen space, especially on devices with smaller screens.