Android Ice Cream Sandwich: What’s in store?

The popularity of Google’s Android smartphone operating system (OS) is constantly under threat from the iPhone’s “iOS” software and Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.

In an attempt to stay one step ahead of its rivals, Google is developing Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) - a new and improved version of the smartphone OS.

This straightforward guide cuts out the techno-babble so that you can discover ICS’ cool new features without giving yourself brain freeze.

What is Ice Cream Sandwich?

Google Android launched in 2009 and has since been updated numerous times to deliver cool new features and functionality onto your smartphone.

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But consumers often find it tricky to keep track of software updates given long numerical names, such as “Version 2.001.4.290.7”. So Google thought it would be simpler - and funnier - to give Android updates recognisable names such as “Cupcake”, “Donut”, “Éclair”, “Froyo” and - most recently - “Gingerbread”.

Android runs on several smartphone and tablet PC brands, but apps and features originally designed for smartphones don’t always function perfectly on tablets.

To deal with this, Google released a tablet-specific version of its OS called “Honeycomb” - as featured on the Motorola Xoom. But managing and maintaining two operating systems isn’t ideal, so Android ICS essentially merges Gingerbread - the latest Android version - with Honeycomb to create a smartphone-cum-tablet OS.

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Ice Cream Sandwich: New features

Google is staying tight-lipped about what new features ICS will deliver, but looking at Honeycomb, it’s reasonable to assume that ICS smartphones will get:

• A “holographic” user interface - A pseudo 3D experience that aims to make it simpler to manage multiple apps, widgets and so on
• Improved multitasking - Faster and simpler ways of switching between different apps
• Widget resizing - Expand or shrink a widget so that it doesn’t take over your entire screen
• Improved email - More efficient ways of organising your emails.

It’s also rumoured that ICS will introduce facial recognition software for photos and technology that automatically ensures video subjects are in constant focus.

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Upgrading to Ice Cream Sandwich

Apple is both the iPhone’s manufacturer and its OS developer, but Google merely provides your operating system. This makes updating your Android-based smartphones to the latest version slightly trickier because each manufacturer typically “pushes” the update to their phones at different times.

For example, Samsung announced plans to release Gingerbread onto its Galaxy smartphone range in May 2011. However, smartphones from rival manufacturers took advantage of the update weeks or even months before.

It’s worth noting that, in some cases, your mobile phone operator will push an Android OS update to your phone, while other providers expect you to manually update your phone yourself.

It’s expected that Google will release Android ICS to phone manufacturers in late 2011, meaning your smartphone could receive the updated OS just before or after Christmas.

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