Android Introduces Ice Cream Sandwich

Google has introduced the latest version of Android smartphone software.

October 20, 2011- The latest Android smartphone software launched by Google, Ice Cream Sandwich comes with a redesigned interface and various interesting features.

Launched in association with Samsung, the system would be first used by the Galaxy Nexus handset of Samsung. Apple, which is the main rival of Android, released its iOS software update in the 2nd week of October this year. However, owing to overwhelming demand, many Apple users couldn’t download it immediately.

Ice Cream Sandwich aka Android 4.0 follows the same naming tradition as the previous releases including Donut, Cupcake, Froyo, Gingerbread, and Éclair.

Android 4.0 Design changes include:

• Multitasking screen redesigned to represent apps by scrollable tiles
• Physical buttons on the device replaced with equivalent icons onscreen
• Rendering user capable of grouping shortcuts and apps just by dragging icons on each other
• New lock-screen features, whereby users can access notifications and camera easily

Prominent changes in software include:

• Unlocking with face recognition- no more the user would need to enter a pattern code (as was the case with previous versions). Only looking into the camera is all that’s needed to unlock the phone
• Android Beam- enables users to swab web links or content to applications just by touching their phones together
• Improved email capability that provides support for multiple subfolders nested inside
• Improved voice-input that features a continuously open mike. This means the phones would listen to your instructions

IC Cream Sandwich is the first version that would be optimized for a variety of mobile devices, as per the news.

"It's interesting that Google have chosen to unify the OS across both smartphones and tablets.

"Previously the Honeycomb version of Android was purely for tablets and we assumed that two different flavours of the OS would continue," said Leigh Geary from Coolsmartphonedotcom.

It is expected that the Android versions’ integration would aid in the battle of Android with iOS. However, Google may contend the Apple eco system closely and thus cut-down on fragmentation that could be a big problem for Android.

Is it a War between Google and Apple Smartphones?

Apple and Google’s Android are unremittingly leapfrogging each other by coming up with newer functions and designs, as both vie for customers’ attention in the rapidly growing market of smartphones worldwide.

As per the figures released by Canalsys a few months ago, of total smartphone handsets shipped to retailers, 48% were of Android, while Apple devices accounted for about 19%. However, many Android models are being proffered by Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and HTC.

Many a times both these (Google’s Android and Apple) have conflicted directly due to the fierce competition. There many legal battles going on between Samsung and Apple across the globe for quite a long time now. Most of these involve copying the look and feel of the devices or patent infringement.

Until now, Apple could obtain injunctions on Samsung Galaxy tablets sold in Australia and Germany. The ban on some smart phones is expected to come in effect in the Netherlands.