Google has just announced the next update to the Android dessert menu: Ice Cream Sandwich. Also known as Android 2.4, Ice Cream Sandwich is taking a slightly different angle than other Android updates have in the past. Rather than focusing purely on upgrading performance and adding new services, Google has said that they’re now focusing on unifying Android devices under one banner: Ice Cream Sandwich.
The biggest problem with Android devices has always been to do with their updates. Fragmentation is probably the biggest issue, as out of the many Android devices out there, it’s often difficult to find two that are running on the same version. That makes it difficult for developers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to design their products around such a varied platform.
Google has decided to level the playing field with Ice Cream Sandwich, an update which they say will make it far easier for OEMs to release updates for their devices in a timely order and equally easy for developers to make apps that will work from one version of Android to the next, as well as across multiple resolutions on multiple devices.
That means not only on phones, but tablets as well. Google is looking to create a mobile platform that will span all of its devices, recognize what kind of hardware it’s running on and adapt to suit the needs of the user. So if you’re using a tablet, you’ll find yourself using a bigger, shinier user interface (UI), whereas on a phone where screen space is a premium you will have the option to switch to a more information-based list-style UI. However, Ice Cream sandwich isn’t for tablets just yet, hence Google’s announcement of Android Honeycomb 3.1. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
Most of the rest of the updates brought in Ice Cream Sandwich are aimed at developers and OEMs as well. There will be a basic UI update and the usual improvements of speed and performance. But more importantly Android may very well be fixing its biggest problem; fragmentation.
Here’s hoping they put their money where their mouth is and deliver one single, unified Android experience across their entire platform. We think they can do it, how about you?
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