Android Ice Cream Sandwich: New ICS Operating System's Features, Improvements Explained

By Allison Summers, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Google and Samsung’s new Android 4.0 operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich, which is scheduled to be showcased at a special event Wednesday in Hong Kong, is already causing excitement and anticipation among Android fans everywhere.

The latest version of its mobile operating system, a mixture of the latest tablet version of Android, the Honeycomb, and the latest smartphone version of Android, the Gingerbread, will take the best features of the Honeycomb and make them usable on smartphones.

Some of the changes users can expect include a new interface that looks very similar to that of the Honeycomb, and a new Google Music app and browser, along with an expanded multitasking tool and a system manger that ensures consumers won't run out of memory. In addition, the new software includes a face-tracking system that can be used to focus the camera in on a person the user wants to take a picture of, or in video conferencing can move according to whomever is speaking. There is speculation that the Android 4.0 will include a feature that requires face recognition to unlock the phone, but this has not been confirmed.

Furthermore, manufacturing partners with Google have agreed to provide operating system upgrades for the first 18 months after new handsets go on sale.

"Together we'll create guidelines for how quickly devices will get updated after new android platforms and for how long they'll continue to get updated," said Google's Vic Gundotra, according to Techradar.com "New devices from these partners will receive the latest Android updates for 18 months after first launch, if the hardware allows it. We think this is really great news for users, we think it's excellent for developers and really great for the entire industry."

The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is expected to be released in November of this year.