News Analysis: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is the next step for the mobile operating system. It looks to be the best version yet, and the features will give smartphone buyers lots of reasons to upgrade to this new version.
Android
is a dominant force in the mobile market. The operating system, which is
developed by Google, has proved to be extremely popular among consumers and has
shown quite clearly that it's not nearly as difficult to beat iOS as some
think. Quite the contrary, Android has taken a firm grasp of the mobile world,
and by the look of things, that won't change at any point in the coming months
and years.
Now,
Google has Android 4.0
Ice
Cream Sandwich to carry the torch. The operating system, which will be
available on the Galaxy Nexus first and then other handsets in the future, is
widely considered to be the best Android version so far, according to folks who
have tried out the operating system. As long as consumers like it, the platform
might just be the version to ensure Android's dominance going forward.
But
what does all that mean for consumers? Ice Cream Sandwich is the Android
version to move to. The time has come to ditch all past Android versions and
maybe even iOS 5 in favor of Android 4.0.
Read
on to find out why:
1. An improved design means something
The
first thing consumers will notice about Android 4.0 is how drastically
different its design is from the Android versions that came before it. Google
has decided that it's not simply going to provide iterative updates to its
platform. Instead, it wants to continue to push the envelope. It's starting
with a design that makes using the operating system much easier, according to
reviewers.
2. The Galaxy Nexus is a winner
Those
who might want to bet big on Android 4.0 should consider that
the operating system is available first on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. That
device, by all measures, is the best answer to the iPhone yet. It comes with a
4.65-inch display, 16GB of onboard storage, dual cameras and a design that the average
consumer will like. What better way to bet big on Android 4.0 than by getting a
smartphone that's actually worth buying?
3. Android Beam is the future
One
of the biggest achievements in Ice Cream Sandwich is Android Beam. That
feature, which requires near-field communication (NFC)-equipped smartphones to
work, allows users to share content wirelessly from one Android device to
another. To make the feature work, users must touch two phones together and
then tap to send the content. It works with apps, music, videos and much more.
It's a welcome addition to Android.
4. Face Unlock is not necessary, but
telling
Ice
Cream Sandwich comes with a unique feature, called Face Unlock, that allows
users to unlock their smartphone with a scan of their face. Is it necessary?
Absolutely not. But it does show that Google is willing to think outside the
box and bring some of the latest innovations to the software. Ice Cream
Sandwich is designed to put pressure on iOS. It appears to have the features to
do that quite well.
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