Android Ice Cream Sandwich launching in Q4

By on May 10, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Breaking May 10, 2011

Google is on stage and just announced that the next major Android OS, Ice Cream Sandwich, will launch in Q4 of this year. It will combine the tablet and smartphone operating systems into one joint OS that will support all devices. Google bills it as “One OS everywhere, state of the art UI, advanced app framework, open source.” The universal OS will be able to adapt to the specific form factor of the device it’s running on, and also includes new features like face-tracking and camera enhancements, among other things.

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  • Bringit

    melting.

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

      Not even one misspelling in that whole sentence!

      • http://foxpacific.myopenid.com/ James Pakele

        Didn’t capitalize the first word though…

  • edoug

    Granted its far off yet, but won’t this kind of freeze progress people and device manufactures make on Honeycomb 3.1?

    It seems a bit…Palm-ish to announce the next better while also announcing a minor “something now”?

    • http://twitter.com/nickdube Nicholas DubĂ©

      I will assume 3.1 will be fully compatible with 3.4? so an app that is coded for 3.1 will probably transfer very well to 3.4 with little to no work. That is just an assumption tho

  • Yoyoma

    Norm must be having a heart attack with all the android goodies announced today

    • Douche

      Don’t worry though, there will be plenty of new android phones in Q4 running 2.2. Fragmentation!

  • Anonymous

    ”
    should support all devices”

    Yes, but how many devices will actually get an update?

    • Anonymous

      @GawkerRedesignSucks:disqus I think you missed the part in the liveblogging of I/O that says that all partners of Google are going to update their phones for 18mos, as long as the hardware can support it.

      Direct quote: 12:34PM:”We’re jointly announcing today, that devices from our partners will receive updates for 18 months as long as the hardware allows.”

      • Bringit

        ”
        as long as the hardware allows
        “.

      • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

        Repetition is hard! Good job big guy!

        Even if you just used copy/paste, thats multiple buttons or clicks, so it’s still really hard.

      • Anonymous

        Yes, the hardware will be made as weak as possible so that the phones can’t be upgraded. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Android phones are in the middle of a major horsepower war. Making phones that just make the cut and can’t be upgraded is the best way to lose market share when people are dual-coring you in the gig of RAM.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

        Or as long as the Carriers allow it

      • Anonymous

        I didn’t miss it. I posted my comment before that news came out.

      • Anonymous

        I guess you missed the update basically saying Google does not when or how this will happen. So you androids will be back to square 1 with fragmented OS’, new devices with old OS’s and the same old Google Crap!

        Maybe the OS named Steaming Pile of Mastodon Dung will solidify all the fragmentation.

      • Anonymous

        Sorry, I’m not really interested in childish namecalling and whatnot. Wait for Norm or GooFan; if they show up, they should be happy to play with you.

      • Anonymous

        Sqube, where did I call you a name? You mean like Google’s Childish names for thier OS’?

        So maybe when Tiramasu comes out, Android won’t be fragmented with their OS’ or hardware?

      • http://foxpacific.myopenid.com/ James Pakele

        Of all the names you call Android OS… it still spanks the crap outta iOS…

      • Anonymous

        @Sith_Lord:disqus , I didn’t say you called me a name. Do try to remain focused. That said, “Steaming Pile of Mastodon Dung” is less than impressive. I like elements of iOS, just like I like elements of Android, just like I like elements of WinPho7.

      • Anonymous

        Really @James Pakele? Spanks it how? because you can add a custom ROM? Oh, sorry can’t put a open OS on Motorola phones? What widgets? big deal? It has less quality apps than iOS. Some features that can be customized? So can a jail broken iOS.

        Let’s hear your spanking!

  • http://twitter.com/batrad Devesh Batra

    its a mess out there with the different OS Versions and the mfg adding their own custom code. hope the newer versions limit the mfg code and bring back the Google experience

  • Runciter

    So actual shipping devices (other than Nexus) by Q3 2012…

  • http://twitter.com/billm85 Bill McNamee

    and we still don’t have gingerbread on the thunderbolt..lol

    • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

      maybe the “HARDWARE” will support it… maybe not…

      • http://twitter.com/billm85 Bill McNamee

        ok, but what does that have to do with gingerbread not being rolled out to us thunderbolt owners?

      • Anonymous

        I think he was trying to crack a joke to the effect that HTC is going to pretend that the Thunderbolt’s hardware isn’t good enough for Gingerbread. What’s more likely is that it’s taking them this long to put Sense on top of it.

        HTC has been pretty good about upgrading their phones, all things being equal.

  • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

    so im sure only PURE google phones will EVER get this version… plus 1 NEXUS !!

    • http://profiles.google.com/djblois Daniel Blois

      No, google just announced that updates will be coming out faster for devices.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

        Believe it when I see it

  • LAL

    Hey cool, two years from now you may also begin to see leaks of this come out as you incessantly refresh webpages for any clue as to when it may reach your device.

  • http://about.me/brandonmccall brandonmccall

    Google just addressed every single issue I had with Android this afternoon. I appreciate that.

  • Tony

    hmmmmm im torn, Im not really that much of an Android fan, but I do love ice cream sandwiches……

  • Scott

    Sounds tasty to me! It also sounds like there will be another Nexus in Q4, and I hope it’s made by HTC and no crappy Samsung.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

      Agreed, I will never again buy a Samsuck device. I got burned by the Craptivate.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

    Too bad you’ll either have to buy a new device or wait 2 years if ever to get it on your current device. Until Google takes the Carriers out of the update equations, Android is not for me. Been there, done that.

  • pureGoogleExperienceOnVZ

    24 months de facto contract length, but only 18 months of phone updates….

    • http://foxpacific.myopenid.com/ James Pakele

      Makes sense, even with updates rolling out at six months… by the time you reach 24 month contract it’s a new phone, not necessarily update the old one…

  • Anonymous

    Awesome. So I should expect my update a year later. Still waiting on Gingerbread…maybe I’ll get that in Q4.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JNKVTT7PJMXPYP2GVCIERBQQCU Andrew

    When this launches many devices still will be on Froyo.

  • Anonymous

    I’m surprised at the responses here – Usually this site is pretty pro-Android in its comments.

    Instead people are skeptical of pretty well everything announced. Can’t say I blame them, when you announce changes and then go “But we’re not sure how that’ll happen yet”.

  • Anonymous

    Don’t even have an android device, just here to say that pick is making me go buy ice cream sandwiches. Looks too good.

  • Anonymous

    Who wants ice cream in the winter when summer time is right around the corner? oh yea, wait wait wait–that’s Google for ya. LoL. Next update should be Toilet Bowl. Now that’s a flush right there itself. Take your time, Google. ;-)

  • Tauraus2005

    My samsung galaxy 3gt5801 will get the update of os

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