Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich on Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Google Nexus S

[Hands0n]

Over the past week or so Google announced the OTA update for the Google Nexus S of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS to be short. The specific version being deployed by Google is 4.0.3, the latest version as of today, 18th December 2011 and containing the latest bugfixes.

This short review is to compare the flagship implementation of ICS with the first official OTA update to ICS of an Android smartphone, the Google Nexus S.

Having already had possession of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus my expectations for ICS have been well established. It is a fast and capable OS bringing Android up to the bar set by Apple's iOS across the piece. Now I realise that statement may be inflammatory to the Android loyal, but my own personal experience, having run the two OS side by side for the past 2-1/2 to 3 years is that Android had yet to meet the functional and usability bar established by iOS. Even if there were particular things Android did "better" than iOS there were elements left wanting that held that OS back. No more. Android ICS is at the very least head and shoulders to iOS, if not more advanced in places. This is a very good thing to happen.

The UI
This is what it is all about, in user terms. With ICS, Android has matured its UI to the point of fluid consistency. Google's apps have also had an independent workout and look and feel the same throughout, even though this has drawn some criticism.

The only small irritation I feel with ICS [in its fullscreen incarnation on the Galaxy Nexus] is the menu button appearing at different screen locations dependent upon which app you're using or where within the app you are at a given moment. I requires the user to hunt around the screen to find it.

With the Google Nexus S implementation of ICS this is not an issue. The Nexus S has committed buttons on the screen, separate from the main display screen. The ICS designers have retained the use of these buttons and the on-screen soft buttons of the Galaxy Nexus are suppressed in lieu of these.

I hope this is the case with ICS on all of the other "legacy" smartphones. Some screenshots I have seen of independent ROM developers have not done this, and so there is duplication of hard button with soft button, wasting useful screen real estate.

The picture, below, shows the Samsung Galaxy Nexus (top) and Google Nexus S (bottom) sporting ICS 4.0.1 and 4.0.3 respectively:
ICSPhones.jpg

There is far more to ICS than I can do justice in this short article. Hundreds of fixes and enhancements are contained in the new OS that will satisfy private individual as well as SOHO and Enterprise organisations.

There has never been a better time to buy an Android smartphone and 2012 promises quad core and even more capable hardware to accompany ICS.

[The Mullet of G]

Well it wont need to worry about the other OS's hitting on it, it looks like someone stole its clothes and it had to borrow some from Symbian UIQ.

Also I think Google need to stop with the silly names, its a total buzzkill. I haven't heard a single person outside the internet mention Ice Cream Sandwich, unless they were in an ice cream parlour. I've heard talk about Mango, I've heard plenty talk about iOS 5 and I even heard one oddball talking about QNX, but not a peep about ICS. Its simply too difficult to have any sort of serious discussion about an OS called Ice Cream Sandwich, Google needs to ditch the wet blanket naming scheme and find something catchy.

[DaveC]

Also I think Google need to stop with the silly names, its a total buzzkill. I haven't heard a single person outside the internet mention Ice Cream Sandwich, unless they were in an ice cream parlour. I've heard talk about Mango, I've heard plenty talk about iOS 5 and I even heard one oddball talking about QNX, but not a peep about ICS. Its simply too difficult to have any sort of serious discussion about an OS called Ice Cream Sandwich, Google needs to ditch the wet blanket naming scheme and find something catchy.

The Official name is Android 4.0 But Microsoft are as bad, I always thought Mango was a silly name.

[The Mullet of G]

The Official name is Android 4.0 But Microsoft are as bad, I always thought Mango was a silly name.

Agreed, Mango is definitely a silly name, but it is slightly easier to mention in a sentence than Ice Cream Sandwich. The Linux mob have the same issue, they keep trying to give Ubuntu edgey sounding animal names, but they always sound totally lame. Anyways I'm holding out for Android 7.0 Pomegranate Chutney.

[Ben]

Android 7.0 Pomegranate Chutney.

Which would be wholly acceptable in this world of Apples, Oranges, and Blackberrys.

[DaveC]

Well I've got bets on Jellybean for the next release - not sure what they are going to do when they get to X though

I reckon if they were starting afresh Apple Crumble would be a good cheeky one to go with