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You’ve got to admit, they really have some creative names for platforms and operating systems these days. It’s no secret that the Android operating systems have been systematically and alphabetically named after desserts, beginning with “Cupcake” and encompassing things like “Éclair” and “Gingerbread”. Which is why, now that we’re to the Android 4.0 and the letter “I”, Google is unveiling the “Ice Cream Sandwich” platform.
Following the Honeycomb, which is compatible with tablets only, the Ice Cream Sandwich will be smartphone and tablet compatible, a shift from the previous platforms. There is no set public release date yet, only rumors that it will hit the market in October or November, besides the release of Apple’s iOS 5.
[Image via Flickr]
Scott Main, who is the lead tech writer for Android, wrote the following in a blog post regarding the new Ice Cream Sandwich platform:
Early this year, Honeycomb (Android 3.0) launched for tablets. Although Honeycomb remains tablets-only, the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) release will support big screens, small screens, and everything in between. This is the way Android will stay from now on: the same version runs on all screen sizes.
The unification will be the first attempt at converging the Honeycomb software and the Gingerbread software into one complete package delectably known as Ice Cream Sandwich. Luckily – or unluckily, depending on how you look at it – for Honeycomb app developers, the software will be compatible with the new Ice Cream Sandwich platform, though a few changes here and there may be necessary – either to ensure compatibility or prevent it, whichever the designer decides.
Main further explained in his blog post:
Optimizing for handsets can be tricky if your designs currently use all of a large screen to deliver content. It’s worth the effort, though, because Ice Cream Sandwich brings the Honeycomb APIs to handsets, and you’ll significantly increase the user-base for your application. Using a single APK for all devices also simplifies your updating and publishing process and makes it easier for users to identify your app.
Even with the new information, though, no developer kit has been released to allow developers to begin writing applications consistent with the Ice Cream Sandwich. It can be expected that the kit will be released soon though, since the software is set to release in the upcoming months.
It will be interesting to see which device is released with the new Ice Cream Sandwich, as no set devices have been concretely announced yet. We’ll just have to suppress our appetites until then!
Author Bio:
Kate Croston is a freelance writer, holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She writes guest posts for different sites and loves contributing high speed internet service related topics.
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