Google Android Developer team has made their latest Android Operating System version ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ more tastier than its predecessors. The unveiling of Ice Cream Sandwich took place on 19 October 2011 in Hong Kong along with the launch of Samsung Nexus, world’s first phone running on Ice Cream Sandwich.
Android 4.0 delivers a refined, unified UI for phones and tablets and introduces innovative features for users and developers.
New features incorporated into Android Ice Cream Sandwich that was unveiled during the presentation include:
- Virtual buttons in the UI, instead of taking up a capacitive screen
- Widgets are in a new tab, listed in a similar list to apps
- Folders are much easier to create, with a drag-and-drop style similar to iOS
- A customizable launcher
- New phone app with visual voicemail functionality that lets you speed up or slow down *voicemail messages
- Pinch-to-zoom functionality in the calendar
- Gmail has offline search, a two-line preview, and new action bar at the bottom
- Swipe left or right to switch between Gmail conversations
- Integrated screenshot capture by holding power and volume down buttons
- Improved error correction on the keyboard
- Ability to access apps directly from lock screen (similar to HTC Sense 3.x)
- Improved copy and paste
- Better voice integration
- Face Unlock, a facial recognition service
- New tabbed web browser, allowing up to 16 tabs
- Browser now automatically syncs your Chrome bookmarks
- Modern “Roboto” font
- Data Usage section in settings lets you set warnings when you reach a certain amount of use and disabling data when you go over your limit
- Ability to kill off apps that are using data in the background
- Camera app: zero shutter lag, time lapse settings, zoom while recording
- Built-in photo editor
- New gallery layout, organized by location and person
- Refreshed people app with social network integration, status updates and hi-res images
- Android Beam, a NFC feature that lets you exchange websites, contact info, directions, YouTube, etc.
Simple, beautiful, beyond smart
Android 4.0 builds on the things people love most about Android — easy multitasking, rich notifications, customizable home screens, resizable widgets, and deep interactivity — and adds powerful new ways of communicating and sharing.
