Launch of ice-cream sandwich

Nick Dillon, Analyst, Ovum

AUSTRALIA: With the launch of Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, Google has brought together the phone and tablet strands of Android into a single version. This is perhaps the more important aspect of the update. One of the issues which has so far limited sales of Android tablets is the relatively small number of apps which are available for them.

By creating a single version of Android, Google is making it easier for developers to modify their apps and take advantage of the larger screens of tablets, which should stimulate the creation of apps designed for Android tablets.

The update brings a number of minor features. Some of which are borrowed from iOS and Windows Phone, such as access to camera from the lock screen and a new contacts app, and some of which are unique to the platform, such as facial recognition security.