Why we don't need another version of Android this year - Android General

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case for sticking with Jelly Bean until 2013
Android followers, more than most smartphone communities, are constantly focused on the future, be it the next major OS update, or the next big smartphone from HTC, Samsung or Motorola. So with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean due to be open-sourced in a matter of weeks, some are already pontificating on what might be coming in the next version of Android, rumored to be nicknamed “Key Lime Pie.”
Conventional wisdom suggests that, just like Gingerbread in 2010 and ICS in 2011, the next version of Android could make an appearance sometime in the fourth quarter of 2012. But the current state of the Android ecosystem indicates that this might not be the best course of action for Google, its OEMs or their customers. In this article, we’ll take a brief look at why Google should stick with Android 4.1 until 2013, and push Android forward with hardware, not software later in the year.
Android is in a great place in 4.1
Jelly Bean is the best version of Android yet. Sure, every version of Android is the best yet at launch. But in Jelly Bean, Google has directed a laser-like focus on a key weakness of its platform compared to the Apple and Microsoft-based competition. Android 4.1 saw Google “declare war on lag,” and employ a number of high-tech tricks to vastly improve the speed and responsiveness of the OS. On the Galaxy Nexus, the result is striking -- update to Jelly Bean, and it’s like a different phone. If Android can deliver this kind of performance on the Galaxy Nexus’s year-old internals, just imagine the kind of speed we can look forward to once this year’s HTC and Samsung flagships get their updates.
In addition, a wealth of new APIs have been introduced in Jelly Bean, and not all of them have fully fleshed-out UIs (one example being the new app stack navigation stuff). So it's possible that new user-facing "features" like this could be switched on through a minor OTA, or a new Google app in the Play Store. Speaking of which, it's also worth considering that almost all of the major Google apps -- the latest being the default browser, Chrome -- can now be updated separately via Google Play without a major firmware update.
In other words, Android is in a great place right now, and as such there’s no need to rush towards the next major release before the end of 2012.
Jelly Bean is very new, and updates take time
As we’re all aware, manufacturers and carriers will need time to get Jelly Bean out onto their armada of existing Gingerbread and ICS devices. That process starts when Jelly Bean is open-sourced, something which is expected to take place in mid-July. Were Google to deliver the usual one-two punch of a new Nexus and a new platform revision in Q4, it’d mean putting out the next version of Android a mere four months after Jelly Bean, just as the 4.1 updates are starting to roll out. (And spare a thought for owners of the three CDMA Nexus phones, which have lagged far behind their more developer-friendly GSM cousins.)
The mobile world moves quickly, but Google would do itself no favors by delivering this kind of lightning-fast turnaround on a major new OS version. Ultimately, it’d only frustrate manufacturers and end-users alike by perpetually keeping them one or two platform versions behind the bleeding edge. Google has to be aware that slow update times for existing handsets are a serious issue, and it seems it’s trying to address them with initiatives like the PDK (Platform Development Kit). Announced at Google I/O, this gives manufacturers early access to portions of code to assist in porting it to their own hardware. In spite of this, updates still take time, and it’d make no sense for Google to exacerbate things by prematurely obsoleting Jelly Bean.
But that doesn’t mean we won't see a new Nexus smartphone built from the ground up around Android 4.1...
The next Nexus can compete on hardware
Android needs a new Google-branded hero device to go up against the iPhone 5 this fall and into the holiday season, not to mention the impending onslaught of Windows Phone 8 devices. If last year (and the year before it) is any indication, that’ll be a new Nexus phone. Maybe we'll even see multiple Nexii, as has been rumored, although we’re still not 100 percent convinced of that. Regardless of whether a new version of Android appears, we can be pretty sure that a fourth-generation Nexus will arrive later this year, designed by Google and one of the leading smartphone manufacturers.
This year’s Google I/O conference left us in no doubt that “Nexus” is now a mainstream consumer brand. Sure, Nexus phones and tablets will always be unlockable, and we’ll be able to hack away at them as we always have. But as Google’s focus has moved to its Google Play content ecosystem, Nexus has changed from a range of niche developer devices to a brand which, in the company’s own words, means “the best of Google.”
This makes hardware more important than ever, and given the Nexus brand’s renewed importance to Google, we can’t imagine them leaving the year-old Gnex to fly the Nexus flag against the iPhone 5. So there’ll be a new Nexus, and we think it’ll be differentiated by hardware more than software. Naturally, we’d expect improved internals, build quality, display and camera tech, and Jelly Bean should come into its own on such a flagship Google phone. Incidentally, the next iPhone looks set to follow a similar pattern, with hardware features like a new chassis design and widescreen display likely to turn more heads than any software improvements in iOS 6.
But affordability will also be key, especially if Google intends to continue selling directly to consumers through its Play devices store. And so if earlier rumors of multiple Nexus phones come to pass, it’s possible we may see both entry-level and high-end Nexii at varying price points before the year’s out. Another possibility is that Google may reposition the Galaxy Nexus as a budget offering.
Jelly Bean is a big enough deal
More updates are almost always a good thing, and with Jelly Bean's status as a "point release," it's understandable to see some looking past it to the next major version. But the 4.1 update is of incredible importance to those who care about having a fluid, responsive UI that's on par with the latest devices from Apple, and that alone makes it a big deal. Remember that more than half of active devices remain on Android 2.3 Gingerbread or older versions, then consider how momentous an upgrade to 4.1 would be for them. We'd rather Google gave everyone a chance to catch up and enjoy the buttery goodness of Jelly Bean, even if it means waiting a little longer for a slice of Key Lime Pie.
Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda premium

go write! i thought 4.1 was more of a slight update....4.0 to 4.1 not 5.0

If the users care so much about having always the latest update, then go on, root your phone, and install a custom rom. There is most probably an ICS port four almost any mainstream device that ran Froyo/Ginger out of the box.
As far as this article goes, the dense updating is only bad for the vendors, that are supposed to port the new version to their phones. For us users, especially for geeks like us in XDA, this updating is only a good thing.
Sent from my wallet

As I've said elsewhere, Sony, HTC, and Samsung seem pretty dedicated to keeping the majority of their phones up to date. As long as they continue that focus and keep releases to a streamlined number of devices per year then there seems to be no issue. With the improvements that have come via ICS and Jellybean I see nothing wrong with keeping up with the current pace.

more platform and apps needs to fix with the current and present version. so i think they pause for a while to create the best one to correct the past version issue..
Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda premium

rockerblood said:
more platform and apps needs to fix with the current and present version. so i think they pause for a while to create the best one to correct the past version issue..
Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda premium
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I completely agree. Google needs to tap the brakes on its updates if fragmentation across devices are to be tamed. I imagine if the pace continues a streamlined user experience will cease to exist since developers would have to to stretch support/compatibility across an insurmountable amount of Android versions.
I say we open and share the whole pack of jellybeans before we enjoy the temptation of Key lime pie.

0.o thought this looked familiar, then I realized it was writted by someone from AndroidCentral.
Could you give proper credit?
Sent from my MB508 using xda premium

"not to mention the impending onslaught of Windows Phone 8 devices"
LOL, I just spat my coffee on the table... Like the Windows Phone 7 onslaught. Don't make me laugh. WIndows Phone is dead.

CrazyPeter said:
"not to mention the impending onslaught of Windows Phone 8 devices"
LOL, I just spat my coffee on the table... Like the Windows Phone 7 onslaught. Don't make me laugh. WIndows Phone is dead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think Windows phone is dead, but the futur tell us...

First of all before releasing this Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update, Google should have made sure that around 75% of High-end/Mid-End devices should have got the Android 4.0 ICS update officially.
Only 20%(approx) has got ICS update officially.
I only think devices like Galaxy S3, Htc One X, Lg Optimus 4X, Xperia S...and many more new devices which will comeout this year will get the Jelly bean update officially or maybe JB running by stock.
I cant hope that Galaxy S2 will get this update officially but lets see what happens...
Sent from my GT-i9100 equipped with Grenade Launcher and ZN6 Prototype

Related

Android 5.0 Jelly Bean readying for a Q2, 2012 launch?

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According to a report by DigiTimes, there is a chance that Google will release the next version version of Android OS, the Android 4.0 Jelly Bean just a few months later in the second quarter of 2012! You need to swallow this story with a huge grain of salt as this is still just a speculation. As Android 4.0 has fallen short of the expectations, Google might make the situation up with the release of Jelly Bean. Like ICS, Jelly Bean will also be optimized for Tablets and Netbooks. It could be a strategic play by Google just before the Windows 8 launch in Q2-Q3,2012.
What is interesting about Android 5.0 is, that it’ll possibly include the Google Chrome system. With the help of that, you might be able to run Jelly Ban side-by-side Windows 8 on your tablet. To change the OS, you don’t even have to restart the tablet. OEM-s would have the option of installing only Android 5.0 in a device, or installing it in a device which already has Windows 8 installed. Now, this is kind of… umm… hard to believe! and that’s why the we warned you before…
The moral-of-the-story in this case, is that Google will focus on mainly Netbook and Tablet markets with the release of Android 5.0 Jelly Bean.
But, nothing is impossible. More-likely because of the Google back-end support. What not to expect from the guys who created the world’s most popular website!
[Source - DigiTimes] [VIA - SmartPhoneGeeks]
That seems a bit soon considering ICS is what, 4 months? There's another thread talking about how no phone has been updated yet. Granted, second financial quarter is like middle of the summer or something, but yeesh.
I'm also kind of curious how "Android 4.0 has fallen short of the expectations" when it is the first version to beat the competing iOS in more than half of the reviews.
This is interesting! early aspirations on the next generation Android Operating System are amazing.
As the expectations on adopting Android 4.0 has short fallen, the search giant is ready to launch Android 5.0 Jelly Bean in Q2, 2012. Also, Microsoft is ready to launch Windows 8 in the third quarter 2012. However, there is no such official comment made by Google on the performance of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Based on DigiTimes report, Google is pushing Android 5.0 and Windows 8 hybrids to its manufacturing partners to offer the best of both platforms. So the OEMs might consider the option of offering both the platforms on notebooks, netbooks and tablets.
I'm also kind of curious how "Android 4.0 has fallen short of the expectations" when it is the first version to beat the competing iOS in more than half of the reviews.
wow... jellybean.. it`s seem so nice.... i should try use ics first
sendietera said:
wow... jellybean.. it`s seem so nice.... i should try use ics first
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! Its nice
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE (Eminem is my hero)
Devices:
iPhone 4 iOS5 >SOLD on Kaskus
Galaxy S CM6> SOLD on Kaskus
8mileroad said:
I'm also kind of curious how "Android 4.0 has fallen short of the expectations" when it is the first version to beat the competing iOS in more than half of the reviews.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ask DigiTimes that. Android 4.0 update hasn't even released for all the compatible phones.
008Rohit said:
Ask DigiTimes that. Android 4.0 update hasn't even released for all the compatible phones.
Click to expand...
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That's right it's a bit of a joke.
almost farcical
this is a joke ... bad enough atm (adding more to the mix could be seen as good) im all for active dev of anything but sometimes to much to soon will eventually end up fracturing it all together
Accroding to this:
http://www.tgdaily.com/mobility-brief/61521-android-50-may-come-in-as-soon-as-six-months
ICS 4.0 has major problems, hence 5.0 release.
Another source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2501...erating_system_may_arrive_in_spring_2012.html
dr266 said:
Accroding to this:
http://www.tgdaily.com/mobility-brief/61521-android-50-may-come-in-as-soon-as-six-months
ICS 4.0 has major problems, hence 5.0 release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What major problems does ICS have???
That article discusses 5.0 being bases on tablets so fixing ICS "problems" is not likely anyway if thats the case and there are problems which I dont see there being to begin with anyway.
I just can't see Google making this business decision in anyway. It makes 0 sense. ICS was praised as the final unification of Android OS tablet/smartphone and going to end the fragmentation issues Google/Android has always been ridiculed of having. It makes no sense to introduce another OS so soon, esp one geared to tablets at that, as it would increase fragmentation 10 fold.
8mileroad said:
I'm also kind of curious how "Android 4.0 has fallen short of the expectations" when it is the first version to beat the competing iOS in more than half of the reviews.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The article seems to be nothing more than a steaming pile of randomized speculatory ****.
It just doesn't make sense - there is no evidence that Android 4.0 is falling short of any expectations, with the exception of the Galaxy Nexus launch being an epic clusterfuck in North America - but ICS is not to blame for that, Verizon is.
As to device upgrades rolling out - it's taking only a little longer for 4.0 to roll out to non-Nexus devices than Gingerbread, which makes sense since 4.0 is a more significant architectural change from 2.3 than 2.3 was from 2.2.
Reading other problems - The issues some have had with updates have nothing to do with ICS and everything to do with some vendors jumping the gun and releasing too soon. Plenty of initial Gingerbread upgrades (and even much later ones!) were epic disasters too - does that mean that Gingerbread has fundamental problems? Nope. The idiots writing these articles seem to have completely forgotten that the Gingerbread rollout was almost the same deal as ICS.
Now if we could have ICS running properly on our devices first...
agentfazexx said:
Another source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2501...erating_system_may_arrive_in_spring_2012.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that's kind of interesting there. ChromeOS on phones and tablets instead of being just netbooks...
Though I could see this I can't imagine that they really push this to many devices so soon...
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA App
we will see not sure if itll come out just yet considering ics is only on few devices officially
This would be awesome if true!
i don't think google might be so foolish to release it so soon.. it'll affect the market pretty badly...
Would be nice if google brings update to ics throughout all the ics devices.

No ICS... yet, from Samsung

Just asked in Twitter and this is the answer:
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So sad!
That is really sad.
P6200 has almost the same spec as galaxy tabs 2 7.0 and it should be an easy job for Samsung to write the ics update of P6200.
Sent from my GT-P6200 using XDA
While I question is this is the right section for this post, I'll just add that I did chat with Samsung support yesterday in regards to ICS. Peel support (remote control app) basically told me that my LCD TV (Olevia brand) has an issue that is known and is going to be fixed in ICS. So I of course as Samsung when ICS is coming and was told "IF it is released, not when".
I clarified with him a number of times.
He stood by If not when it is released.
Samsung has already announced that they will be releasing ICS for the Tab Plus:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/sams...dwich-upgrade-for-galaxy-s-ii/390405030989148
If you look about halfway down it says:
"ICS for GALAXY Note, GALAXY S II LTE, GALAXY R, GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus, 7.7, 8.9, 8.9 LTE and 10.1 will follow soon"
lokijux2 said:
While I question is this is the right section for this post, I'll just add that I did chat with Samsung support yesterday in regards to ICS. Peel support (remote control app) basically told me that my LCD TV (Olevia brand) has an issue that is known and is going to be fixed in ICS. So I of course as Samsung when ICS is coming and was told "IF it is released, not when".
I clarified with him a number of times.
He stood by If not when it is released.
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Well the release of tab 2 will be end of April so we can expect ics a month or two after that. They have to make money after all.
Sent from my GT-P6200 using Tapatalk
Why Do I Want ICS BTW?
I've had my 7+ for 6 months now. Other than the low-level audio problem, I'm extremely happy with the way it performs. I'm not a gamer. I'm not a tinkerer. I don't want to design my own fancy UI with cool animation. I don't want to do any 'work' on the Tab.
I just want to look at and listen to stuff. I even found a Media Player that finally displays the Album Art properly. Netflix works, OfficeSuite works, PowerAmp, TuneIn, email, they all work. Perfectly (almost).
I feel like I'm missing some majorly cool stuff that I won't be able to do as I sit here happily noodling along with Honeycomb while you lot are all blazing away with ICS, doing something else. What do I need ICS for?
rtfm1777 said:
I've had my 7+ for 6 months now. Other than the low-level audio problem, I'm extremely happy with the way it performs. I'm not a gamer. I'm not a tinkerer. I don't want to design my own fancy UI with cool animation. I don't want to do any 'work' on the Tab.
I just want to look at and listen to stuff. I even found a Media Player that finally displays the Album Art properly. Netflix works, OfficeSuite works, PowerAmp, TuneIn, email, they all work. Perfectly (almost).
I feel like I'm missing some majorly cool stuff that I won't be able to do as I sit here happily noodling along with Honeycomb while you lot are all blazing away with ICS, doing something else. What do I need ICS for?
Click to expand...
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I want it for the Peel remote fixes and the hope that the HBO GO app is finally compatible with our device. Not to mention lockscreen player capability added to Google Music.
Could always be worse (not much worse) but we could just get a "value pack" like Galaxy S devices.
Bahahahaha.
Is anyone really surprised that Samsung is taking their time to rollout an update?
But seriously, I always say that I am never buying another Samsung device for this reason, but then I always end up buying another Samsung device.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0's release is being delayed to the end of the month, according to Samsung themselves. The reason is because they just haven't got ICS working properly with the device yet.
Whilst this is no doubt frustrating for some, at least they are waiting until they've got it ready. There's a general tacit acceptance that any release of any products software will come with bugs that will reveal themselves, and I for one would rather wait a little longer so that the "final" product has less of the buggers to deal with when released.
Whilst Samsung won't confirm I think that it is reasonable to assume that when the Tab 2 gets released then there should be ICS for our beloved Tab+ following swiftly afterwards... Aside from the slower CPU (and why is the newer product getting a slower ) the two units are pretty darn similar, are they not ?
And lets be honest, it's not as if our beloved Tab+ is suffering terribly with Honeycomb... IT IS A GREAT STANDALONE product. Want it to look different? Go investigate some of the Launchers available from the app store/market. Want it to perform differently? Take a manup pill and ROM the bastard, I managed it, and I'm a grumpy old Windows luddite.
Some people are speculating that the hold up for the Tab 2 is due to it using the new Broadcom SoC. The Tab Plus uses the Exynos which is already working for ICS on the SGSII.
Of course, this is just hearsay and speculative but I do hope the development for ICS on the Tab Plus is just as much completed as it is on the Tab 2.
bittersound said:
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0's release is being delayed to the end of the month, according to Samsung themselves. The reason is because they just haven't got ICS working properly with the device yet.
Whilst this is no doubt frustrating for some, at least they are waiting until they've got it ready. There's a general tacit acceptance that any release of any products software will come with bugs that will reveal themselves, and I for one would rather wait a little longer so that the "final" product has less of the buggers to deal with when released.
Whilst Samsung won't confirm I think that it is reasonable to assume that when the Tab 2 gets released then there should be ICS for our beloved Tab+ following swiftly afterwards... Aside from the slower CPU (and why is the newer product getting a slower ) the two units are pretty darn similar, are they not ?
And lets be honest, it's not as if our beloved Tab+ is suffering terribly with Honeycomb... IT IS A GREAT STANDALONE product. Want it to look different? Go investigate some of the Launchers available from the app store/market. Want it to perform differently? Take a manup pill and ROM the bastard, I managed it, and I'm a grumpy old Windows luddite.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bittersound said:
And lets be honest, it's not as if our beloved Tab+ is suffering terribly with Honeycomb... IT IS A GREAT STANDALONE product. Want it to look different? Go investigate some of the Launchers available from the app store/market. Want it to perform differently? Take a manup pill and ROM the bastard, I managed it, and I'm a grumpy old Windows luddite.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. In fact, the Tab+ is running what I believe is a newer version of Honeycomb than what was generally available on other devices (most HC tablets were running 3.0 or 3.1, Tab+ is running 3.2).
Honeycomb got a particularly bad rap for having a buggy initial release that needed a couple of minor updates to get everything ironed out. What most folks seem to be overlooking is that ICS was pretty much the exact same way. My wife's Xoom is running ICS and it got another point release just last week that fixed some stability issues and problems with screen rotations.
I won't lie, I'd like an upgrade to ICS but I don't want to go from fully-baked HC to half-baked ICS either. And having used a Tab+ w/HC3.2 side by side to a Xoom w/ICS, I honestly don't think us Tab+ users are missing out on a whole lot.
I just purchased by GT7+ a few weeks ago, and I'm very happy with the device and Honeycomb seems to work just fine.
I do have some experience with releasing software for consumer devices. I'm in the operations group supporting a product with millions of customer devices. Finalizing and releasing software is a grueling process. Making sure that no one missed that one bug that will drive customer service calls is an ordeal. When a bug is found... Reset, everything starts over with the new build.
I don't mind waiting (granted since I'm a new owner I'm not really waiting) if they get it right the first time it will be worth it.
they needa hurry:-| remove all that bloatware i say! i assume this tablet is very new? i just got it so im not hundred precent sure on when it was released to the consumer i just would like to see why its taking alot of ram and be able to run newest software;-)

Samsung; What You've Done With ICS

I love Android Ice Cream Sandwich. I love the fluid user interface, the futuristic Holo theme, the aptly named Roboto font and its swipe-able UI elements among many other qualities. Hell, I love it so much that I’ve even started eating more Ice Cream Sandwiches ever since it was announced. ( just joking )
ICS is a completely new direction for Android, it is its first version that has a coherent design vision behind it, and its Director of User Experience, Matias Duarte has outdone himself. The care and love he has put in while designing it was pretty self-evident, that is, until OEM’s got their slimy hands upon its shiny, beautiful interface. ( yeah, Samsung, i am talking to you )
The crux of the matter is that Samsung just started rolling out its ICS update for its most popular smartphone to date, the Galaxy SII. And it is horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with it, except the fact that it looks EXACTLY the same as Gingerbread. Samsung have taken a revolutionary update to the Android operating system and turned it into an iterative one, which is behaviour that I cannot, in good conscience, condone. I am surprised that Google is not yet up in arms against such a base defilement of its beautiful child.
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Home Screen of SII on Gingerbread - (Courtesy-GSMArena.com)
Home Screen of SII on ICS - (Courtesy-GSMArena.com)
Samsung’s logic states that it does not want to change an interface that millions of its users have now gotten used to, which, superficially, seems pretty sound. But, the problem is that people were expecting ICS to be an absolutely revolutionary change and as Nokia and Symbian have already shown us, companies should not keep sticking to a familiar UI and ebb the tide of progress while the world around them keeps evolving. It is a cut-throat world right now, you either innovate and move forward or stagnate and die.
Which brings us to future innovation from Samsung. The company is about to introduce its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy SIII. The question then arises as to what Samsung shall make of the software atop such a seminal device; will they again cater to legacy users and use the same version of TouchWiz as on the SGS2, or will they completely re-vamp the UI to accompany the new device? As the situation stands, both of the options present potential pitfalls. If they stick to SGS2’s UI, the tech industry at large would be completely disappointed, as Samsung would be the only company to blatantly ignore ICS to such an extent. On the other hand, if they do introduce a new UI, they would be fragmenting their own Android smartphone portfolio.
Samsung has already garnered a reputation for being very flaky with regard to their updates. They decided not to update the Galaxy S to ICS at all and all this further confusion might be a potential nail in Samsung’s coffin for the year 2012. That is just how fast a single bad decision travels among the tech fraternity in these times.
I don’t want to sound like an Apple fanboy, but this is one place where Samsung and the whole Android OEM conglomerate sorely need to learn the ropes from Apple. They update their phones regularly and consistently. You can still pick up the iPhone 3GS, launched 3 years ago and it would still have more or less the same experience as a newly minted iPhone 4S, while in Samsung’s case, every subsequent generation of their flagship ‘S’ line has a monumentally different experience. Come on Sammy, wise up!
The good ole' Galaxy S, is not getting an 'OFFICIAL' ICS upgrade, why? Because according to them, the RAM in phone is not enough to run the touchwiz and the other carrier added crapware, even when the Google Nexus S ca be updated to the latest ICS offering, which essentially have the same hardware.
If you take a look at the homescreen of the S II, one which is still on Gingerbread and the other one which is updated to ICS, you can barely notice any difference between them.
So, in the end, i just want to state that if samsung's gonna include touchwiz n it's next flagship, at least please update the touchwiz so that we can tell any difference between Gingerbread & ICS.
P.S. I want to add a link for a youtube video which shows two S II, kept side-by side, one Gingerbread & one ICS, but the forum rules doesn't allow me to post the link.

			
				
I agree, but the reason I don't like TW is not because of fragmentation, but because It's just so extremely ugly. I know this is a personal opinion, but I know many people agree with me and I can't see how Samsung can possibly have missed this and continues to use it.
Also the fact that it is so similar to gb TW is stupid. HTC understood that they had to renew themselves and created a, in my opinion, amazing skin
Sent from my Hero using XDA
rafa6571 said:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah! this video, which i want to post, but the forum rules doesn't allow me to do so until i reach the 8 posts.
Anyways, thanks
Habarug said:
I agree, but the reason I don't like TW is not because of fragmentation, but because It's just so extremely ugly. I know this is a personal opinion, but I know many people agree with me and I can't see how Samsung can possibly have missed this and continues to use it.
Also the fact that it is so similar to gb TW is stupid. HTC understood that they had to renew themselves and created a, in my opinion, amazing skin
Sent from my Hero using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, they've completely bungled up the ICS update for S II, only because of the ugly touchwiz. i mean just watch the video once, one can hardly tell the difference between gingerbread & ice cream sandwich, if they want to upgrade the software just to make them look-alike then i guess that their next flagship will be just like their previous, at least when it comes to os
The two biggest cons for me are that Samsung updates horribly slow because of it and that it's plain ugly.
Gingerbread, TouchWiz and Sense are closer to the style of iOS, while Ice Cream Sandwich is closer to the modern Windows Phone 7 style.
I like that much more. The only thing that I find better in WP7 than in iOS and Android is the design of the User Interface.
to be honest I am using a port of the HTC One with Sense 4.0 and Htc did nearly the same thing. If you didnt tell me it was ICS I would think it was gingerbread with a new sense clock widget. I am not sure why the OEMs continue to do this. Maybe samsungs or htcs decisions suite some, but when the first thing I need to do with the HTC port is start yanking apks and adding different launchers to convince myself I am running ICS there is an issue
incredible step backwards. total gingerbread sh!t.
ruins the whole essence of ICS if you ask me.
damn you and your Galaxy Value Pack upgrades too!
I dont want to unlock my phone with my face OK?
Guys you have to understand. We are the 1% of their users. And even some of us prefer ugly UI (MIUI). The OEM will always do this. The UI is their branding on a phone. Most normal users like the way it looks. Personally I have not seem a good looking UI from anyone. All 2 tone colors and flat images. Thank god for custom themes. Lol
If you want regular updates then get a Nexus. When it comes to anything other then the nexus, the carriers have all the control over the updates. (At least in the states)
Some people don't know that you can disable defaults on twlauncher and go to stock launcher instead.
I've made simular comments in the past few months after the first leaked images of the Samsung ICS update.
I argued that what we are seeing is a midcycle update and not the rule of thumb for future devices.
Don't get me wrong, this by no means advocates samsungs decision to strip ICS of its looks and feature set. I'm merely able to understand that many millions of people have bought this phone (millions of very ordinary people) and this isn't like an upgrade from froyo to gingerbread where the notification bar gets changed to black. ICS is a different animal all together.
My mother chose her green screen nokia 3210 over a cybershot Sony Ericsson simply because she wasn't keen on the icon style UI. She has never strayed from nokia since even though they now have icons.
Its a fear of losing customers which has lead to such a timid update and samsung as a brand doesn't have the same innovative swagger as HTC let's say. Where as HTC customers are almost expecting HTC to make everything more glossy and spin around like a disco dancer every two weeks in an update.
My GSII is still amazing with gingerbread. I've changed the launcher which I would have done and will do no matter what they did with ICS. Orange UK will release the ICS update in the coming weeks and my expectations are safely low.
I don't believe this will be the case for the GSIII by the way. Plus I also here that samsung may be the first to offer a choice of the new TW ICS (that's not so locked to the gingerbread experience) and Vanilla ICS.
My fingers are crossed and anyway my next upgrade cycle isn't until next year when jellybean will be out and the GSIV or "the New GS" will be in full swing.
Booooom!
** Most truths were once deemed blasphemy **
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
ICS status bar battery is green! need I say more?
maybe they honestly tried, but with that touchwiz camoflauge, I have to do a double/triple take to see ICS.
SGS2:
Lol see the problem is, samsung believes in only changing the interface and adding true new features in their next flagship phone, unlike iOS where the new interface changes show up on older models. Samsung i hate you, and not by opinion but because i have the tab 8.9 and captivate and you havent done anything to fix their various bugs etc, so i have to rely on custom romsol
It's embarrassingly bad.
Sent from my SGS II
I guess the rational is that too radical a change would upset the uninformed users
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using xda premium
ICS not support ad-hoc!!!
using ICS only 1 hour and i flash it back to gingerbread 2.3.6, at least my gb 2.3.6 can connect to ad-hoc network and ics CAN NOT!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=24766415
yeah, samsung are just careless when coming to device maintaining, but i don't care as long as there are devs that make ports and roms that i love, and samsung releases sources !!!
I agree, I have not had a stock firmware on any of my android devices for longer than a day or so in years. I guess that is actually a pretty hurtful statement to the OEMs software though
shadowskorch said:
Some people don't know that you can disable defaults on twlauncher and go to stock launcher instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, what are the steps to do so?
Thanks

announcement regarding ICS coming in July

Announcement:
With the recent announcement that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus series will be getting ICS next month (in July), and the implied failure of Samsung to deliver ICS in June after previously announcing it, Samsung has managed to take over the Second Greatest Lie in the World, displacing "I won't cum in your mouth." If Samsung succeeds in this same pattern for the next 8 months, it will have a shot at taking over the top spot, still held by "The check is in the mail." The current top three Greatest Lies in the World, in rank order, are:
#1: The check is in the mail.
#2: You'll get ICS next month.
#3: I won't cum in your mouth.
Company representatives declined to be interviewed officially for this story, stating that they'll make an official press release in the beginning of next month. However, they have allowed information to leak anonymously that Samsung believes they have held the #2 spot all along, as "I won't cum in your mouth" only applies to Apple products sold in the USA.
In addition, Samsung lawyers have filed in injunction in Canadian courts attempting to displace "The check is in the mail." According to the documents filed, Samsung believes that this statement must be broken into two seperate statements, one for paper mail and another for electronic mail. Doing so would allow Samsung's ICS promise to overtake the number one spot.
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LOL. Hope Samsung is reading this thread.
ahhahaha EPIC
Must be getting old :fingers-crossed:. i thought the number one lie was "The Dog Ate It!" :cyclops:
Damn gary, I thought you did known better.
Ics update to us is "eligible" for one of the greatest lies. There is no real position for it yet.
Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk 2
Did they happen to mention July of what year?
GTOJim said:
Did they happen to mention July of what year?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, I think you probably meant to say "of what decade".
Gents,
a few questions.
a.) Which is the functionality that is only present in ICS and you can't use it in
Honeycomb right now?
b.) If you are so fed-up with your Samsung why don't you sell it and buy something else?
Honestly for me it doesn't matter if I get ICS in July, August or next year.
I am just perfectly fine with the current 3.2 version. Both my 7+ and 7.7 can
do just the thing I need them to do.
It's just funny to see different threads talking about the same cr*p, how certain people is fed-up with their tablets but they can't do anything else then wine. Guess they are not THAT fed-up with the tablet at all (if they still have their tablets). Or?
Why did you wrote this post. Do you think we would agree with you even remotely. I think you'd better farted.
Послато са GT-I9300
nutzo said:
Gents,
a few questions.
a.) Which is the functionality that is only present in ICS and you can't use it in
Honeycomb right now?
b.) If you are so fed-up with your Samsung why don't you sell it and buy something else?
Honestly for me it doesn't matter if I get ICS in July, August or next year.
I am just perfectly fine with the current 3.2 version. Both my 7+ and 7.7 can
do just the thing I need them to do.
It's just funny to see different threads talking about the same cr*p, how certain people is fed-up with their tablets but they can't do anything else then wine. Guess they are not THAT fed-up with the tablet at all (if they still have their tablets). Or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A) Better battery life, better memory management, the ability to clear the Recent Apps list, the ability to use Chrome, the ability to save videos offline in the YouTube app, fixed Wifi Sleep of Death issues, upgraded standard browser... The list goes on.
B) If the Nexus 7 shows up in store soon, I may well do so.
Most of those people would jump ship if there was a reasonable alternative available. Enter the Nexus 7 and maybe Asus's original tablet.
I agree in some parts with the pro HC guy. There are no strong reasons for someone sell or buy other tablets only for the ICS. And a lot of people are pissed with HC only because ics exists.
But unfortunately he posted In a slightly wrong thread. As this one is biased on the lack of respect of samsung on keep promisses.
Enviado de meu MB525 usando o Tapatalk 2
leodfs said:
I agree in some parts with the pro HC guy. There are no strong reasons for someone sell or buy other tablets only for the ICS. And a lot of people are pissed with HC only because ics exists.
But unfortunately he posted In a slightly wrong thread. As this one is biased on the lack of respect of samsung on keep promisses.
Enviado de meu MB525 usando o Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pissed with HC because it's still bugged - it's not GPU accelerated and gets sluggish at times, and many various bugs aren't patched - those fixes come in ICS (as listed above). More importantly Google appears to have completely abandoned HC support in favour of the unified ICS OS, which incorporates fixes and improvements to performance, battery life, various kernel bugs which caused the Sleep of Death problems, and more software is getting out there which either needs ICS for full functionality (or to run at all).
And the worst part? Samsung's been making empty promises for months, while pushing out tablets which are very similar to the 7+ in hardware with ICS already in place. All the while talking about how the original devices are eligible for upgrades... but then mysteriously letting the deadlines get extended. Even for Nexus devices, some of which are still waiting for current versions of ICS - yet they're able to ship out new Galaxy S III's with the most current Honeycomb version in markets where Galaxy Nexus phones are still waiting for 4.0.2 or 4.0.4 (which is on the Galaxy S III). It's obviously not a problem with being unable to recompile the radios or whatever's delaying those devices - it seems more that they're unwilling to deliver updates to keep your phone secure and current in features, and would much rather you buy a new device. Even if you're on the 'pure Android' Nexus, much less one of the Galaxy Tabs like what most of the people here have.
I'm just very, very glad that Asus got the Nexus 7 tablet - at least they deliver updates, even if some of the updates need fixing on occasion.
The only reason a Galaxy Nexus would be waiting on an updated is because of the carrier that it is on. Different carrier set-ups require different software tweaks. That's why only unlocked GSM devices are "true" Nexus devices.
Sent from my GT-P6210 using xda premium
nutzo said:
Gents,
a few questions.
a.) Which is the functionality that is only present in ICS and you can't use it in
Honeycomb right now?
b.) If you are so fed-up with your Samsung why don't you sell it and buy something else?
Honestly for me it doesn't matter if I get ICS in July, August or next year.
I am just perfectly fine with the current 3.2 version. Both my 7+ and 7.7 can
do just the thing I need them to do.
It's just funny to see different threads talking about the same cr*p, how certain people is fed-up with their tablets but they can't do anything else then wine. Guess they are not THAT fed-up with the tablet at all (if they still have their tablets). Or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you about the Samsung not updating thing because it isn't exactly new, so we really have no real grounds to complain about common knowledge.
nutzo said:
Gents,
a few questions.
a.) Which is the functionality that is only present in ICS and you can't use it in
Honeycomb right now?
b.) If you are so fed-up with your Samsung why don't you sell it and buy something else?
Honestly for me it doesn't matter if I get ICS in July, August or next year.
I am just perfectly fine with the current 3.2 version. Both my 7+ and 7.7 can
do just the thing I need them to do.
It's just funny to see different threads talking about the same cr*p, how certain people is fed-up with their tablets but they can't do anything else then wine. Guess they are not THAT fed-up with the tablet at all (if they still have their tablets). Or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well u must put in consideration that not all of us use our tabs the same am I right? I agree that its not really that big of a deal. But I can see how it can for some people. Me and my friend bought the same tab but he uses it for almost everything. From entertainment(movies, gaming YouTube...) to school work. And I have seen his device its not as fast as mine. And if ics seems more promising then maybe its worth a shot. Its free right? You've got nothing to loose really? But personally I've tried ics on my sisters Sony tab and I must say that honestly there is a substantial difference in performance. As for heavy users I mean. But hey its just an update its a win win situation for everyone right?
Oh man, that was funny. Although, I was always under the impression that the number one lie in the world was, "I love you too."
The UK user manual has been updated on the 6th to include details about using ICS.
One can only assume that it is expected pretty sharpish;
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c..._UM_EU_Icecream_Eng_Rev.1.0_120704_Screen.pdf
SWFlyerUK said:
The UK user manual has been updated on the 6th to include details about using ICS.
One can only assume that it is expected pretty sharpish;
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c..._UM_EU_Icecream_Eng_Rev.1.0_120704_Screen.pdf
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully it will be out real soon...
Well, in my experiance of manuals being put on the website - the firmware has been released the following week. Has happened with Archos a few times.

Google Preparing Android 4.2 for November debut on LG Optimus G Nexus

SOURCE : Kickedface
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The forthcoming smartphone collaboration between Google and LG, dubbed the Optimus G Nexus, is being lined up to debut as early as November, according to recent reports.
Popular mobile blog Android and Me has pinpointed next month for the launch of the new device and, more interestingly, also claimed that the new Nexus handset will be used by Google as a platform to launch a new version of Android, likely numbered 4.2. Well my birthday also comes in November Anyway, Android and Me has obtained its information from a "regular source who has provided accurate information in the past."
The Optimus G Nexus will be a tweaked version of the Optimus G (pictured, top) smartphone, unveiled by LG last month. That device arrived pre-loaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but speculation is now rife that one of the primary changes to the new, Nexus-branded handset will be its showcasing of a new Google mobile OS.
Indeed, further reports indicate that the new device won't just feature an incremental Android upgrade, but will also be compatible with Google's next big mobile OS leap: Android 5.0, thought to have been dubbed Key Lime Pie, which is being tipped for an autumn-2013 launch.
There's no word of what clever confectionery-related code name version 4.2 might get – personally, we'd like to see a bit of a nod to Android's UK fanbase via a playful moniker like Rice Pudding, Treacle Tart or even Deep Fried Mars Bar. Realistically, though, given Google's US heritage, it's likely to be closer to Marshmallow, Gummy Bear, or even – given its arrival at the beginning of the festive season - Candy Cane.
Android's pudding-like code names are - to date, at least - in alphabetical order. With version 5.0 set to keep with that tradition - the dessert buffet's next stop is thought to be a slice of Key Lime Pie - it seems likely that Android 4.2 will in fact stick with the Jelly Bean moniker, and possibly even be dubbed Android 4.1.2 to avoid undue confusion. Thanks to Alex for wiping the sleep dust out of our eyes.)
In terms of spec, the Optimus G Nexus is likely to closely resemble the LG Optimus G. That device is a true powerhouse smartphone, featuring a 4.7in display with a resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels at 317 PPI. It alos sports an impressive quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor in the engine room, and boasts one of the most impressive smartphone cameras on the market, coming equipped with a 13-megapixel primary snapper.
Despite rumours of the impending Android update, roll out of the more recent iterations of Google's mobile OS continues to progress slowly. Recent statistics show that while deployment of Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean is increasing, the most popular version is still 2.3 Gingerbread, which appears on almost 56 per cent of all Android devices. ICS now features on some 23 per cent of Android toys, while Jelly Bean lags well behind with a meagre deployment of just 1.2 per cent
We can only wait and see!
Are there already any improvements or "big-bang" innovations known
Looks like I have a new Christmas present well I'm hoping atleast!
Sent from my LG-P500 using xda app-developers app
Alphabetical
Just thought you should know, Google follows alphabetical order for its releases:
Froyo
Gingerbread
Honeycomb
Ice Cream Sandwich
Jelly Bean
So the next one needs to start with K.
according to Modaco, this is coming with a non-removable battery, 8/16 GB storage options, obviously no external sd card. 2 gig ram, android 4.2, and an 8mp camera.
hopefully, the other manufacturers have some better options for their nexus certified devices.
ot/ i feel like time is moving so slowly...ICS on the galaxy nexus was showcased on 10/19/11. That seems so far away now..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DZACK_Q4ro&feature=plcp
Here is a video that puts all the rumors into one thing.
Its an LG phone. It's going to suck. No Thanks.
Good to have another nexus manufacturer!
It's LG, I'm out. My experience with a granted, budget LG Shine+ pretty much guarantees it. Frequently would just freeze, drop wifi, etcetera and sent it away for repair. Came back with the same problems, and reading the forums it wasn't exactly an unheard of problem.
I also want a removable battery, and microsd. Really, is that so hard to ask?
I think if google is gonna be handling the software and accepting the hardware design it's gonna be an alright phone
Sent from my AT100 using xda app-developers app
the g2x was a disaster. lg smart phones have always been horrific. going with lg i'm sure they will have influence. but it will also deter many experienced users
Even though LG is not one of my favourite brands I'm seriously considering of getting the new LG Nexus, specs seem quite promising.
will it be as bulky as the rest of the nexus series ? that's a turn off.
I think lg is getting much better with lg optimus g. I hope the nexus will be as good as optimus g.

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