In addition to the Galaxy Nexus announcement, Google announced the availability of the next generation of Android, known as Ice Cream Sandwich or Android 4.0.
The new version, which celebrates the third year of the platform, brings a completely renewed interface and visual elements that bring the mobile operating system closer to the identity created for the tablets, Honeycomb.
“With Ice Cream Sandwich, our mission was to build a mobile operating system that could work on phones and tablets and also make Android even more attractive and intuitive. We created a new typographic font [Roboto] which is optimized for HD screens and we eliminate all hardware buttons in favor of adaptive software buttons. We’ve also dramatically improved the keyboard, more interactive notifications and resizable widgets, ”published Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President, Google.
Regarding new features, Android 4.0 offers a series of new implementations such as the possibility to synchronize Android favorites with Chrome, a new way to manage the inbox and searches in Gmail and the ability to zoom (with the gesture tweezers) in Google Calendar events.
On the social front, Ice Cream Sandwich was planned and built to take advantage of the Google+ Project and other social networks, taking high-quality photos and updates into the contacts stored on the device.
“It became easier to capture and share your life with family and friends. Galaxy Nexus boasts a high-end camera with zero shutter lag, auto focus, high performance even in low light and a simple way to capture panoramic images. ”
Among the innovations highlighted by the company – those that try to differentiate the system from the competition – stood out Face Unlock, which promises to unlock a cell phone through facial recognition, and Android Beam, a feature that uses NFC to share websites, contact information , apps, directions, and YouTube videos.
Other news that were also implemented in this version:
- Widgets are displayed in a new tab, listed in a list similar to the applications
- Creating folders using drag and drop
- New visual voicemail that allows you to speed up or delay messages
- Swipe left or right to switch between Gmail conversations
- Integrated screen screenshot when holding the power and volume button
- Improved error correction on the keyboard
- Ability to access apps directly from the lock screen
- Improved copy and paste
- Better voice integration
- New tabbed browser, allowing up to 16 tabs
- Tool for tracking the amount of data used and option to deactivate if it exceeds the limit
- Ability to kill applications in the background
- Camera app: time lapse settings, zoom while recording
- Photo filter functionality
- New photo gallery layout, organized by location or by person.
