Mobile Phone Reviews UK

Even with the recent fiasco about ‘paid’ Android apps selling for ‘free’ doing rounds, developers will still be upbeat with the Android market’s explosive growth especially with as many as 200,000 apps being made available, while download figures have already exceeded to a staggering 4.5 billion. However, the Google I/O event brought more surprise into the mix by announcing Google’s plans to bring in the Android Ice Cream Sandwich that will essentially unify both Smartphone’s and tablets into a singular platform. The best part being the Ice Cream Sandwich will be here for release on Q4 of this year. Sources also indicate that mobile phone deals on Samsung phones, LG phones, Motorola phones etc, will certainly see changes in price.

The move will basically ensure both tablets and Smartphone’s will share similar user-interfaces, browsers and apps. Nevertheless, Google says the Ice Cream will be more about apps more than anything else. Few of the notable features that the Ice Cream Sandwich will sport are facial recognition technology, Virtual Camera Operator and availability of new technologies in API’s so that developers can utilize them with complete liberty. According to Google, the facial recognition technology will allow Android handset/tablet to recognize user’s mouth, face, eyes and nose with ease. Besides, the innovative Virtual Camera Operator will be used for group video calling with assistance coming in from facial recognition technology to precisely identify persons active on calls.

Android tablets will have their much needed update via Android 3.1 which Google has again referred to as Honeycomb. Although their isn’t going to be any significant changes in this space, but Android tablet enthusiasts can expect resizable widgets for home screens and support for USB host mode . Besides, there might even be support Xbox 360 controller.

The I/O event also marked the release of a new Android update policy which will basically permits Google partners Samsung, Sony Ericsson, AT&T, Motorola, Vodafone, T-Mobile, LG, Sprint, HTC and Verizon to receive Android updates up to 18 months after the release of a new Android device. Google also announced the plans for release of ‘Android Open Accessory’ and ‘Android@Home’. The former can be used by developers to develop hardware accessories that work on Android devices. With Open Accessory API now coming into the fray, Gingerbread 2.3.4 and the soon to be unveiled Honeycomb 3.1 will have Android Open Accessory quite soon.