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| Android Ice Cream Sandwich |
Google's third Nexus phone is expected to be running Android Ice Cream Sandwich, and is rumored to ship around Thanksgiving, possibly on AT&T. Google's next Nexus device will be possibly called the Nexus 4G, though we think that will be confusing, given that there's already a Nexus S 4G. Either way, details on the device have leaked, courtesy of BGR.
The Google Nexus 4G will feature a next-generation dual-core 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz CPU: either an Nvidia Kal-El processor, an OMAP 4460, or an ultra low-power 28nm Krait-based Snapdragon. The display is will reportedly be a 720p HD "monster-sized" screen, and there won't be physical Android menu buttons below it — everything will be software-based. Other rumored specification include a 4G LTE radio, 1GB of RAM, 1080p HD video capture and playback, a 1-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 5-megapixel rear camera "delivering class-leading image quality in addition to superior low-light performance."
Since Android 3.x is reserved for tablets, it makes sense for the next Nexus phone to be the next version of Android (codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich), which is slated for Q4 2011. While we don't know what version number it will have, rumors have previously suggested Android 4.0. The big change with Ice Cream Sandwich will be that it works on all devices. That means Google will be porting features from Android 3.0 (codenamed Honeycomb) to the smartphone, including the holographic user interface, more multitasking, the new launcher, and richer widgets
Google's Nexus One, manufactured by HTC, was released running Android 2.1 (codenamed Éclair) on January 5, 2010 and set the standard for Android devices in 2010. Google's Nexus S, manufactured by Samsung, was released running Android 2.3 (codenamed Gingerbread) on December 16, 2010 and is attempting to do the same for the platform in 2011.
