Google Inc. only scratched the surface with the latest improvements to its Android mobile operating system. Users have been left wanting more, and they are likely to get it in 2012.
Better graphics, better cameras, and maybe even a voice-command feature similar to Siri (bundled with the latest iteration of Apple’s iOS operating system) could be on the horizon for Internet search leader Google.
But as fresh as Ice Cream Sandwich is, users are looking ahead. Android is already installed on tons of smart phones across countless wireless carriers, and that reach is sure to expand with each new update.
Here’s what to expect for the little green robot in 2012.
Doing More With Voice
Siri brought voice commands to the masses, and you can bet that Google is working on something similar for Android.
Ice Cream Sandwich already allows for instant speech to text, and voice commands have been a part of the OS since Android 2.0, but they lack some of the personal charms that Apple has given its voice-activated virtual assistant.
Better Camera Software
When it came to mobile cameras, the stock Android camera software was hardly something to brag about. It was clunky, slow, and had only a few basic settings you could really customize.
Ice Cream Sandwich gave the software a much-needed update, introducing features like panoramic photos and zero lag between snapshots. Future Android updates could include face detection and more-advanced settings for experienced shutterbugs. But those camera improvements wouldn’t just be for phones. Tablets that use video chat would gain better focus and video quality, especially as we begin to see more tablets that run over 4G and LTE networks.
More Apps That Take Advantage of Hardware Acceleration
We’ve recently seen more phones with dual-core processors, but unfortunately not all apps have been optimized to take advantage of the extra processing power. Starting with Ice Cream Sandwich, however, hardware acceleration is enabled by default, meaning that new apps released on the OS will run smoother and games will look better than their predecessors. Older apps will have to be updated to see a boost in performance, and how an app behaves on a dual-core versus a single-core device will be noticeably different.
More Devices
Lighter Overlays
Android overlays are no big deal as long as they don’t get in the way of the Android experience.
A good example: Motorola’s MotoBlur overlay. Once an overwhelming and visually assaulting UI, the MotoBlur overlay has been greatly reduced to a lightweight skin that blends in relatively well with the stock Android UI.
A More Complete Shopping Experience
When it comes to media, iOS is the reigning king.
The Android Market is steadily becoming the one-stop shop for all Android-related media. You can currently rent movies from the Android Market, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see TV shows and podcasts also make their way to the Google-run store. Once Google adds those to its Android Market lineup, Android will become a much stronger contender in the mobile media-player space.
Next: Jelly Bean?
Expect at least two updates to Android in 2012.
While details so far are slim, it is quite likely that Jelly Bean will contain one or more of the features described here.
