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Ice Cream Sandwich hasn’t even made it much past the Galaxy Nexus yet, but apparently the next iteration of Android isn’t far behind. Rumours put Android 5.0 “Jelly Bean” in for a second quarter launch this year, and it could cause yet more fragmentation.
You have to take this with a very, very large pinch of salt, but Digitimes has it from Taiwan-based suppliers that Google’s going to push Android 5.0 out before Microsoft unleashes Windows 8 later this year. Apparently the idea is that Jelly Bean will be aimed at tablets, integrating parts of Chrome OS for dual-booting with Windows 8.
“Android 5.0 will be further optimised for tablet PCs, while Google will also integrate its Chrome system functions to push dual-operating system designs. Brand vendors can either choose to adopt only Android 5.0 or add Android 5.0 to Windows 8 devices with the ability to switch between the two OSes without the need to shut down the computer.”
If Google really does go with another version of Android optimised for tablets, we’ll end up with a similar situation we did with Gingerbread and Honeycomb. That caused fragmentation all over the place and Android is still recovering from it now. It’s what Ice Cream Sandwich was meant to solve; unify the tablet and smartphone with one Android version.
I admit It would make total sense for Google to roll in Chrome OS into Android, but for it to launch another version of Android to be solely targeted at tablet PCs — I’m a tad sceptical. Digitimes certainly has a very dodgy track record with these things, so it could just be utter baloney. [Digitimes]
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Ahh, the old Android fragmentation myth…
Tell me which one you think looks the worst?
iOS: http://tinyurl.com/8xxvtdb
Android: http://tinyurl.com/79lbyha
More fanboy baiting reporting….
Oh I agree fragmentation is an issue for every mobile platform. I just hope Google doesn’t go tablet-only again. They’ve only just unified them.
Except WP7. So far :p
Every mobile platform will have an issue, older or cheaper devices won’t have the hardware required to run newer programs. You could even say PCs are fragmented.
As much as you are generally a massive troll, and you came across as a massive dick, the fragmentation thing as an iOS vs Android argument is total nonsense.
It’s certainly not a myth through – both those pie charts clearly show the fragmentation for iOS and Android. But actually iOS looks like the bigger clusterfuck.
Meh, you only think I am a dick because what I think (or know) is different to what you think (or know).
Sometimes the truth will hurt.
It’s not what you know MikJe, it’s about how you go about telling others. And you do it in a real dickish fashion. Hence, you’re a dick… attached to the persona of a troll.
Sometimes though, you do shine… when you’re not being a dick that is.
iOS is spread out across only a few devices, most of which can upgrade to a set version. Most of those versions are hot fixes which don’t restrict ability, and not everyone is fond of upgrading but they CAN upgrade; iOS is mainly split up into iOS 3, 4 and 5 at the moment which an extremely large majority of owners can upgrade to the newest version of either of those three.
Android on the otherhand…
Let’s face the facts, I could go buy a Android device tommorow and within a month it could be out of date, maybe it well never get ice cream sandwich let alone jelly bean. If that happened I would feel cheated as would most people.
As for Apple, I know where I stand, buy an ipad tommorow and I know any updates released will be supported, not for weeks or months but years… With Apple I know I will have the latest of whats available, with google I could soon be left behind!
Almost all Android vendors have an 18month OS support cycle agreement in place, so your new phone will get OS upgrades for 18months after purchase…
Ignorance is a poor excuse..
http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/google-clarifies-18-month-android-upgrade-program-details-far-f/
Given the source of this rumour I rate it as likely as MikJe and Taf agreeing on the best Mobile OS.
Aye, true. But maybe, you know.
I suspect they are basing this on the fact that Google I/O is in June and Google has been known to launch Android updates there.
Incidentally if your looking for someone to cover I/O for Giz UK, I will be available
Haha… Mike just needs to jump out of his closet with all his iOS devices in hand!
I thought Windows 8 on ARM was locked so you couldn’t dual boot? I suppose the OEM’s might get special permission from Microsoft to do that but why would Microsoft say yes?
Unless they are going to put Android and Win8 on an x86 tablet?
There are alreayd x86 Android builds of Android 4.0 here: http://www.android-x86.org/
So this is more likely referring to x86 as you say. There is also some Intel based x86 smartphones floating around in Motorola Chicago…
…shine.
I prefer cupcake.