Whoa that sure was fast. Google isn’t wasting any time and have already announced the next incremental update for the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform. We just received 4.0.2 on our Verizon Galaxy Nexus phones yesterday and it looks like 4.0.3 will be here very shortly. That is the wonderful part of owning a Nexus — it gets all the updates right away. All the details are after the break on the new update.

Soon we’ll be saying hello to Android 4.0.3 as it should rollout in the coming weeks. Along with the changes are plenty of API updates and tweaks for developers to take advantage of. Some of those include access to social integration like how Google+ and Gtalk have now and more. Here is the list right from the Android Developer Blog.

— Social stream API in Contacts provider: Applications that use social stream data such as status updates and check-ins can now sync that data with each of the user’s contacts, providing items in a stream along with photos for each. This new API lets apps show users what the people they know are doing or saying, in addition to their photos and contact information.

— Calendar provider enhancements. Apps can now add color to events, for easier tracking, and new attendee types and states are now available.

— New camera capabilities. Apps can now check and manage video stabilization and use QVGA resolution profiles where needed.

— Accessibility refinements. Improved content access for screen readers and new status and error reporting for text-to-speech engines.

— Incremental improvements in graphics, database, spell-checking, Bluetooth, and more.

It looks like the API changes will give developers and applications more access to the camera and calendar, improve tons of access for screen readers and text-to-speech engines and more. Then at the end it mentions improvements to graphics and even spell-checking — I’m excited to see what more they bring to that area as it’s already quite excellent.

Bring on the Ice Cream Sandwiches Google, we’ll take them all.

[via Android Developer Blog]

4 COMMENTS

  1. Just noticed today that the new Nexus won’t connect to my Motorola BT T505 speakphone in the car using the media profile.  It just says “connecting”.  The headset profile on The T505 works just fine with the Nexus but the media profile for it doesn’t work.  Ugh.  Hoping for a fix for that soon.

  2. I am really curious why HTC phones dont get any coverage in any of the android fanbase. A lot of the stuff listed above as HOT in ICS already exists as a basic feature in HTC Sense for over 2 years now. Also, I love the fact how HTC keeps evolving its interface. What are paid apps for Samsung users, are free and in-built features for HTC owners. Yet it is always Samsung that I read about when Android is being discussed. I suspect it has something to do with marketing muscle but it is surprising to see that even the online community seems blind to most of what HTC does

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