Intel and MIPS Bets on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with 2012 Release

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich includes many improvements including a new interface and system bar that makes accessing and navigating through applications easier. Other features include an improved keyboard, integration of multiple email accounts, improved security, core application improvements, and near-field communications (NFC) abilities for mobile payments. It also provides  impressive media processing features, such as face unlock, camera functions for quicker photo, live effect, enhanced Talk-to-Text, and photo editor.

It has already been shown to work on a smartphone with an ARM processor. HTC confirmed that the HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XL, HTC Sensation XE, HTC Rezound, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G, and HTC Amaze 4G would all be seeing the update to Android 4.0.

The new OS includes OS optimization for x86, so Intel architecture-based devices, can support it, according to Suzy Greenberg, an Intel spokeswoman. HP new tablet Slate 2 includes faster hardware including Intel's Atom Z670 processor, which runs at a clock speed of 1.5GHz and has accelerators to decode 1080p video. 

MIPS is the third processor architecture challenging ARM in the tablet and smartphone space. Tablets with MIPS processors already support Android 3.0, which is code-named Honeycomb, and the company is porting Android 4.0 for tablets.

See more @ computerworld.