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Topic: Google

Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

Summary: Google confirmed that Ice Cream Sandwich will be coming to the Nexus S soon. So where is it, already?

James Kendrick

By for Mobile News |

Google has always made good on its Android updates for the flagship phones. This is to reward Google phone (Nexus S, Nexus One) owners for putting up with less than state-of-the-art hardware in order to get the latest version of Android. Google stepped up after Android 4.0 was announced and immediately confirmed Nexus S owners would see Ice Cream Sandwich soon. So where is it?

Sure, Nexus S owners who can't wait can already find an unofficial homebrew port of ICS, but there's no guarantee everything will work. It sounded like the official Android 4.0 release was just weeks away when Google confirmed it was coming for the Nexus S. As usual Google is keeping mum on the actual release timing.

Those of us with the Nexus S 4G on Sprint have an additional layer involved in the system update, as Sprint will have to bless it for customers. There is no telling how much time that will add to the Google release, which is SOP for Android updates.

Gingerbread on the Nexus S is quite good, but it is not the latest and greatest. Google should know by now that if you name your software after tasty treats, then folks are going to get hungry. The geeks in the crowd need some Ice Cream Sandwich, so when will it be here?

Image credit: Android Activist

Of interest:

Topics: Google, Mobility

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19 comments
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  • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

    This article is pure idiocy. There isn't even an official phone on the streets yet but you are asking where your update is. ZD net is now just a huge troll?
    egnever
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

      @egnever

      Isn't the Galaxy Nexus selling in the UK as of today? That would place an official 4.0 phone on the streets.
      tk_77
      Reply Vote

      • On the streets it is!

        @tk_77 Correct. The Galaxy Nexus is on sale in the UK today!
        Scrat
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

        @tk_77 So you think its reasonable to expect updates to older phones the same day the flagship ships?

        From a business point of view that makes no sense whatsoever. Having said that the source code is released and has been for at least a week there is nothing stopping you from porting it over to your phone.
        egnever
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

        @egnever: It makes perfect sense, both from a business point of view and from our user point of view. Many people only buy the Google phones, like the Nexus S, on the expectation that they will get the latest and greatest Google software immediately. The specs aren't as good as other phones, the prices aren't as good as other phones, but the comparative advantage is that it is a Google phone with continued, early updates. That's kind of the bargain - Google was able to sell a lot more phones by making that implicit promise. If they break it, sales of the Galaxy Nexus and other future phones will be depressed because they'll have lost one of their key selling points.
        brandonmason
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

      @egnever

      Why does there need to be an official phone released with the new OS. Why can't every phone capable of running the new version in terms of hardware, simply be able to get in from Google's servers? Google needs to fix this. I just hope there are more and more fragmentation stories in the mainstream press so that Google is shamed into fixing this mess.

      It's ridiculous that customers can't simply download the latest version and run it. And we shouldn't get conditioned into thinking that a new version needs to be provided by carrier or manufacturer is an acceptable practice.

      Google needs to create a driver layer (it runs on a Linux kernel so it's not rocket science) and every phone manufacturer should submit drivers for their phones. If not, Google should not give sell then Google Apps including the Market app.
      os2baba
      Reply Vote

  • Trick me once...

    I bought a Nexus S back in July because I believed that I'd get ICS as soon as it was ready. I should have bought a better phone and put cyanogen on it. I won't be buying a 'Google flagship' phone again.
    dcfix
    Reply Vote

  • Its just a basic update to a phone.

    it's not like ICS will enable the phone to cure cancer or anything, so what'e the rush. It'll get there.
    William Farrell
    Reply Vote

  • Just wait

    It is insane how some people think about the updates, they make it sound like google is doing something terrible, but it's just a matter of time until nexus get updated.<br>Just be patient, don't be such a child.
    adrianosk
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

    Apple managed to release the update on the same day as it's new flagship. Why can't Google?

    Also ICS is a MAJOR update to Android. Not just a patch. BIG changes, that will hopefully get rid of many of the crappy skins and start to end fragmentation.
    funkyblue04
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

      @funkyblue04 And there were several problems with it. And, you didn't get Siri on older models so the iOS 5 versions were different on different phones. Just because you release things at the same time doesn't mean everything works out.
      mrxxxman
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

    @funkyblue04<br><br>Exactly. To date, every time Apple has released a new phone along with a new OS, the new version of the OS is available to users of older handsets. So, the question posed in this article is a perfectly valid one. I have a Nexus S, and I want to know why the Android 4.0 source code is posted, but I don't have an ICS update ready to go for my device. Who is evil now?
    Sath71
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

      @Sath71 Not true. iOS 5 is not the same on all models of Apple phones. Siri officially only works on 4S. And that's been true on other updates as well like Facetime. You needed at least an iPhone 4 to get that feature.
      mrxxxman
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

    I feel by releasing the source code Verizon has been put on the clock. Either put out the Galaxy Nexus soon or the Nexus S/Nexus S 4g ICS update will put a dent in its sales. It'll be a win for AT&T/T-Mobile and Sprint as they all have the 2nd generation Google phone. I don't see any of those carriers holding back the update to accomodate a competitor. I don't see December rolling around without the Nexus S/Nexus S 4g update being released between now and then.
    jcyoungmoney
    Reply Vote

  • Welcome to Android, let the complaints begin!

    Doh!
    GoPower
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

    The Galaxy Nexus are available only in Europe, probably the update will hit Nexus S after the USA put their hands on Galaxy Nexus.
    adrianosk
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

    Seriously author, have some patience. Would you rather have a rock-solid release two weeks later than expected, or have a potentially unusable phone? If Google doesn't release ICS to the Nexus S as early as you'd like, it's for a reason. Rush them, and you get junk.
    jeffrok
    Reply Vote

  • Come on Google, roll out ICS for Nexus S.

    Eagerly waiting for ICS update... What they mean by update will be rolled out within weeks???
    kbalaji
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Google: Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S?

    bought the nexus s in the uk 7 january 2012, no ics,.... still waiting
    johnmandy
    Reply Vote
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