Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich' Due By Summer?Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich' Due By Summer?

Google has not said anything official about future versions of Android beyond Honeycomb. Honeycomb (Android 3.0) was formally announced in December as the official tablet version of Android. In keeping with its Android versioning scheme, "I" is on deck for the next iteration of Google's smartphone software. "Ice Cream" makes as much sense as anything else.

Citing unnamed sources, Pocket-Lint says that everyone's favorite summer treat will indeed be the next name for Android. Pocket-Lint also believes that it will arrive by summer 2011.

TechCrunch, however, disagrees. Claiming to have information from Google's Andy Rubin, it reports that the next version of Android will instead be called Ice Cream Sandwich. The distinction is important, notes TechCrunch, because an Ice Cream cone would too closely resemble the Froyo cone sitting on Google's front lawn. An Ice Cream Sandwich would be distinct from a Froyo cone.

Each time a new version of Android is announced, Google places the corresponding dessert in its front yard. There are already statues of a donut, eclair, froyo, etc.

One thing most appear to agree on is the timing of Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich's release. After a very active 2010, Google is pulling back on the reins of its Android development moving forward. Making their debut in 2010 were Android 2.1 Eclair, Android 2.2 Froyo, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

Google said in mid-2010 that we should expect about two major version updates for Android moving forward. Android 2.3 Gingerbread was the most recent version announced for smartphones, and has yet to be widely deployed. That sets up Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich nicely for a May debut at Google's I/O conference, with distribution expected between June and August.