We’ve been waiting to see what optimisations and shiny bits the Android team were working on with the Ice Cream Sandwich update expected sometime next month.

Thanks to one lucky eBay shopper who purchased a second hand Samsung Nexus S only to find on arrival it was running Ice Cream Sandwhich, we now have a 2 minute video showing off some of the features we can expect to see.

Some of the clear improvements are:

  • Updated lockscreen that looks similar to the Honeycomb lockscreen but with Camera on unlock button.
  • Improved Camera UI.
  • Recent Apps button on home screen.
  • Settings button in Notification bar when opened.
  • Long press on home button brings up visual task switcher, similar to Honeycomb.
  • Revamped settings layout with “System” & “Personal” sections.
  • App Drawer now has tab for widgets and shows a preview.
  •  
     

    It looks like this update really will bring the Honeycomb experience to Android phones and from what we can see it’s going to be one hell of an update.

    Source: Engadget.
    13 Comments
    newest
    oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    Sos.

    Looks slow, no wonder that talk about 2ghz cpu powering it.

    MrSimtang

    I don’t know, that story sounds funny. Some guy bought a Nexus S that happened to be loaded with ICS? Uh huh, ok… But this guy can’t be clueless, it seems as he was aware of ICS and that his phone was running ICS, but he conveniently decides to make a very very lackluster video showing a few things that a big of roms could do. Didn’t apply any widgets, didn’t show settings -> about phone, none of that.Also http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5858/snc00108g.jpghttp://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5779/snc00109fc.jpghttp://img855.imageshack.us/img855/4741/snc00112s.jpgApparently there’s a mod called “Klondike Bar” that does this. The rest of the stuff could just be mods (especially that lock screen,… Read more »

    MrSimtang
    Sam Cook

    DSP manager?  I thought that app was unique to CyanogenMod…?

    Joey

     Also available on stock 2.3.5 (KI3) Samsung S2

    Buzz Moody

    I’m also pretty unsure about the ‘Tron’ theme. 

    I thought Gingerbread looked shit when I first saw the green accents everywhere, but it grew on me. Perhaps this will do the same.

    MrSimtang

    Is there any way to edit my posts? For whatever reason, my initial post didn’t format correctly and there are spelling errors everywhere.

    Anonymous

    What Android version number is ICS? I have never seen Ice Cream Sandwich or the version NAME in place of the version NUMBER!

    I call fake!

    Brandon

    I call BS.  It’s a honeycomb theme for a homescreen replacement, ADW I’m guessing by the way the ‘Google Apps’ folder opens.  Also, it doesn’t look anything like the Android Police screens from last month which means one of them probably has to be fake.  Why would google change the UI, then change it back again?  
    Would have been good if the guy had spent less time in the camera app and more time showing ‘About This Phone’.

    Lucas Burnett

    Looks real to me, if it’s a ROM, it’s the best looking ROM i’ve ever seen. Can’t wait

    Buzz Moody

    Indeed. The only thing I’m questioning is why he didn’t show the settings -> about menu

    alexeiw123

    I can’t wait to get that on my sgs2, hopefully they cut down touchwiz to be more like it is on the tab 10.1, and keep the stock android look and feel.

    Like the subtle screen rotate animation after he hits home from the camera.

    Lucky bastad.

    Edwin Robertson

    If real, I actually like the look of it. Can’t wait for the update on my Nexus S. How long till my Galaxy S 2 is updated..