Intel expects 2012 release of Android 4.0’s Ice Cream Sandwich

The mobile operating system, Android 4.0 named ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ from Google, is to be launched and Intel is eagerly waiting for the same. The architecture for Intel’s Atom x86 is going to be released in 2012 first half, if all things go according to the plans. Though the Company had initially planned to go for the OS from Nokia ‘MeeGo’; it has now shifted its attention towards Android, given the fact that the latter has captured the imagination of the users worldwide and boasts of a dominant market share of 57% in the Mobile Operating system segment, as per a recent market study.

Android had been initially released for ARM architecture, but is now getting huge favours from Google. Though Google has been working with lots of chip-makers as well as hardware partners; Texas Instruments has been chosen to give the processing power whereas Samsung, the Asian mobile giants, was roped in to build the Nexus Prime, this is expected to have the Ice Cream Sandwich on-board when released by this year end.

Intel, as well as another chip maker, MIPS, are together collaborating with Google to make Android 4.0 run on chipsets that are made by them. Intel sources said that since the ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ has been provided with optimization of OS for x86, it will be able to run on all devices that use Intel’s atom processors.

The third platform, MIPS, also holds the belief that it can make itself ready to support the Android 4.0 and be ready for production within 90 days of availability of the source code for the platform; to be made by Google.

At the 2011 IDF Conference, Intel gave demonstration of a HoneyComb port installed on its processor and received good and positive feedbacks for the same.