What awaits Android in 2012 (part 2)

Android is a universal platform that has been installed on various devices, starting with USB drivers and ending with robotic bartenders. In 2012, there will be even more devices with this OS.

At the annual Google I/O 2011 conference, Google presented a project called Android@Home – a new framework for Android.

Lighter shellsShells in Android are not the biggest problem, since they do not affect the management of the system in any way.

But they can improve functionality – for example, on Honeycomb tablets – but on phones they are usually very heavy and resource-intensive. With the release of ICS, the shells have already become somewhat lighter.

As a good example, we can cite Motorola’s MotoBlur shell, which, despite the spectacular interface, was reduced in weight and at the same time well integrated into the interface of the base OS – Android.

Updated storeWhen it comes to content, iOS is the king.

iTunes has not only apps, music, but also movies, TV shows and even books. With the help of Google Music, Google is trying to create a similar ecosystem for Android.

Android Market is gradually becoming the only store for Android applications. It is already possible to “rent” movies on the Android Market, and it would not be surprising if podcasts and TV shows work in a similar way in the near future. When Google adds them to its app store, the Android Market will become a much stronger competitor in the mobile content market.

Is the next OS Jelly Bean?

At least two Android updates are expected in 2012.

One of them is an update to Android 4.0. But some experts believe that there will be a new OS, which is conventionally called Jelly Bean. There is an opinion that it will greatly affect the market. Of course, you can argue about the details for a long time, but it is very likely that the so-called Jelly Bean will include some of the listed items.

(the first part of the article “What awaits Android in 2012“)