AnandTech Reviews the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich

Typically thorough and thoughtful:

I’ve said this before but I do believe that Apple is trying to deliver more of an appliance experience, whereas Google is providing you with a modern take on a traditional computing experience. If the appliance is a smartphone, then both approaches are equally capable — it’s just a matter of personal preference. […]

ICS is smoother, more polished and has its own set of new features that make it a significant step forward for Android. What ICS is not however is an outright clone of iOS. If you prefer the iOS experience to Android, ICS will do nothing to change your opinion. If all you were missing from Android was a smoother UI, then its fourth major release should be almost everything you could ask for.

I agree wholeheartedly. ICS is the first release of Android that feels like a true major upgrade. It hasn’t been changed so much as it’s been polished and refined.

★ Thursday, 19 January 2012