Android Ice Cream Sandwich was good, but we’ve got some ideas on how to make Jelly Bean even better.Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WiredWhen Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, arrived on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone last November, it marked the most radical change Google’s hugely popular mobile operating system had undergone since its debut.
It was also the best thing to happen to Android so far. It was the first version of Android designed for both phones and tablets, and it was the first version of Android that was truly beautiful to look at and fun to use.
But of course, Android can be improved. On Wednesday, Google is expected to kick off its Google I/O developer conference by introducing Android 4.1, dubbed Jelly Bean. Unlike version 4.0, which featured a top-to-bottom redesign of Android, version 4.1 is expected to bring a number of incremental changes. Rumor has it the new OS could even debut on a Google-branded, Asus-built Nexus tablet, and it could land on Google’s developer-friendly Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone as well.
Whenever it arrives, we’re expecting new features and bold moves. Here are a few things we’d like to see in Jelly Bean.
Ditch Browser, Go With Chrome
Android has two web browsers, both built by Google. The boringly named Browser is the default entry point to the web installed on every Android phone going back to the first version. The thoroughly modern Chrome, however, has only been available as a download from the Google Play store since its debut on Android in February, and it only works on ICS devices. Chrome is still a “beta” product — Google is killing bugs and polishing off the app. But Chrome’s time has come.
When the world thinks of Google’s web browser, it thinks of Chrome. Android’s Browser app is an afterthought. Chrome is the better browser in absolutely every way: user interface, tab handling, speed and support for web standards are superior, and Chrome can sync your bookmarks and browsing history between all your Chrome installations across all devices and platforms. Not to mention that Google is extending the Chrome brand beyond just the browser, with the Chrome OS and devices like theChromebook and Chromebox. It’s time to simplify things, Google — go with Chrome and ditch Browser.
Unify Messaging
Another example of multiple apps that do the same thing: messaging.
Google could ease the lives of Android users by delivering one unified messaging app. Currently, Google offers a stand-alone text messaging app (Messaging), a separate app for chatting over Google Talk (Talk) and yet another for sending notes to Google+ contacts (Messenger). Three apps that all do the same thing — that’s more complicated than it needs to be.
It’s time to take a page from Apple’s playbook and offer just one messaging app. All three services could be rolled into just one app — call it Messages or Messenger or Messaging or Talk or anything you’d like. When a user messages a phone number, it can be sent via text message. When a user messages an e-mail address, as they do via Talk or a contact on Google+, that message can be sent using web data as opposed to a standard text message through the wireless carrier.
The app could even recognize when a user is sending a message to another Android phone and send that message using web data as well — just like Apple’s iMessage app in iOS. One app for all three services. This is the way to go.
Program Your Own Gestures
We’d like to see Android give users the ability to create their own gestures, specific swipe combinations for opening up apps or forcing their devices to perform specific actions. Google already has a patent for this, and no other platform — iOS, Windows Phone or the different flavors of BlackBerry — currently offers this feature.
If you’ve ever used Android’s gesture-unlock feature, you already have an idea of how this might work. Essentially, your phone would record a specific swipe or gesture that’s unique, and launch an app or action of your choice whenever you perform that gesture. Apple already has a number of multitouch gestures, such as the five-finger pinch-to-close gesture found on the iPad. But so far, Android is largely devoid of this sort of thing. The ability to program your own gestures would bring a level of personalization to Android that’s unmatched. To make things easy, Google can throw in a couple multitouch gestures of their own for those who don’t want to customize their devices, but still want a shortcut to popular apps.
Add More Built-In Apps
Ice Cream Sandwich has no built-in apps for audio and voice recording, to-dos and reminders, or weather. Other operating systems — namely iOS — do. So this update seems like a no-brainer. Integrating with Google Drive for saving audio files, or re-purposing Google Calendar’s Tasks to handle to-dos and reminders are easy wins. As for weather, Google’s desktop search engine delivers forecasts from the Weather Channel, Weather Underground and AccuWeather. It’d be nice to see these three options show up on the ground floor of Android as well. If Google had to go with one, we’d like to see it pick Weather Underground, which offers crowdsourced weather reports down to the neighborhood in many cities.
Do Not Disturb
Apple introduced a “Do Not Disturb” feature for iOS 6 at its Worldwide Developer Conference just two weeks ago. Android should match it.
OK, so it’s a bit lame to see operating systems ripping off their rivals off — iOS’s Notification Center if a notable offender — but a good idea is a good idea. And Do Not Disturb is brilliant.
You walk around with your phone in your pocket (or very close by) all day. When you get home, you’ve still got your phone on you, and you might have a tablet kicking around, as well. Having the ability to take a break from text messages, alerts, e-mails and phone calls would be welcome. Of course, like the iOS version, Android’s Do Not Disturb should still allow you to get all of these messages and notifications, only later, when you want them. But during the Do Not Disturb period of your choosing, your gadget should remain silent with out a ring or vibrate to bug you.
Exceptions are a must, too. This way, select friends, family and even bosses can reach you if you decide. Or, if someone calls multiple times — maybe you can decide what the threshold is — the call or message will go through, alerting you that this time, it’s urgent and your attention is needed.
