Android 4.0 ‘still not strong enough’ to compete with iPad, vendors fear

Google unveiled Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich alongside the Galaxy Nexus earlier this week and while initial responses have been fairly positive, vendors reportedly believe Google’s new OS lacks the innovation needed to bolster Android tablet sales. According to a report from industry watcher DigiTimes, tablet vendors were put off by Google’s focus on the Galaxy Nexus and smartphones during the unveiling of Android 4.0, fearing that the tech giant’s balance of resource distribution between handsets and tablets may begin favoring the former. The site’s anonymous sources say Android 4.0 features several improvements but it is “still not  strong enough to help Android tablet PCs compete against iPad 2.” With Apple set to launch the iPad 3 as soon as March of next year according to the report, Google’s tablet-focused Android partners are said to be afraid “the technology gap between Android tablet PCs and iPad may expand further.” The report says several vendors are banking on Windows 8 rather than Android to help them gain consumer market share and mind share.

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Tags: Android 4.0, Apple, Ice Cream Sandwich, iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3, market share, Sales, Tablets

Zach Epstein