Google has quietly released the official source code of the much awaited Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich version for developers. Jean-Baptiste M. “JBQ” Queru, Software Engineer for Android Open-Source Project (AOSP) with Google announced the availability of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich source code for further development and Porting to devices. Interesting part is that the Android 4.0 source code also includes the unfinished source code of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb meant for tablets.
Recently, Google showed the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update on the upcoming Galaxy Nexus smartphone and promised that it would be released soon. Majority Android smartphones and tablet owners were interested to know the arrival date of Ice Cream Sandwich update for their devices.
The third-party custom ROM developers would start the development of the Android 4.0 ICS source code and tinkering around it immediately.
Queru noted in the post at Google Groups that the source code update is large and would require quite some time to finish downloading. Also he noted that the Android 4.0.1 ICS is the specific version that will release for the Galaxy Nexus. Build configurations to port the Android 4.0 would be added in due course of time. So it is the source code for Galaxy Nexus out and not meant for all Android devices.
Samsung, HTC and Sony Ericsson plan to release the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the eligible devices in the coming year 2012 as and when the development completes. Do note here that these companies are bound to focus on its high-end and best-selling devices for the Android 4.0 updates.