Bionic and Ice Cream Sandwich

[Frankie15]

I have a quick question regarding the future Ice Cream Sandwich Android update. I am aware that this update is going to cause phone manufacturers to omit the touch capacitive buttons ala the Nexus Prime. The buttons will be on the touch screen similar to the Honeycomb tablets.

Does this mean that older phones will NOT get the Ice Cream Sandwich update? The major thing holding me back with the Bionic is the Ice Cream Sandwich update. I would hate to get this phone and not be eligible to get the ICS update.

I know its all going to be mostly speculation at this point, but I just don't see how ICS can be implemented in old phones if one of the key aspects to the update is getting rid of those buttons.

Thanks for any input you guys can provide!

EDIT: Edited for clarity

 

[JustisLewis]

If this is true (and I'm almost positive it isn't), individual manufacturers would be able to add that functionality back in, just like they add their UIs (e.g. blur, sense, touchwiz)

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[Frankie15]

My post wasn't very clear and I apologize for that. What I meant is that one of the main features of the ICS update is having the buttons on the screen itself (similar to Honeycomb tablets). The Nexus Prime is rumored to have a 4.6" screen (this is to add space to the bottom of the screen for the buttons similar to the Honeycomb update)

I believe that most manufacturers are going to get rid of the touch capacitive buttons on newer phones to accommodate the ICS update (like the Nexus Prime).

What I am asking is what does this mean for older phones that feature touch capacitive buttons? Will they get ICS?

 

[OriginalDroid]

My post wasn't very clear and I apologize for that. What I meant is that one of the main features of the ICS update is having the buttons on the screen itself (similar to Honeycomb tablets). The Nexus Prime is rumored to have a 4.6" screen (this is to add space to the bottom of the screen for the buttons similar to the Honeycomb update)

I believe that most manufacturers are going to get rid of the touch capacitive buttons on newer phones to accommodate the ICS update (like the Nexus Prime).

What I am asking is what does this mean for older phones that feature touch capacitive buttons? Will they get ICS?

I'm sure manufacturers won't have a problem removing the touch buttons ICS and tying them into their phones capacitive buttons.

But I don't think phones pre-2011 will be getting ICS as hardware needs to catch up.

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[Enter]

Couldn't this actually just be a preference? I know plenty of people who complain about the hard keys and sometimes after a long period of use the buttons require harder pushing whether it is because of use or debris. I highly doubt all new phones to come out with ICS will have no capacitive or hard buttons because some people love them, some people don't care, and some people hate them. If people didn't like them that much, then it would've already been implemented.

I could easily see this as an option in the System settings to turn the feature on or off. Personally I love the hard or capacitive keys because although they take space away from the screen, I'd rather have a 4.6" screen with buttons than a 4.6" screen with 0.3? dedicated only to buttons that are using up screen space constantly, using the battery, videos/apps are not really full screen, etc.

 

[das2042]

I don't see it being an issue. My og Droid doesn't have "physical" buttons so to speak. They're there but not like the Droid x. They're just touch buttons so I don't think it'll be an issue to incorporate them into the os. I think it'll be more of a memory issue than anything, but I'm not a programmer so take that with a grain of salt. The bionic should have no problem getting ics or another Google update in my mind. The phone should be able to handle it. I think with the hardware it comes with it should be no problem being a two year phone.

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[Frankie15]

I don't see it being an issue. My og Droid doesn't have "physical" buttons so to speak. They're there but not like the Droid x. They're just touch buttons so I don't think it'll be an issue to incorporate them into the os. I think it'll be more of a memory issue than anything, but I'm not a programmer so take that with a grain of salt. The bionic should have no problem getting ics or another Google update in my mind. The phone should be able to handle it. I think with the hardware it comes with it should be no problem being a two year phone.

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I am not so much referencing capacitive buttons versus physical buttons. I am referring to both types being omitted in future ICS phones. I could see how ICS could be incorporated into older phones, BUT this would mean a loss of screen space (the new "buttons" would now be on the screen) and redundancy as you would have the "buttons" right below the screen as well. Of course the Nexus Prime accommodates this by having a larger screen and I foresee future phones post-ICS to have the same features.

 

[tedZilla99]

Is the Bionic going to have touchscreen buttons, or "hard" buttons, like DroidX, X2, etc.?

 

[Mullensbb]

I'm sorry but I don't understand why people are worried about I c s right now. from what I've come to read and understand it is nowhere near ready to come out. also to answer your question, I agree with the previous poster that any phone pre2011 will most likely not be receiving an OTA ICS due to hardware specs

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[Frankie15]

I'm sorry but I don't understand why people are worried about I c s right now. from what I've come to read and understand it is nowhere near ready to come out. also to answer your question, I agree with the previous poster that any phone pre2011 will most likely not be receiving an OTA ICS due to hardware specs

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ICS is supposed to release by years end. If it was a year away then I wouldn't really care much.

 

[mjones73]

Is the Bionic going to have touchscreen buttons, or "hard" buttons, like DroidX, X2, etc.?

touchscreen per the leaked pics so far..

 

[Arkbird]

I'm sorry but I don't understand why people are worried about I c s right now. from what I've come to read and understand it is nowhere near ready to come out. also to answer your question, I agree with the previous poster that any phone pre2011 will most likely not be receiving an OTA ICS due to hardware specs

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I agree with this. I don't think Verizon phones will be seeing ICS until well into 2012. I know Google wants to stop fragmentation but I have yet to see the manufacturers besides HTC and Moto actually try to update their phones.

 

[DroidXDoes4G]

Wait the prime may have those honeycomb style buttons?
I hate those!

 

[Frankie15]

Wait the prime may have those honeycomb style buttons?
I hate those!

The rumors say the Prime will not have physical buttons because it will be the first ICS phone. I think most (if not all) phones after ICS is released will be without physical buttons.