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Ultimate Android 4.0 Update List: Which Tablets Will Get Ice Cream Sandwich?

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We’ve already talked about which phones we believe are likely and unlikely to see an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but what about the current crop of Android tablets that are on the market? Which ones will be getting the boost up to Google’s latest and greatest piece of software?

While not as tricky of a question to answer as the phones were, the situation is still unclear for many Android tablet owners out there. Only a handful of tablets have been confirmed to be getting the bump up to Android 4.0 while the others remain in the dark.

So that means that we’re going to have to make some educated guesses.

Here goes.

Acer Iconia Tab A500 and A100

Iconia Tab A500

We fully expect both the Acer Iconia Tab A500 and the Iconia Tab A100 to see the Android 4.0 update. Like Asus, Acer has been pretty on point with getting software updates out to its hardware and we expect it to deviate from the norm when it comes to ICS for its Iconia Tab tablets.

And like Toshiba, Acer doesn’t have a bunch of phones to worry about either so it can focus on getting out a speedy and quality upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.

No time table as of yet though.

Update: Acer has apparently confirmed that it will be bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to both tablets in January 2012.

Update 2: The tablets will see Android 4.0 arrive in April. A little delay, but you’ll live.

Update 3: Acer has rolled out the Android 4.0 update to the Iconia Tab A500.

Acer Iconia Tab A200

Ultimate Android 4.0 Update List: Which Tablets Will Get Ice Cream Sandwich?

At CES 2012, Acer said that the Android 4.0 update for the Acer Iconia Tab A200 was going to be coming in February and guess what? It stuck to the plan.

Yes folks, Android 4.0 has begun to roll out for the Acer Iconia Tab A200 so if you own one, be sure to check for the update.

Amazon Kindle Fire

Kindle Fire

Yes, we know. The Amazon Kindle Fire isn’t even out yet but that doesn’t mean that we can’t speculate about whether or not the Android tablet with the $199 price point will see Ice Cream Sandwich.

Amazon has essentially made Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread unrecognizable with the amount of tweaking it has done. As many of you with Android phones might know, UI’s, especially extensive ones, do not play nice with major Android updates.

It’s too soon to rule out an upgrade completely but we’d be fairly shocked to see Amazon take the Kindle Fire up to Android 4.0.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer

Asus Eee Pad Transformer

Just because Asus has another Eee Pad Transformer on the way doesn’t mean that the original hybrid tablet won’t see Android 4.0. In fact, Asus has confirmed that its Eee Pad Transformer will be one of, if not the first, Honeycomb tablet that will see the upgrade.

They haven’t offered up any sort of time frame for when owners should expect to see the update but if we had to guess, we’d think that it would roll out at some point in the weeks ahead.

At least you can rest easy knowing its coming, Transformer owners.

Update: Android 4.0 is now available for the original Asus Transformer Prime.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

Asus Transformer 2

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 aka Transformer Prime will almost assuredly have Android 4.0 on board when it launches sometime later this year. Asus has already put up a landing page for the device but an official announcement won’t come until November 9th.

We’ll be sure once that event rolls around.

Update: Asus has confirmed that it won’t have Android 4.0 at launch but will see the upgrade later.

Update 2: The update has come and gone for the Transformer Prime.

Barnes and Noble Nook Color

Nook Color

Barnes and Noble hasn’t announced anything and the fact that it’s still officially sitting on Android 2.2 Froyo is a sign that the tablet probably won’t be making the jump to Android 4.0.

Until B&N says that it officially won’t get an upgrade, feel free to hold out hope. But the chances that the company rolls out the update are slim especially when it’s rumored to have a new tablet on the way to compete with the Kindle Fire.

HTC Flyer

HTC Flyer

Don’t get us wrong, the HTC Flyer is a great tablet but unfortunately, it’s still running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and HTC hasn’t said when owners can expect an upgrade to Honeycomb let alone Ice Cream Sandwich.

The fact that it doesn’t have Android 3.0 yet doesn’t bode well for an upgrade so we’re going to say that this only has a miniscule chance of seeing the Android 4.0 update.

HTC has said that it will try and get as many devices as it possibly can up to Ice Cream Sandwich so the door isn’t closed just yet.

Update: It appears that the HTC Flyer might actually see Android 4.0. A little surprising, but great news for owners.

Update 2: It looks like the HTC Flyer won’t get ICS after all.

HTC Jetstream

HTC Jetstream

AT&T’s 4G LTE enabled HTC Jetstream is an expensive tablet. Don’t believe us? It’s $699. On-contract. However, that doesn’t mean that AT&T and HTC won’t bring it up to speed with some Ice Cream Sandwich.

In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Jetstream as one of the first Android tablets to see Android 4.0.

Update: Surprisingly, it looks like the Jetstream won’t get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Lenovo ThinkPad

ThinkPad

Lenovo has confirmed that its ThinkPad Android tablet, a tablet that we thought was one of the best Honeycomb tablets to grace shelves in 2011, will indeed be getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and that update should be coming in May.

LG G-Slate

T-Mobile G-Slate

The LG G-Slate is a great piece of hardware. It’s software is a different story though. An upgrade to Android 4.0 would do it wonders. However, we’re not sure how committed LG and T-Mobile are to the device given how mediocre it is so it’s possible that they will decide that resources are better spent elsewhere.

We wouldn’t count out Android 4.0 yet though but we also aren’t very confident that we’ll end up seeing it.

Update: We haven’t heard anything yet which is generally a bad sign. Don’t get your hopes up.

Motorola Xoom

Motorola Xoom

Breathe easy, Xoom owners. Motorola has confirmed that its tablet will be seeing the Android 4.0 update at some point. Unfortunately, it didn’t have any specifics as to when it would see it.

There have been rumors that peg the Xoom as the first Honeycomb tablet that will see Ice Cream Sandwich but given Motorola’s track record, we get the feeling that Asus will beat it to the punch.

All Xoom tablets will likely see the update including the Wi-Fi, Verizon and Family Edition with the Verizon version seeing the new software come after the other two do.

Update: Motorola has confirmed that Android 4.0 will be rolling out to the Motorola Xoom next year.

Update 2: It has arrived for the Wi-Fi version of the Motorola Xoom.

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Galaxy Tab

The original Samsung Galaxy Tab had a rough road to Android 2.3 Gingerbread and we just can’t see Samsung and the various carriers taking the time to get this aging tablet up to Android 4.0.

Not when the company has several other more prominent devices out on the market.

So, if you’re the proud owners of the original 7-inch slate, it’s probably best that you assume the worst. We get the feeling that there will likely be some sort of hack that arrives though so if you own one, hope isn’t just just yet.

Update: Samsung has announced that the original Galaxy Tab will not see Android 4.0.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Galaxy Tab 8.9

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 8.9 will likely see the Android 4.0 update. It currently has Honeycomb and it was released just a short time ago, both of which are key ingredients for a major Android update.

No word from Samsung on when we might see it though.

Update: Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be getting Android 4.0 in 2012.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Galaxy Tab 10.1

Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi will almost certainly get the upgrade to Android 4.0. Samsung needs to keep pace with Motorola’s Xoom and it can do so by upgrading these tablets to Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Wi-Fi model will see the update first and the 4G LTE model on Verizon will see it afterward per the usual way of doing things.

But like the Galaxy Tab 8.9, we’re still in the dark about when the tablet might see the software.

Update: Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be getting Android 4.0 in 2012.

Toshiba Thrive

Toshiba Thrive

Like the T-Mobile G-Slate, the Toshiba Thrive is a middle of the road Honeycomb tablet. That’s to say, it has some nice things, but there is definitely better out there. Still, Toshiba is burdened with smartphones like LG and T-Mobile are so it’s probably going to be able to focus on getting Ice Cream Sandwich out to the Thrive which will only make this piece of hardware better.

And while there is a very good chance that we’ll see an upgrade, Toshiba hasn’t announced anything specific in regards to a release date.

Update: Both versions of the Toshiba Thrive, the 10.1 and 7, will see Android 4.0 arrive at the end of spring. Toshiba itself has confirmed it.

Again, most of this is speculation. We’ll post concrete information as it becomes available.

32 Comments

32 Comments

  1. Victor Gomez

    10/24/2011 at 2:21 pm

    The Nook Color is missing!

    • Anonymous

      10/24/2011 at 2:49 pm

      Victor, Nook and a couple of Acer tablets are missing. Will add them in a bit. Thanks for pointing it out!

    • corwin1681

      10/24/2011 at 3:06 pm

      Lol, nook it not really a tablet… but check out cyanogenmod.com, they will probably be first to release it for nook (I don’t see B&N ever upgrading it, since its not a tablet in the first place…)

    • guest

      02/26/2012 at 7:47 pm

      What about the Impression Tablet from Leadership Int’l?

      • Linda Norden

        07/02/2012 at 4:24 pm

        Per Leader International support, the Impressions 10 tablet will not be upgraded to 4.0.

      • mike d

        09/01/2012 at 8:03 am

        I bought one at biglots because they said it was upgradeable… I called Leader 3 weeks ago, they said upgrade avail by end of august. Its now sept 1st.. I’ll be returning this to biglots in a few days!!

  2. Abomirsal2008

    10/24/2011 at 2:29 pm

    very nice

  3. Jaime Cervantes

    10/24/2011 at 3:04 pm

    What!!!!!!!!!!! Acer also getting it. 

  4. Rgarrett

    10/24/2011 at 7:27 pm

    One would think the Flyer would be a prime candidate since pen support is in ICS. Of course, point taken that as prolific as HTC is with devices, they may simply prefer to just release an updated model… Not like they sold so many of the current model that they will suffer massive backlash if they do not update it…

    Adam, did you proof your text on the Iconias? I think you actually meant that you do NOT expect them to deviate…

    And, ummm, Motorola says Xoom will get ICS within 6 weeks of its official release

  5. Mmm

    10/24/2011 at 7:42 pm

    How about sony?? I bet itll get it real soon

  6. Vumes

    10/24/2011 at 11:11 pm

    What about Vizio tablets?

  7. JMINATL

    10/25/2011 at 2:54 pm

    RE LG G SLATE

    “how mediocre it is”

    I think you meant ‘how mediocre support for it is’ .   The device is a thing of beauty, but vendor commitment is very weak (WHY?)  T

    hen they go and silently lock the bootloader in the very late 3.1 update (that broke Netflix.)  No tablet’s rep is going to survive this kind of abuse in the fast moving consumer handheld space.

  8. Ndrwcn

    10/25/2011 at 5:33 pm

    Lenovo tablets?

  9. brian roy

    10/26/2011 at 12:06 pm

    What about the HP Touchpad? There’s only a million of them sold!

  10. CO

    11/08/2011 at 10:34 am

    I wanted to add that the Lenovo Think Pad will get the ICS Update. See this thread hear from their forums where a Lenovo employee states this (question # 11): https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-slate-tablets/Outstanding-Questions/m-p/490545#M39

  11. CO

    11/08/2011 at 10:36 am

    All this talk about ICS reminds me of WOW, by the way.

  12. Facturag

    12/11/2011 at 10:06 am

    What about the Toshiba Thrive and Revue Google TV?

  13. Rohan Bhugobaun

    12/30/2011 at 2:39 am

    Archos 101 G9 is one of the first tablets getting ICS isn’t it?

    • Anonymous

      02/04/2012 at 3:37 am

      Yep. All the Archos G9 tablets will be getting ICS by the first week of February 2012

  14. Malicioustaco

    01/17/2012 at 9:37 pm

    How could they pass over the LG G SLATE?? It has a dang GOOGLE badge on the back. Doesn’t that count for something? Way to turn your back on people who bought your promising tablet when it came out.

  15. Gizbot

    01/19/2012 at 10:41 pm

    Can i upgrade Motorola Xoom to 4.0

  16. Sean Sposato

    02/08/2012 at 7:53 am

    what about the toshiba thrive when will it get it and if it won’t can i just download the software from somewhere and put it on myself

  17. Guest

    02/13/2012 at 8:32 pm

    Ticks me off about Toshiba’s unwillingness to give at least a commitment to upgrading to 4.0….

    • Joshua Bozann

      02/20/2012 at 7:54 am

      I have a Thrive, and yeah, it’s EXTREMELY annoying.

  18. Leela79au

    03/03/2012 at 5:39 pm

    What about ‘Time2Touch’ tablets? Will they see 4.0 or is it possible to upgrade a tablet from 2.3 to 4.0?

  19. J Wmellon

    03/12/2012 at 10:00 am

    ca you upgrade a tablet to ice cream?

  20. Vindjadhav

    04/20/2012 at 3:10 am

    what about reliance 3g tablet can it be upgraded 2.3 gingerbrd to 4.0

  21. Lorrie

    05/28/2012 at 12:15 pm

    does anyone know anything about the Zenithink brand tablets

    • Terry

      11/28/2012 at 10:03 pm

      yeah what about the zenithnk zt-180 with 2.3

  22. zaffuan

    06/16/2012 at 8:24 am

    Why an original galaxy tab gt-p1000 cant update to 4.0

  23. Shubham

    06/19/2012 at 12:05 am

    what about zync 909+ tablet having android 2.3 …. Can it be upgraded to android 4.0 ? If yes so how?

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