updated 06:40 pm EDT, Fri October 7, 2011
Ice Cream Sandwich build hides remade apps
A leak of an Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) build has unearthed two important remade apps. Google Music 4.0 has a much cleaner, streamlined interface more in line with the "holographic" look, Android Police saw. It would have more control over playback with thumbs-up and thumbs-down options along with much larger album art.
The build obtained so far doesn't have the offline caching option, however, leading to worries that Google might have lost rights to storing music offline. It's possible the feature was temporarily disabled for a given build or is waiting for certain other conditions before it comes online.
A further sighting also uncovered the as yet unofficial Google+ 2.0. Interface charges are part of the mix, but it appears to make yet another change in the chat system. Messenger, just recently renamed from its original Huddle name, now appears to refer to chats as chords.
It's not apparent why Google would have changed the name just weeks after an earlier change. Legal issues, such as a possible conflict with Facebook Messenger or Windows Live Messenger, may have been the primary incentives.
Android 4.0 is expected to go live within the next few weeks once Google and Samsung reorganize for their Galaxy Nexus introduction. The extra large, dual-core phone and OS are expected to go hand-in-hand and might be ready as soon as late October or early November.