Top 10 reasons to be excited by Android Ice Cream Sandwich

2. Android Beam – NFC content sharing
This is one of the most exciting features of ICS as it allows users to share information across devices using near-field communication (NFC), one of the first uses of the technology in smartphones for UK users.

Android users can share contacts, music, videos and web pages without having to pair phones or navigate menus by simply touching two Android 4.0 devices together and then tapping the 'beam' screen that appears.

One disappointment is that the system doesn't allow the direct sharing of apps, instead merely directing users to the apps page on the Android Store.

But, with developers able to integrate the Beam capabilities into applications, there could be some very interesting uses of the technology in the future.

1. Where Android leads, others follow
One of the most exciting aspects of ICS is the effect it will have on other mobile OS developers, especially Apple.

As we've seen with the release of iOS 5 and features such as the notifications drop-down menu, Android often sets the bar for mobile platforms, adding nifty features you didn't realise you wanted but are invaluable once you have them.

We're sure that, with this latest Android release, it won't be long before iPhone fans get panoramic cameras, integrated NFC for content sharing and face recognition for security.