Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) is here with loads of new apps to entice smartphone lovers. Androids Google Play Store is getting enriched with apps to take on its competitor, the iOS. The open nature of Android has allowed developers to develop apps that provide cross platform support. There are a huge number of apps at your disposal and it is often difficult to identify any particular app as the best.

The older version of Android, the Android 2.3 Gingerbread, became widely popular in the global market. The prima facie reasons for that were the Google Play Store and the wide range of apps that it offered. The open nature of Android is its USP. Likewise, Gingerbreads successor too brings a set of new apps to explore.

Here is a list of new apps that smartphone lovers must check out.

Flipboard

This app made its debut on the iOS and is now officially available on Google Play for both smartphones and tablets. Smartphone users can avail the full version on Galaxy S III. Flipboard has an attractive user interface providing you magazine-like view. You can get news feeds and social media updates as well. Swipe your fingers across the display to get an impression of turning the pages like a magazine, thus reading the posts.

Wunderlist

For users who need to jot down quick notes or prepare a to-do list, this one is an ideal app. You can quickly create a list of grocery while travelling, plan and schedule client meetings, holidays and other tasks with this app.

Weatherbug

If you travel frequently or the weather in your city is unpredictable, the Weatherbug app could be very useful for you. With this app, you can check out the weather before leaving your home. The app has a robust database of weather across the globe. You can opt for the app to raise alerts for any change in the present weather conditions.

Sports Tracker

Everyone says morning exercise is good for health. People who exercise regularly can utilize the Sports Tracker to monitor their regime and share it with other companions. While on a holiday or an official trip, users can also take snapshots and have it geotagged to enable the app track the route, time and speed. This way, it will be easier for you to monitor your routine and have the route map saved for future use.

Kobo

From the makers of Kobo Touch eReader comes a new Android based application for reading books while you are on the move. The app has a home screen that displays the subject of the book and the date when you read it last. Whats more, Kobo allows you to share books with others and discuss it within the manufacturers community.
Chrome web browser

Google has released it Chrome browser for Android recently. The default Android browser is good but Chrome gives you added advantage over it. Moreover, desktop users of Chrome can access it from their smartphones as it provides cross platform support. For Ice Cream Sandwich users, Chrome is a must try.
Words with Friends

This is a word game which you can play with your friends on Facebook. This app is very useful for students, professors and other professionals seeking better knowledge of English. The Ice Cream Sandwich version of this app is much improved over the earlier one. You can also take it as a pastime when you are travelling.

Google has been constantly improving and developing b Android operating system. Right from the initial days, Android has gained popularity among smartphone users. Earlier there were separate versions for smartphones and tablets. With Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, this issue has been overcome. The ICS is a multi-platform Android OS that is compatible with all Android devices. As mentioned earlier, the biggest advantage of Android is its open nature. The ICS is no different. The plethora of apps on the Google Play Store makes it one of the first choice among other operating systems in the market.