It was suggested that Google is planning to split the development paths of its Android platform for smartphones and tablets, with version 2.4 (Ice Cream) of the platform being the next iteration for handsets, and the previously-previewed version 3.0 (Honeycomb) targeting tablets (see below). The Android 2.4 platform was noted running on prototype Sony Ericsson devices at last week’s CES 2011 event, although this company subsequently said that this was due to an implementation error. Some technology websites also reported visits from devices identifying themselves as being Android 2.4, from users testing the early version of the OS.

Although there was some suggestion that this dual-platform strategy would add another layer of fragmentation to the Android ecosystem, there is the possibility that if vendors widely adopt the two different variants it will reduce the number of proprietary modifications made by vendors in order to deliver devices with different form factors. It was previously suggested that Google may limit the ability of products to access Android Market if they do not meet certain hardware guidelines: splitting products in the store based on their ability to work efficiently on the two platforms would be one way of addressing the different demands of smartphone and tablet devices.

According to some speculation, the higher-end platform, Android 3.0,  may introduce a number of hardware requirements that are incompatible with all but the highest-spec smartphone platforms. Among the suggested requirements are dual-core processors and HD-quality displays. However, this may also make it unsuitable for mid-market tablet devices, leading to a situation where different Android tablet devices are powered by different Android platforms – creating further complexity for both app developers and consumers.

Google would not be the first company to offer dual evolution paths for different devices, with Microsoft’s previous Windows Mobile platform having been developed in Pocket PC and smartphone versions. In contrast, Apple has seen some significant success by limiting the number of versions of its iOS platform supported, to reduce the potential of fragmentation in the ecosystem.