While the Western states slept, Google Inc. was half way around the word unveiling it's latest operating software, Ice Cream Sandwich. Ice Cream Sandwich undoubtedly marks the largest offensive sprung by Google against Apple, Inc. ICS becomes the first Android operating system that will run on both Android phones and tablets. Prior to Ice Cream Sandwich, phones and tablets ran different systems, making it difficult for developers to write programs and applications that ran on both devices. With ICS, Google plans to woo developers by making it easier to write programs that run on both phones and tablets.

"Users of Android tablets have had fewer applications to choose from, compared with Apple," said Lu Chia-lin, an analyst at Samsung Securities Asia in Hong Kong. "Making an operating system for both smartphones and tablets will help Google close the gap."

Among other improvements, Ice Cream Sandwich enhances Google’s proprietary applications, including incognito browsing and Chrome bookmark syncing. An improved Gmail app boasts better auto-completion of e-mail body text, auto-programmed quick responses for when users are busy, and nested e-mail sub-folders for easier organization.

Google also debuted its OS enhanced security protocol, Face Unlock. The operating system uses facial recognition technology to recognize whether a phone’s owner is actually holding the phone. Therefore thieves will literally have to take off your face, if they want to get into your phone – reassuring all our childhood fears from watching movies like Face-Off, Total Recall and Minority Report.

One thing is certain, Google Ice Cream Sandwich won't be the death blow Samsung prays for every night. However, while the two sides continue to fight for the controlling state of Middle Earth, or otherwise known as the $207 billion mobile-phone market, we the consumers will continue to reap the benefits of this war.

Kyle R Sharick is a freelance writer who has contributed to many articles on the web. You can follow him on Twitter, or read his Blog