This event rescheduling announcement captures a unique moment when the tech industry paused to honor Steve Jobs' passing, demonstrating the profound respect competitors held for Apple's visionary leader. Patrick Bisch reports on Samsung and Google's decision to postpone their major Android Ice Cream Sandwich launch event from Tuesday to Wednesday, October 19th, out of respect for Jobs' death. The rescheduling reflects the industry's recognition that Jobs' contributions transcended company rivalries and warranted universal acknowledgment during a period of mourning.
The coverage details the rescheduled event logistics, including the Hong Kong venue, 9:30 AM local time (8:30 PM Chicago time on October 18th), and live streaming arrangements through the official Android YouTube channel. Bisch connects this event to previous leaks and speculation, including references to the eBay Nexus S incident that provided early Ice Cream Sandwich glimpses and anticipation surrounding the rumored Samsung Nexus Prime smartphone. The invitation's Ice Cream Sandwich logo imagery strongly suggested this would be the official unveiling of Android 4.0, one of the platform's most important updates.
The post includes documentation of Android's emerging social media presence through their new official Twitter account @Android, which shared video of the Ice Cream Sandwich statue installation at Google's headquarters alongside other iconic Android version monuments. This physical manifestation of software releases shows Google's commitment to Android branding and the cultural significance these updates held within the company and broader tech community. The statue placement at building 44 of the Googleplex became part of Android's visual history and tradition.
This rescheduling announcement documents a rare moment of industry-wide solidarity that transcended competitive boundaries, showing how Steve Jobs' influence extended far beyond Apple to shape the entire technology landscape. Looking back 13+ years later, this delay proved inimportant to Android's long-term success, but it represents one of the most gracious gestures in tech industry history during a period of intense platform competition. The Ice Cream Sandwich event eventually became one of Android's most important launches, introducing the unified smartphone-tablet interface that established Android's modern design foundation. The Hong Kong venue choice also reflects Google's growing focus on Asian markets, which became crucial for Android's global dominance. The livestreaming emphasis highlights how tech companies were embracing direct-to-consumer communication channels, reducing reliance on traditional media intermediaries. Most importantly, this moment captures the tech industry's capacity for collegiality despite fierce competition, demonstrating shared values and mutual respect that sometimes transcend business rivalries.
This summary was created by Dave Rogers. The original post was written by Patrick Bisch and published on October 1, 2011.
If you'd like to view the original post, you can find it here.