It’s always exciting to get a new version of an operating system but it is even more exciting when all the cool features in it are working properly, rather than have the feeling we are lab mice who are testing something unfinished. In this relation news about forthcoming releases of major operating systems, such as Android, are met with mixed feelings – excitement about all the new and great stuff and caution that it will take time to make the software stable and by then we’ll be dealing with software that is crashing way too often.

Probably because of this, the rumor that the new version of Android, code named Jelly Bean, will be released in summer didn’t make us jump with joy. The release of Android 5 is scheduled for summer probably because the idea is to launch it before Windows 8, which is to be released in Q3.

Summer is not too far away and after all, the current version of Android (4, or Ice Cream Sandwich) hasn’t been around that long but unfortunately, its success hasn’t been that impressive either. So, let’s hope that with Jelly Bean Android will get back on the right track.

The Merge of Devices

It is hard to say which the most distinguishing feature of Android 5 is when there is only speculation rather than cold facts about what’s in it but it is a safe bet to say that Android 5 will be a step further to the merge of devices – i.e. the same code goes for tablets, netbooks, and laptops.

While this is reasonable because tablets are becoming as powerful as desktops and laptops, there are still differences between the devices (i.e. screen size) that make unification hard. However, if unification does happen, this will mean you will be able to use your favorite desktop apps on your mobile (and vice versa) without having to look for the mobile version, which might not exist.

The Arrival of Dual Boot Devices

Another cool feature that is supposed to be introduced with Android 5 is dual boot. Dual boot means you can have two operating systems on one device (i.e. Windows and Android). What is best, if the rumor is true, with Android you will be able to switch OS without rebooting – this is revolutionary and even PCs don’t have it.

What Else to Expect from Android 5

The fact that there are still only rumours and no official statement makes it hard to guess what else is inside Android 5 but some bloggers have suggested that this might be the Android version to accompany a new Google device (which isn’t unlikely, having in mind the recent acquisition of Motorola Mobile by Google) and the version that will introduce laptop dock mode (the ability to put the device into a laptop cradle and use it in conjunction with a laptop).

These two features are cool but they are also hard to implement, so unless Google has done most of the work on them by now, they won’t be available in such a short period of time. Still, there are great expectations about the new version of Android and hopefully soon we’ll see if they come true or not.