Ice Cream Sandwich now on 5 per cent of Android devices

Ice Cream Sandwich is now on 5 per cent of Android devices and rising -- but Gingerbread is still the most popular version of Google's mobile operating system.

Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, is the latest software for Android phones and tablets. It's been painfully slow to make its way into the world but is starting to take off. Google's latest figures reveal that ICS is now on 4.9 per cent of devices, up from 2.9 per cent last month.

Most Androids are powered by Gingerbread, which is on 64.4 per cent of phones and tablets -- and still increasing slightly.

ICS has at least overtaken Honeycomb's 3.3 per cent share. Honeycomb, the tablet-only version of Android, never really took off before it was superceded by ICS, which works on both tablet and phone.

I should note the figures come from measuring phones and tablets accessing the Google Play app store in the last two weeks, which means some devices won't be included.

We all scream for Ice Cream

ICS is set to continue expanding: in the US and Canada, Samsung, Verizon and other manufacturers and networks are releasing updates this month. ICS is finally arriving on the smash-hit Samsung Galaxy S2 -- and the Samsung Galaxy S3 joins the HTC One X in the line-up of ICS powerhouses this week.

Gingerbread is still a fantastic operating system, but nothing beats having the latest stuff so Android fans are champing at the bit to upgrade. Here's 10 reasons why ICS beats Gingerbread.

Of course, even when you do get ICS, Jelly Bean and Key Lime Pie are on the horizon... To see the difference between the various generations of Android, check out our guide to all the features of every version of Android.

Are you on ICS yet? Is it worth upgrading ASAP or is Gingerbread still doing the business for you? Update me with your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.