ASUS: ICS For Transformer Prime Due Jan 2012

ASUS has announced that Italian would-be buyers of the Eee Pad Transformer Prime will have to wait until the end of January 2012 before they can pick up the Tegra 3 tablet; however, it will likely be released running Ice Cream Sandwich as standard. The OS news lends further weight to the rumors that ASUS will have the Android 4.0 upgrade ready next month, with previous comments from the company only outlining a vague Q1 2012 window for its release.

The Transformer Prime currently runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb, with only the Galaxy Nexus – fresh to Verizon today - getting Google's latest platform so far, at least officially. Android 4.0 brings with it an improved UI, better multitasking control and many other improvements; there are more details in our Ice Cream Sandwich review.

ASUS Italy also confirmed that it would only be offering a WiFi version of the Transformer Prime, rather than WiFi + 3G model, just like ASUS Germany before it. Android smartphones and other handsets are generally capable of WiFi tethering, the company suggests, and so the market for a 3G-enabled slate is minimal.

More on the ASUS Transformer Prime in the full SlashGear review.

[via Electronista]