Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Release Date Arrives, But Nexus S And Xoom Will Not Get New Features [VIDEO]
Google on Tuesday rolled out its latest mobile operating system update, Android 4.2, for its Nexus-branded devices.
While the original Galaxy Nexus handset and Nexus 7 tablet will be getting the update, the search engine giant mentioned two devices that will not be seeing the upgrade just yet: the Nexus S smartphone and Motorola’s Xoom slate.
Jean-Baptiste Queru, Google’s Technical Lead for Android 4.2, posted in the Google Group thread that there would not be support for the Nexus S or the Xoom.
As was the case with Android 4.1, Google appears to be slowly rolling out the update to its Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus devices. For those who have not yet received the notification to update their tablet, you can prompt it manually by performing a the following steps:
First, turn off Wi-Fi, and then check the “Apps” list in the “Settings” menu. Select “Google Services Framework” under the “All” column, clear the cache, and press “Force Stop.” Once finished, turn Wi-Fi back on and navigate to the “System” updates in the “About” section under “Settings,” and the option should appear.
Users who are comfortable flashing ROM themselves can also head over to Google to download the necessary files.
Google announced that the Nexus 7 would be getting the update in a Google+ post late Tuesday evening. The company also acknowledged the overwhelmingly positive reception of its latest Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 devices.
“There’s been so much interest for the Nexus lineup that we’ve sold out of some of our initial stock in a few countries,” the company said. “We are working hard to add more Nexus devices to Google Play in the coming weeks to keep up with the high demand.”
Android 4.2 is referred to as Jelly Bean just like its predecessor, although some had previously believed it would be called Key Lime Pie. The update offers new features for Google powered device such as the Photo Sphere camera, which snaps photos in multiple directions, a more predictive keyboard that includes gesture typing, and Daydream, which lets the device display information when it is idle or locked.
“Android 4.2 takes the speed and simplicity of Jelly Bean to a different level—a completely new camera experience that’s beyond smart, a new form of typing that helps you power through your messages, and much more,” reads the official Android website.
Other notable features include a revamped pull-down notification panel, multiuser support for tablets and lock screen widgets. Tablet owners can create and delete any account at any time, and have the option to uninstall users’ applications. This user registration process is similar to the experience of setting up a new tablet out of the box. This includes synching a Google account with the tablet, determining which location settings are enabled, and entering personal information.
Check out the video below to see hands-on footage of the new Photo Sphere feature that comes with Android 4.2
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