Android 5.0 Jelly Bean – What We Know So Far (Features, Release Date and More)

Google’s current version of Android – Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich – has already brought in a huge amount of fresh functionality and features that have been obtained by combining the features of Android Honeycomb and Gingerbread. However, a lot is expected from the next version of Android, Jelly Bean, and very little is known about it.

Let’s have a look at its expected features.

File manager: Much to the joy of Android fans, the Jelly Bean is rumored to have an in-built File Manager that will enable users to easily organize their files and access them accordingly. Already, smartphone manufacturers like Samsung have started including a file manager as a part of their standard apps. Moreover, a hefty amount of file manager apps have been reportedly downloaded by Android users from the Android Marketplace (now Google Play) over the months.

Google is expected to introduce a file manager in its next OS, although the company will continue to support third-party file manager apps. But if a custom file manager is integrated with Jelly Bean, it will become easier for the users.

Jelly Bean Lite: Although Android OS works amazingly well on any dual-core phones and higher configuration smartphones, when it comes to lower end phones, the performance, reportedly, becomes very poor. Many users have also urged Google to release a lighter version of Android OS for midrange and lower end smartphones to rid themselves of the problem of performance of OS. Now it is widely expected that Google will release a lighter version of the OS, Android 5.0 Jell Bean Lite, for smartphones with limited CPU and storage capacity.

Integrated Google Chrome: Google Chrome is yet to arrive on the Android OS. Although it was widely expected before the arrival of Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich that Google will integrate the Chrome with the new Android version, that never came. However, Google included the tabbed browsing feature and super-fast browsing speed that were taken from the Android 3.0 Honeycomb and Android Gingerbread, as a part of its new features.

Now fans, users and techies are expecting that Google will integrate the Chrome browser with Jelly Bean that will give the users the same experience as the desktop version of Google Chrome gives. Currently, Google offers users to download Chrome for Android (in beta stage now).

Battery, Power Distribution and Efficient OS: The battery drainage issue of the Android users seems to be a never-ending problem. Although Android 4.0 ICS has already arrived with great battery efficiency and better power management by improving the Hardware acceleration and Dalvik VM optimizations, Android 5.0 Jelly Bean is expected to go a step further to improve the efficiency of the phone’s battery and power management by allowing users to take more control over the services.

It is also a known fact that a lot of third-party apps drain out the phone’s battery in no time. Google needs to take a note of that for an enhanced OS. The company may also consider a bit of tweaking to make it faster and more efficient as many techies and fans often debate the issue that Android is a bit sluggish when compared to iOS and Windows Phone 7.5.

Efficient Upgrades: If rumors are to be believed, Google is expected to de-couple UI customizations from the Core OS to enable manufacturers to apply customizations to Stock AOSP Android in the minimum amount of time with which there will be faster release of updates and upgrades to all users. If this turns out to be true than the fans have every reason to be overjoyed as this will mean less time for more upgrades.

Release Date: The next version of the Google Android 5.0 Jelly Bean is expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2012. The exact date of the release is not yet known.