As Samsung Galaxy S2 users anxiously wait to hear if the device will get the new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade, a subtle update has been pushed out on Android's Ice Cream Sandwich.

Android 4.0.4 is now available to download from Samsung's PC suite and OTA and brings with it a few subtle improvements and bug fixes.

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update was unveiled at Google's annual developer's conference in June. Its performance is significantly faster than Ice Cream Sandwich and it is built to harness the power of mobile processors better and improve CPU utilization, according to Google.

While there is no exact release date, the company said it would roll out the update on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S first followed by the Samsung Galaxy S3, expected in the fourth quarter of 2012. There is no official word as to whether it will roll out on the Samsung Galaxy s2.

Many users are approaching the tentative release dates with skepticism after the S3's processor, the Galaxy S2, got the Android Ice Cream Sandwich update with a four-month delay in some countriesIt's difficult to get excited about Android software updates because manufacturers and carriers aren't clearing the new versions fast enough, and therefore many people are left with older versions of the software on their devices.

Jelly Bean Features

Project Butter

The main aim of Jelly Bean's Project Butter is for devices to run with silky smooth graphics and a seamless response rate. It does this by predicting where the user's finger will be.

Google Chrome Default Browser

Google Chrome on Jelly Bean has replaced honeycomb and ICS's default browsers. It's speedy, elegant and one of the best browsers on the market.

Google Now

This is a new feature to Jelly Bean that is run through a Siri-like voice recognition tool. It gives you answers and prompts based on your interests identified through your Google Search history, calendar and location data.

Widgets

On Jelly Bean, widgets can be re-sized and organized by users manually.

Improved Camera App

The Jelly Bean camera app has been improved the way photos can be viewed. Users can access their photos in an instant with a swipe gesture and a pinch-in-zoom gesture turns the screen into a filmstrip.

Android Beam

The NFC file-sharing interface has been significantly improved through Jelly Bean. Users can now hook-up to another NFC-enabled Android phone by tapping it against another device. Information is then transferred between the two phones through Bluetooth.

Samsung Google Samsung Samsung