Android 4.3 Jelly Bean |

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, New Nexus 7 2 Release Date Discussed

July 23, 2013 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

With the new head of Android and Chrome, Sundar Pichai set to reveal it all (read Android 4.3 Jelly Bean as well as the new Nexus 7 2) at an event in San Francisco, we take a closer look at what enthusiastic buyers can expect of the new Android version as well as the new gen Nexus 7 tablet.

Android 4.3, to begin with is expected to come out with minor updates over Android 2.2.2 Jelly Bean and was originally expected at the Google I/O event in May. Mentioned here are a collection of new features that could part of the latest Android version

A Much Improved Performance

Lot of improvements in the performance aspect is expected and the initial reports do suggest a positive link to that thought. Users are expecting Project Butter like enhancements from Google in Android 4.3 that increased system performance in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the first time.

Dialer Auto complete

The auto complete option for the dialers that helps user to save time is there in the Android 4.3. Dialler settings are the source to turn on this feature as Xda user krypta points out. Auto complete option is a common feature in the skinned versions of Android and this will be the first time it will probably be included in the stock Android. The attractive part of this feature is that users will be able to see the suggested numbers and contacts when they start dialing. A small but handy feature, it must be said.

New Emoji

The keyboard is updated with the latest Emoji, which resemble closely to emoticons used in chat. There will also be new nature Emoji as well and will surely fun to use.

Wi-Fi Always On

This new feature will enable the user to keep the wireless on at all times, even if it has been switched on via the quick settings. This is to save power as it is more efficient than to switch on the energy sapping GPS chip. Also, such a feature will come in handy for those apps that need the coarse location and nothing more.

Bluetooth LE

Users do expect a Bluetooth LE support in the latest release that would make it easier for Nike Fuel Band, Jawbone Up and other Bluetooth devices to work with Android devices. The supporting list is currently small and that includes phones like Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S4, along with a few others. Android 4.3 and Bluetooth LE should take concrete steps to fix the issue of a broader support which may not be initially possible but would take place in the long run. The next round of smart accessories and fitness accessories will support the android devices.

Better Camera App

The new camera App looks similar to the video that it displayed earlier in the year. Some of the prominent changes here include new Kernel, new touch drivers for the Nexus 4 and font changes. There is no clock symbol on the status bar when users activate lock screen. New widgets are expected though the company has kept it as a secret.

Now coming to the Nexus 7 2, the tablet has already been revealed in a leaked images and while its sports looks similar to its first gen avatar, the device is believed to be more slim and light this time round. Specs wise, the Nexus 7 2 will feature a quad core chip. A much imporved 7 inch display that now boasts of a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, front 2 mp and rear 5 mp camera along with of course Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

Expect more soon.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean: Features, Release Dates, Launch Device, and Rumors Discussed

July 11, 2013 By Mary Duncan 1 Comment

Going by the almost incessant stream of rumors coming our way, what seems a certainty is that it’s Android 4.3 Jelly Bean that is coming our way, and not Android 5.0 Key Pie Lime. However, it is the latter that was being heralded as the next big Android development after Jelly Bean. A formal announcement to this effect was expected to be made at the Google I/O event held a few weeks ago though none of that sort even got mentioned during the conference. Users have been patiently waiting for the next Android version to arrive though with no word from Google, patience slowly gave way to confusion. Another spot, to add to that confusion is that, rather than Android 4.3 there was the Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie which also had the chances of being released. Not to forget, talk about Android 4.2 Jelly Bean coming up before the much sought for fully fledged Android 4.3 Jelly Bean upgrade, has also been a part of the cumulative confusion.

This puts us back to the square thing, a fresh wave of rumors and speculations all eager to point out the next Jelly Bean iteration, .i.e. Android 4.3 is due for release in a short time from now. Apart from a prospective launch schedule, the rumor streams have also provided us with a few ideas as to what its features will be and so on. These will not only be applicable to the Nexus device but other devices compatible with Android 4.3 as well.

Though users are talking a lot about the new upgrade, in reality there is more probability that the changes it will bring will be too minor with little or no visible changes to be experienced. One of the major add-ons users would notice after the upgrade is the Bluetooth Light energy feature that would be available on their device. All these however are unconfirmed information as yet. Among the other features that can be expected on the upgrade include some new notification process as well as some tweaks for the camera operation. Users may see some new font on their devices as well. All in all, the update should not be expected to bring in any drastic changes.

What this means is that it a guessing game is all that can be played on the what and when of the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

July the 10^th, has some special significance for Google. It is on this day last year that they had launched the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. That was followed by the release of their Nexus 7 on the 13^th. Tuesday, which is what this month’s 10^th day falls on is a day when big companies launch their new products. Motorola is going to come out with three of their latest gadgets, the Droid Ultra, Droid MAXX and Droid Ultra M, and this does not gel with Google also announcing any big news from their side. Launch of the Motorola products is scheduled for the 11^th of July. These devices would not be having the Android 4.3 update on them.

With all this logical analysis, the date when Google will be announcing Android 4.3 and the Nexus 7 2 can be speculated to be in the second half of July. The devices that would be immediately affected by the update at its release would be the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, as well as the Google Edition models of HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4.

Other device that can be expected to get the update at a later date is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. This device though carried the tag of Nexus is not of the blue blood Nexus family. The device is available from Sprint and Verizon and the update too will only be available when the carrier so wishes. This leads to the owners of these devices getting the update much later than others. Sprint subscribers of the Galaxy Nexus edition can expect to get their update before Verizon subscribers get it. Such an assumption can be deduced from previous data where Android 4.1 was available for the Sprint subscribers on September 7^th even though the update was released by Google on 9^th of July. Similarly the Android 4.2 release occurred on 13^th November and Sprint subscribers got it two months later on 21^st January.

Two devices that would not figure in the update list are the Motorola Xoom and Nexus S as they did not even get the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update.

Sprint subscribers can therefore expect the 4.3 update to come to them from their service provider by September, in case Google rolls out the update by end July. Verizon subscribers would get their update shortly thereafter. Verizon had managed to launch the Android 4.1 update within two months like Sprint that is on the 21^st September. However, the carrier slipped up to quite some time in case of the release of Android 4.2, which it could make available only on 19^th March. Verizon users also faced a number of bugs after their 4.2 update, all of which has not yet been settled. Verizon would be fixing them up before they issue the 4.3 update, which means there is additional delay on the cards for Verizon subscribers. Verizon however would be trying to resolve these issues on a fast track basis so as not to lose out on their customer base.

After the Nexus line of device, the first non-Nexus device to get the update is expected to be the Samsung Galaxy S4. The reasons for this assumption are two. The first being past statistics of updates indicates such a trend. Point in reference is the Galaxy S3 from Samsung that received the Android 4.0 and Android 4.1 updates soon after Verizon Galaxy Nexus users’ received theirs. The second point being, the Galaxy S4 is the only device which is running on the latest update from Google. Samsung has a penchant to work out the update for their devices very fast.

The first non-Nexus device in the running to get the Android 4.3 update is the Asus MeMO Pad Smart tablet. Asus too is known for its ability to provide software updates pretty fast and the two power horses, MeMO Pad and MeMO Pad Smart would surely not be left behind in this race for being current.

As for the device which could be considered as the launch pad for the new Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, chances are that the honor could be bestowed on Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Again, we got to fall back on history to explain the assumption. It was the Galaxy Note 2 that was among the first devices to come pre-loaded with Android 4.1. Now with Samsung planning to release its Galaxy Note 3 in the first half of September, chances are that the device could be the first to come with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean right out of the box.

Moto X from Motorola could also be the device to beat Samsung as the first with Android 4.3. This device is due for launch in September or October

Owners of devices that are carrier-branded would need to wait for some more time after the official release of the update as has been the trend in the past. Such users can expect the Android 4.3 update being rolled out perhaps when its Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie that is getting launched.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Update Rumored to Arrive in July

June 28, 2013 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

The next big Android update, Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie remains shrouded in mystery with its release expected only in the latter half of the year. In the meantime, what seems likely is a Jelly Bean update that Google might come up with, something that will be more like an incremental update over Android 4.2.2 than being Android 5.0 right away. As such, it is Android Jelly Bean 4.3 moniker that seems more likely. Although nothing has yet been made official about its release date, it is expected to hit tablets and smartphones soon. Some quarters believe it is going to be as soon as this July itself.

It was at the Google I/O 2013 event that many had expected the search giant to officially announce the Key Lime Pie. Not only did Google remain mum on that, there weren’t also any new devices announced during the event. The only piece of hardware Google had brought along at the event was the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition. There also is the Google Edition of HTC One announced recently and both the smartphones now run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

Although nothing has been mentioned about Android 4.3 in Google I/O, it is expected to be released sometime soon. A rumor to hit the ears from a reliable source, @LLabTooFeR, a famous HTC leakster, has mentioned that the update would be out in a couple of weeks. It also mentioned that it would come out after the arrival of the Google Edition of HTC One, moving the release of Android version 4.3 to July. That’s not all for Sam Mobile too is claiming Samsung is currently evaluating Android 4.3 on the Galaxy S4 Google Edition and that the software update would be arriving sometime in July. Two independent sources owing allegiance to two competing companies point to the same month does hold some bit of a promise, it must be said.

However, the particular version of Android is not expected to be quite large as it will only be an incremental update over Jelly Bean. The ingredients of this version is said to consist of some Bluetooth updates as well as fixing bugs that have existed after the arrival of Android 4.2. For those who are looking for great many features will have to keep their excitement under check till the end of the year. However Android Key Lime Pie is considered to be the best descendant of the Android Jelly Bean software.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Spotted on New 7-inch ASUS device likened to Nexus 7 2 – Possible Specs and Features

June 15, 2013 By Lori David Leave a Comment

Of late, the unannounced Android 4.3 jelly bean iteration has been surfacing on some devices. This time, MobiLeaks spotted it on a 7-inch ASUS device at the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). And rumors liken the device to the Nexus 7 2 tablet, mainly because of the display size. The Android 4.3 jelly bean was recently spotted on a Nexus 4 device at a Thailand expo, spurring more rumors about its launch.

The ASUS device, codenamed K008, runs on software version called JWR11, which is thought to be a precursor of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean version. The codename hardly matches that of Nexus 7, which recently arrived on the Bluetooth SIG as ME370T. The details on the site reveal that the ASUS device features an LED-backlit capacitive display and supports Wi-Fi connectivity. A 10-inch ASUS tablet was revealed at an FCC posting some weeks ago under the codename K008.

The existing Nexus 7, developed by ASUS and Google, has been big hit, enabling Google to gain foothold in the small-sized tablet market. Despite its high-end features like 1GB RAM, quad core processor, and 8GB/16GB storage option, the Nexus 7 features a reasonable price tag of $199. Nexus fans are looking for some remarkable upgrades in the updated version, including minimal bezel, high-resolution and better processor.

In 2012, the debut of the Nexus 7 tablet introduced the Android Jelly Bean iteration, so an upgraded Nexus 7 could bring the new OS release. An updated Nexus 7 will set it equal to Apple’s iPad Mini, which is relatively more expensive. It will also compete with similar-sized devices from Samsung.

Well, the Bluetooth SIG details point to the release of one or more tablets shortly. But, could it be the new Nexus 7 that Google fans have been looking for?

Android Key Lime Pie 5.0 to Release In October, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean expected in August

June 14, 2013 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

Sources close to VR-Zone reveal that Google has decided to release the fifth-gen Android by late October this year. However, Google is set to launch a minor update of the latest Android v4.2.2. Jelly Bean before that.

The Android Jelly Bean v4.3 update will be a minor release by Google prior to launching the Android Key Lime Pie. Previously, there were rumors that Google will be launching Android v5.0 at the I/O Conference, but nothing like that actually happened. Recently, news has come up claiming that a mild upgrade to Android v4.2.2 will be rolled out to Nexus 4.

Fans are hugely anticipating an Android bug enjoying a key lime pie, but the developers have not confirmed anything yet. Previously, a set of rumors evolved surrounding Motorola X Phone and Android Key Lime Pie, claiming that Motorola X will be the first to feature Android 5.0.

The launch date of Android v5.0 also lines up with that of Nexus 5. VR-Zone reveals that Android 5 KLP will be a highly optimized OS. It will be able to operate sensitive devices. Sources say that Android KLP will be compatible with devices featuring as little as 512MB RAM. It seems that Google has organized a broad spectrum for its upcoming OS.

On the other hand, reports reveal that Android 4.3 will be rolled out to a number of devices by August. The mildly upgraded OS will support OpenGL 3D graphics and energy-efficient Bluetooth. Samsung Galaxy Nexus was observed in some snapshots at the Bluetooth SIG logs. It was reported that the device has been examined on compatibility with Android 4.3. A series of HTC phones ranging from HTC One, HTC Butterfly, One XL, Desire HD to One X+ are standing in a line to be upgraded to Android 4.3.

Android’s 5^th birthday will be arriving in October this year, which seems a convenient excuse for Google to launch its 5th gen OS in October.