The Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) 4.0 OS was probably one of the most anticipated Android operating systems of all time. Promised to put an end to the fracturing which was occurring across different devices and Android OS versions, ICS arrived for the first time in the United States on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G in late 2011. While a significant upgrade from previous systems, there were some very minor complaints, and Android engineers immediately went to work preparing for the 4.1 version.
Released as the yummy sounding Jelly Bean OS, version 4.1 delivered an upgraded Google Now contextual search and virtual personal assistant, Project Butter made for a smoother and faster operating system and more enjoyable user interface, and other significant changes were made. The Nexus 4G was once again one of the first handsets to deliver the new Jelly Bean update, so it is only fitting that a Nexus handset launch the next significant update to Jelly Bean, version 4.2.2. The popular LG Nexus 4 is rumored to deliver that OS upgrade for the first time.
As reported on iDigitalTimes, the new operating system update for Android will be headed out in “the next couple of weeks.” Google has already begun releasing the update to their employees on multiple Nexus devices, including but not limited to the Nexus 4, the Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10. This has provided the company with an invaluable hands-on testing environment across multiple devices and user tendencies. Last month an online video from the Czech Republic showed the LG Nexus 4 running with a purported version of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, and it was reported that some LG Nexus 4 handsets were running that update out-of-the-box.
Coupled with the video and the leaked handsets delivering 4.2.2, the rumored word that the Nexus 4 will be officially offering that Android update to the world now seems more substantial. However, just what improvements may or may not be brought to your smartphone have as yet been unconfirmed. No Google Now, improved camera operation or Project Butter-like announcements have been made, but we could hear more at the Mobile World Conference (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain the end of February.
How substantial is the iDigitalTimes speculation? Sources from the company were supposedly granted access to the Android 4.2.2 operating system recently, and this could be another step in the testing process. If MWC is home to the official announcement of the release, look for the operating system to be pushed out in early March. However, there is some speculation Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean could hit the mobile marketplace in mid-February. The Google LG Nexus 4 delivers a 4.7 inch display with 1,280 x 768 resolution, a quad core1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, an 8 MP camera and NFC support.
