About a year ago, if you had an iPhone and you walk into a public gathering all the eyes knew one direction that is you and your phone. Unfortunately, this is not true according to the current statistics. If you now keep iPhone in your hand and walk you wouldn't be considered as cool as a year ago. Especially, in Asia iPhone's demand has fallen down drastically according to the latest statistics only in Singapore iPhone's demand has fallen by 22 percent.

People nowadays shifting more towards android devices in particular Samsung's devices. Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from in particular has been a big hit in Asia especially. It's hard to see when Apple would gain back its original status as it was a year back. But, the world of technology is makes a move every day and any day could be Apple's too they just need to work hard and have patience.

Source

For months, news about Apple's decline has been rife, even to the point of affecting the price of its stock. However, statistics show a different tune because Apple has steadily grown since December, even when new Android handsets were announced.

Last February, Apple posted a 3.95% growth since December last year, while Android remained static for the same period. Apple continues to dominate the US market and was up 1% from December last year, while it lags behind Android and two others in Asia.

Furthermore, Android users have yet to receive their fresh batch of Android phones this year, namely, Samsung Galaxy S 4, HTC One, LG Optimus G Pro, and the Sony Xperia Z. Too much competition for a single phone but looks like Apple can manage if it keeps posting slow but steady growth on key markets. It needs to improve a lot in the Asian market where Android is the leading OS. The good news for Apple is that they posted a 2% growth even in the Asian market and Android did not.

Give or take a few months and the scale may tip in favor of Android, then back to Apple again when the iPhone 5 finally gets introduced.

Source: statcounter

According to a new report, Apple's iPhone is actually more susceptible to attacks than other operating systems such as Android, Windows and even BlackBerry.

According to the report, the number of people who want to ditch the iPhone in place of an Android or Windows device just keeps on growing.

Furthermore, out of all the "vulnerabilities" that were recorded for phones of various operating systems, 81% have been found in different iPhone models, whereas only 19% of other phones were found to have these similar vulnerabilities.

Source: ZDNet

Android and iOS combined accounted for a whopping 96.3% of all smartphone shipments worldwide in 2014. Android is on the top with 81.5% of the market, where iOS lacks behind with 14.8% only.

2014 Market Share

Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team, said - "Many of the same drivers were in play for Android and iOS to tighten their grip on the market, A combination of strong end-user demand, refreshed product portfolios, and the availability of low-cost devices particularly for Android drove volumes higher."

It's expected that Google's own OS will continue growing with more Android-powered device are released into the markets (Smartphones, Tablets, TVs, Smartwatches, Gaming consoles... etc).

Via

Mo Cheng

Editor

YouMobile

 https://www.G1-Forum.com

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Fourteen of the world's largest mobile phone and chip makers, including Sony Ericsson, Vodafone Group Plc and ARM Holdings Plc, joined the Open Handset Alliance on Tuesday to support the Android mobile device platform developed by Google Inc .

The new members' pledge to back the Android software is a significant feat for Google in the mobile phone industry, as its T-Mobile G1 phone takes on rival Apple Inc popular iPhone 3G.

But despite the big-name additions to the Open Handset Alliance, analysts say what matters is whether the new members introduce more Android-supported smartphones in 2009 and 2010 to compete with rivals such as Symbian, used by Nokia.

"It's great to get these folks on board...now (the Open Handset Alliance) has to make sure these licenses actually ship products," said research firm Jupitermedia's vice president of mobile strategy, Michael Gartenberg.

The first company of the fourteen new members set to introduce a mobile device that uses the Android operating system is Sony Ericsson, a joint venture of Japan's Sony Corp and Sweden's Ericsson. Ericsson said on Tuesday it plans to introduce the Android-supported platforms in mid-2009.

"Android is set to become a significant application framework for mobile phones," Ericsson's head of mobile platforms, Robert Puskaric, said in a statement.

The Open Handset Alliance said on Tuesday that each of its members commits to developing applications and services for mobile phones and handsets using the Android platform or designing Android-compatible mobile devices.

Taiwan's Asustek Computer Inc, Toshiba Corp and Garmin Ltd also pledged their support, bringing the total number of companies in the Open Handset Alliance to 47, the Alliance said. These companies join earlier members of the Alliance, such as the world's biggest chip maker Intel Corp and mobile phone makers Motorola Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

Both Google and Apple have wooed developers to create applications for their mobile devices, but Apple keeps a tight grip on the iPhone's hardware and operating software. Google's Android is open to being changed by outside developers.

The addition of new members to the Open Handset Alliance gives Google-developed Android more heft in the battle over who will dominate the mobile phone software market in coming years. Android's biggest competitor is Symbian, which controls half of the market and was acquired by Nokia, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, earlier this month.

Nokia contributes Symbian's assets to a not-for-profit organization similar to the Open Handset Alliance, the Symbian Foundation. Members of the Symbian Foundation have royalty-free access to Symbian's software.

So far, 64 companies have said they plan to join the Symbian Foundation, including Japan's third-largest wireless carrier, Softbank .

Android also competes with Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, which has been gaining ground.

With a range of companies jumping into the Alliance, such as portable navigation device maker Garmin Ltd, Android has the potential to be featured on devices other than mobile phones. Each mobile phone maker also can modify the Android open source software, which leaves the opportunity open for many future mobile phones.

"What's fascinating about Android is it's this malleable thing. As these phones come out from other carriers it looks and operates differently," said Greg Sterling, a Web analyst with Sterling Market Intelligence. He added, "It seems more people will jump on the bandwagon."

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with the HTC Sense 5 topping has been unleashed in the form of an over-the-air update for the HTC One X+.  Vr-Zone caught the roll-out of the official Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update with firmware version 2.17.709.12 for HTC One X+, the HTC One X enhanced smartphone version, and now receiving several new features including the HTC Sense UI major iteration.

HTC One X+ owners should expect at least 484 MB update size via Over-the-Air procedure which requires the device to free the necessary storage space to download and install the official firmware. In addition, the update is only exclusive to HTC One X+ units which are unlocked in Asia and soon to be pushed throughout Europe and the United States.

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS

• - Daydream feature
• - Lock screen widgets
• - Quick Settings with 12 default settings
• - Actionable Notifications
• - BlinkFeed home screen
• - Video highlights for creating 30-second clips from gallery images
• - Lock focus in the camera viewfinder
• - Battery improvements
• - Battery percentage in the status bar
• - Music player updated with live lyrics support and visualisation
• - HTC Sense 5 UI
• - New lock screen style: Widget power
• - Sleep mode option in Power settings
• - Improved accessibility with triple tap to magnify screen
• - Gesture mode navigation for blind users
• - Performance enhancements
• - Wireless display support

The latest Android 4.3 Jelly Bean was about to hit the HTC One developer edition this week, and indeed the update is rolling out today, but it seems to be on a global scale for the unlocked versions out there.

The update 564.04MB,  so we strongly recommending to make use of high-speed internet connection to initiate the update. It might take 15-25 min based on your internet connection speed. We are started our digging to find out new additions. Stay tuned in to us for in-depth information.

If you are also HTC One owner and residing in U.S, then checkout the update manually simply by entering into Settings -> About Phone -> Software updates -> Look for updates. If you can't see any update notification then don't be concerned, it will be appear as soon as your device gets qualified for Android 4.3 update. We are again repeating that the update will require 2-3 weeks hitting all devices.

changelog :

- Android 4.3 update
- Battery charging percentage indicator
- Improved Gallery
- Low-light performance noticeably improved
- Added few more Video highlights options
- Ability to add soundtracks to your Highlights
- Overall System got stable and more

Great news to those HTC One M8 owners on Verizon Wireless, it looks like it's your turn to grab a piece of the Android 5.0 Lollipop action. According to the carrier's support page, the update should be rolling out to devices now.   HTC One M8 for Sprint and T-Mobile already got the treatment.

The update is available OTA (Over the Air). It brings a host of improvements to the HTC One M5 headed by brand new ART runtime and Material Design update for the device's native applications.  It also brings Android beyond smartphones and tablets, allowing access to apps and Android services on other connected screens like TVs, cars and wearables. The new material design offers complex animations and 3-D views, 64-bit ABI support and improved runtime.

The document is on the update is available check it out here.

Source: Verizon Wireless

The LG Optimus L3 II is getting the Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and I set to be released in Brazil this week. It is available in single- and dual-SIM versions and is popular among many for its affordability and stylish design. After its pilot in Brazil and other Latin American countries, it will be launched in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Android 4.1.2 will power the device and it will feature a single processor clocking in at 1GHz with 512 MB memory. It also has a 3MP camera and will already feature the Overlay mode (QuickMemo), which was only available to higher-end LG phones before. It is available in various colors.

Android 4.1.2 will surely bring about better user experience and is perfect for those who are looking for an affordable and functional phone. No word is out yet about the price of the phone but it shouldn't go over $250.

Link: LG Press Release

Great news for LG Optimus 4X HD owners, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the your Optimus 4X is being distributed over the LG Update Servers You can get the official KDZ update file from our LG Firmware Central or wait a little bit more to pop in your official LG Update tool.

We also received updates that European version is now live. Slowly reaching other regions. Congratulations to all 4X HD owners!

The Jelly Bean upgrades will be available OTA (Over-the-air) but you can also update your smartphone using the LG update tool. Sadly, there is no confirmation on when the update rollout will complete, but it shouldn't take long.

Motorola has officially announced that Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is rolling out to DROID RAZR HD by Motorola and DROID RAZR MAXX HD. The new upgrade offers many new features that personalize your phone to deliver an incredibly smooth experience. The current upgrade will be delivered to users on a rolling basis with the availability to manually update your device coming soon.

If you are wondering what enhancements you can expect. Check out the list below:

• Google Now - Shouldn't your phone be able to anticipate what you'll need throughout your day? With Google Now, you get answers before you even have to ask. Real-time notifications let you know whether you should pack an umbrella for later in the day or if you need to grab the train to avoid the accident that's backing up I-495. Plus, you'll receive the score of your favorite team's game from last night. Though Google Now can't make your morning coffee, it will provide you the convenience you want to keep you one step ahead.

• Voice Search - Want a voice-search experience that doesn't only work in TV ads? Google Voice Search on Android^TM 4.1 lets you speak your questions directly into your phone. Run a quick search that will give you everything from great Italian restaurants on the Lower East Side to the next train leaving from Clark and Lake. And if you want to test Google Voice Search's foreign language skills, go ahead. It currently supports 34 languages from around the globe.

• Richer Notifications - Its always good to see a missed call or new email notification, but wouldn't you rather just take action? With Android 4.1, now you can. You just received a meeting reminder and know your call is running long. No problem, you can tap once to email the team that you'll be there in a few minutes. Missed calls can be returned with a single tap, all right from the notification shade.

Source: Motorola

Meet the latest devices to update to Android Jelly Bean 4.1. The DROID RAZR and the RAZR MAXX users have waited for so long to be updated to Jelly Bean and although it hasn't happened yet, at least a formal announcement have already been made by Motorola.

Although many devices have already upgraded to Jelly Bean and have reported awesome enhancements and additional features such as Google Now, camera and notification features, among others, owners of these Motorola devices will surely find Android Beam and near field communication technology (NFC) to be useful when exchanging information.

These are only some of the things that Jelly Bean can bring about on a DROID RAZR or a RAZR MAXX phone. Perhaps the best news is that although Motorola was a bit late on providing update, it hasn't completely forgotten to upgrade and have kept these devices alive. Now, the only thing left to be worried about is how long it will take to actually "roll-out" the Jelly Bean.

Source: Motorola/phandroid

BCH-I899 Android phone will soon be available in stores. This device is equipped with CDMA2000 EVDO Rev. A and also adds Wi-Fi/WAPI to make mobile internet surfing easy and cost effective.

Here's some of its specs and features. These include:

• 3.2 inch AMOLED resistive touchscreen display with 320 x 480 pixels
• Wi-Fi / WAPI
• GPS
• DivX support
• 3.5mm headset jack
• 3.2MP camera with autofocus and flash
• 512MB of internal memory
• 800 MHz processor
• MicroSD card support (up to 32GB)
• 1440 mAh battery
• 116.5 x 56.4 x 12.8 mm
• 126 grams

via: unwiredview

Vodafone has announce that the update to Android 4.0 for their Galaxy S II has gone live today.  After careful testing to ensure the highest level of quality for their customers, owners of the Samsung Galaxy S2 on Vodafone will be able to update their handsets to the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system on Friday April 13th.

Bringing all the great new features of the latest Android OS to your Samsung smartphone, the new update will initially be made available via Samsung KIES, with over-the-air updates becoming available on Tuesday 17 April.

As well as adding a new look and feel to your smartphone, Android 4.0 also packs a wide range of great new features to make the Samsung Galaxy S2 user experience better, more intuitive and more enjoyable than ever.

Source: Vodafone

Samsung has come up with a quick and simple list of U.S. smartphones which are either getting or are required to receive their Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. As of today it basically provides a placeholder or jumping off point for several Galaxy S III models along with a trio of Nexus devices spread over Sprint and Verizon. Still, this can be a good place for you to definitely bookmark and come back to once in a while. Hopefully we have seen the Galaxy S II and a few other products find the list down the road.

According to recent chatter it appears that some U.S. carriers might be ready to deploy their Android 4.1 update before long.

I assume at least one of the above-mentioned carriers will start rolling out the Android 4.1 Jelly bean update before the end of October. Let's see.

Last year, Samsung introduced a few Android candybars that featured both touchscreens, and full QWERTY keyboards. One of them was the Galaxy M Pro GT-B7800 with Android Gingerbread on it, and now looks like we now have a successor to it.

The FCC certified GT-B7810, an Android-running QWERTY phone from Samsung images have been leaked.  Apparently running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Samsung B7810 looks a lot like the older B7800 model.

Samsung GT-B7800 features HSDPA, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, a landscape display with 480 x 360 pixels, Bluetooth 3.0, 3.5mm headset jack, rear camera, 1,200 mAh battery, and MicroSD card support. We don't know how much internal memory the new smartphone has, and neither the speed of its processor.  We will just have to wait and see.

Samsung has just released Jelly Bean update for the American variants of its Galaxy Tab 2 tablets, both 7 inch and the 10.1 inch. The update is available over-the-air and improves performance of the tablets along with features like expandable and actionable notifications, resizable widgets and lots more.

In addition, the software update will bring the enhanced notifications as well as Google Now. Those who happen to be in the US with a Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 in hand now have a few options to consider, you can either wait for the update notification to arrive or manual check for update and get it now.

If you haven't been notified yet, head over to Settings menu and check for updates by navigate to Settings -> About device -> Software update to try and get the process started now.

Floating YouTube Popup Video

Tired of being interrupted by text messages, emails or other alerts on your device while you're watching YouTube videos? Well, Floating YouTube Popup Experience is the app for you! Similar to Samsung's MultiView MultiWindow feature, this app allows continual play of a YouTube video (as a re-sizeable pop-up style window anywhere on your screen) while you're texting, browsing the net, emailing, using other apps, or even checking maps. Best of all, the audio and volume control from your YouTube video will remain even if the screen of your device is off.

Google Play Link

Memedroid

Memedroid is a meme reader that lets you watch, create, comment and rate in a social and amusing way memes (rage comics, advice animals and much more) Pro features included in this version.

Google Play Link

SanDisk Memory Zone

Take control of your memory: On your phone. On your card. In the cloud.

SanDisk Memory Zone offers you more memory management functionality than any other application available for the Android^TM phone.

SanDisk Memory Zone puts you in complete control. Manage and backup both your local and cloud memory with one free app. Move files back and forth from your memory card to select cloud services, or from the cloud directly to your phone. Cloud services supported: Box, Dropbox, Google Docs, Picasa, SugarSync, SkyDrive and Facebook.

Google Play Link

Trapster

Trapster is a free app that alerts you as you approach speed traps, red light/speed cameras, accidents, and other roadway hazards. Join the world's largest drivers network, with over 16.5 million users worldwide!

Google Play Link

Photaf - The best Android App for creating panoramas

Create beautiful, seamless 360 panoramic photos easily by utilizing the camera and the orientation sensor to know the exact angle each picture was taken.

When done, you can move your phone around to see the complete panoramic view by using the phone's compass or the touch screen.

Google Play Link

Home Remedies (Free)

Natural home remedies are safe and useful for the common ailments. Most of the non life threatening illness can be treated at home. Learn how you can use natural cures to replace many of the most commonly used over-the-counter drugs in the treatment of common ailments. If you use home remedies wisely, it will save your time and money. Hope this app helps you to find your own path of healing through natural remedies.

Google Play Link

Smart Voice Recorder

Smart Voice Recorder designed for high quality long-time sound recording with skipping relative silence on-the-fly. For example, you can use it for record night sleep talks (or snoring:)), business meetings, a regular day of your babysitter, how you singing or play the guitar and so on. It's fantastic! And you may use it as regular voice recorder with simple and nice user interface. Give it a try! :)

Google Play Link

Audubon Butterflies

Audubon Butterflies is your essential guide to over 600 butterflies of North America. Now you can identify every species in your backyard, parks, gardens, the woods or fields with thousands of professional color photographs.

Google Play Link

OpenSignal

The simplest tactic to improve your reception is to walk in the direction of your signal. Not foolproof, but worth a shot!

Option to contribute to the OpenSignalMaps.com project: we're TRUE coverage maps of cell phone networks & wifi data points freely available to all.

Google Play Link

Sitegeist

Sitegeist helps you to learn more about your surroundings in seconds. Drawing on publicly available information, the app presents solid data in a simple at-a-glance format to help you tap into the pulse of your location anywhere in the United States.

From demographics on the people and housing to the latest popular spots or weather, Sitegeist presents localized information visually so you can get back to enjoying the neighborhood. Sitegeist was created by the Sunlight Foundation with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and is the third in a series of National Data Apps.

Google Play Link

If your read our earlier article, we have told you that Samsung has been pushing Android 4.1.1 to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 here in America.

The update's rolling out now OTA to Wi-Fi only devices with model# GT-N8013, but it should also be available via Samsung Kies. Simply go to Settings > About device > Software update or just hook up to your PC through USB to see if it's available on your end. After applying the update your tablet will be on software version UEUCMA3.

Seems like Samsung is working pretty hard to get everyone updates as soon as they can, so let's hope the same treatment will come to many more devices soon, now that's what we called good customer experience.

Samsung is apparently trying to get an Android device on the market for every screen size ever theorized and they announced. Not exactly a media player, but a smartphone, Galaxy Player is hard to place in today's market. According to the latest information from SamMobile's insider that Samsung will soon announce the Galaxy Fonblet 5.8 (GT-I9152). The model number indicates that this device will have DUAL-SIM support and will also feature a 5.8″ Display, same as the one on the Galaxy Player 5.8. The Galaxy Fonblet 5.8 will come in Pure White colour. For Samsung white is the new black. We expect this device to run Android 4.1.2/4.2.1 Jelly Bean out of the box.

And of course the nexus 7 that stormed the tablet world taking no prisoners with it's high specs and low price and is still considered by a number of online Reviewers to be the king of the hill for modestly priced tablets as it contains a full arsenal of features and does not imprison it's buyers into a padded cell like environment like some other OS do.

Even so, a 5.8-inch device is still more pocket-able than a 7-inch tablet, so the new Galaxy Player isn't necessarily doomed right away. I guess it will all depend on the price, which isn't yet known.

Reported by Engadget, if you have a Galaxy S III with AT&T, you had the chance to download and install Android 4.1 Jelly Bean since last month, but the rollout wasn't so mooth and it was only limited to updates using Samsung Kies. Not OTA (over-the-air).

Finally, AT&T has Engadget that an OTA (over-the-air) update will be available beginning today to anyone who is still using Ice Cream Sandwich, though it'll require a WiFi connection. Still, this is a much better situation for the vast majority of Samsung Galaxy S III owners who may not have even realized that an update was even offered to them in the first place.

Samsung GT-I9500 believed to be the Samsung Galaxy S IV appears on AnTuTu benchmark, mounting a 1.8Ghz processor and Android 4.2.1 android OS out of the box.  The Galaxy S IV is rumoured to feature an Exynos 5 Octa-Core CPU (8-core), Mali-T658 GPU, 4.99″ SuperAMOLED Full HD Resolution Display, 2GB of RAM, 13 Megapixel Rear facing Camera capable of shooting 1080p Full HD Videos at 30FPS and 2 Megapixel front facing camera capable of shooting 720p HD Videos.  This will be Samsung's true flagship device for 2013.

The Samsung Galaxy S IV has been rumored to be released around April or May timeframe.

Source

Got a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 and wondering when is your Jelly Bean update coming to your device?  Well, According to SamMobile, Samsung Thailand has confirmed Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy Tab 7.7 which is available in both 3G and Wi-Fi versions. The company's official site notes that the tablet is expected to receive Android v4.1.

Released in December of 2011, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 comes in three storage options: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB and supports microSD card for storage expansion. It is powered by an Exynos chip featuring a dual-core Cortex-A9 processor clocked at 1.4GHz, and paired with Mali-400MP graphics unit. It features a three megapixel rear-camera and a front-camera of two megapixel.

Source: SamMobile

Finally... Samsung has officially started rolling out the impending Jelly Bean update for Samsung Galaxy S II. The update is currently available in Spain but we shall see the update soon in many other countries as well.

The XWLS8 update is different from the ROM that was leaked months ago but runs Android 4.1.2 with a recent January 2013 build date.

The Jelly Bean update will bring the new TouchWiz Nature UI to the GS II. Until now, the handset was stuck with Samsung's old version of TouchWiz, which was much less appealing, and also brings lots of performance improvements, expandable and actionable notification panel, and Google Now.

Enhancements of the Jelly Bean update:

- Buttery Smooth Performance & Great Stability (Thanks to Project Butter)
- Full User Interface Revamp (Same UI as of the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II)
- TouchWiz Nature UX
- Samsung's S Cloud services
- Improved Camera features
- New Lockscreen With Many Customization Options
- New Features like Direct Call, Smart Stay and Pop-up Play
- New Widgets (From Galaxy S III)
- 2 Home screen modes
- New Notification bar With More Notification Toggles
- Google Now

Source: PhoneArena

The new Samsung Galaxy Express Handset running on an Android operating system guarantees 4G LTE's amazingly fast network connectivity to all. It bears familiarity to the Galaxy Express introduced by the AT &T network at the end of 2012.

This version is built for the European and Asian markets using the Android 4.1 Jellybean platform from the onset. Another variation is the dual-core 1.2GHz processor. Other features remain unchanged.

This handset carries a 2,000 mAh battery and measures 132.2 x 69.1 x 9.3 mm all weighing 139 grams.

Prices for Europe and Asia including the launch date are yet to be announced though it has been confirmed that it will be offered in white.

A black version is offered by AT & T and sells for $99.99 on contract and $449.99 off contract.

Samsung follows a unique trend of launching many mid range devices each year. One might call it a tactical move, as Samsung wants to produce something for each market segment. Whatever it is, it's working for them at the moment, as their products are the most demanding in the market.

Samsung's 2013 plan hasn't changed and it took one step closer by launching Galaxy Express, and it has planned to launch 8 more like this in the coming year. The names of the upcoming phone are as follows: Galaxy Frame, Galaxy Pocket 2, Galaxy Star, Galaxy Young, Galaxy Core, Galaxy Fonblet 5.8, and Galaxy Fonblet 6.3. Furthermore, a special device to feature HomeSync is also in line for launch, although, much hasn't been revealed regarding it but it is believed that it would be fascinating.

It is likely that Samsung would be showcasing some of these devices at MWC 2013 in Barcelona. But, the most awaited one would be HomeSync, we shall wait for MWC 2013 to have exact idea of what these device look like.

Samsung recently released the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for their Galaxy S II smartphone in Europe and now they have announced that the update is also available for the handset worldwide. Samsung Galaxy S2 users can simply connect to Samsung Kies and download the update that brings in the graphics and performance improvements along with new TouchWiz, Easy and Block mode, Smart Stay, Pop up Play and improved camera fuctions.

You might not be able to update your device to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean right away as the update is rolling out in phases. So, it might not yet be available for your country or network provider,  but don't worry the update will arrive soon.

Some of the Enhancements in the new Jelly Bean Update:

• - Buttery Smooth Performance & Great Stability (Thanks to Project Butter)
• - Full User Interface Revamp (Same UI as of the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II)
• - TouchWiz Nature UX
• - Samsung's S Cloud services
• - Improved Camera features
• - New Lockscreen With Many Customization Options
• - New Features like Direct Call, Smart Stay and Pop-up Play
• - New Widgets (From Galaxy S III)
• - 2 Home screen modes
• - New Notification bar With More Notification Toggles
• - Google Now

A study by a company called "Localytics" shows that Android by Google is undoubtedly one very successful operating system and it represents a big bulk of the smartphone market. However, although Android has broken grounds and is quite popular among many, Google's bane is that most of the time, the Android OS is more associated with carriers, rather than them.

For example, Samsung creates awesome smartphones with Android OS that they are almost synonymous with Android, as one study says. If someone hears Samsung Galaxy, chances are that they will think it's an Android phone, despite the presence of Google's Nexus phone (which is also a good smartphone). Unfortunately, only real enthusiasts know the might of the Nexus over more popular "Android" phones.

This study just goes to show that Samsung has conquered the Android smartphone market. Somehow, Google gets bypassed in terms of the popularity of their products.

This is why many of Samsung's competitors that also offer Android smartphones should step up their games and improve their designs and features. In today's age, although Samsung holds much of the market for Android, it is not yet too late for HTC, LG, Sony and the others to revert their fortunes and get a bigger share of the market than they actually have.

Source: Localytics

Google has started pushing the 4.2.2 update to Nexus devices (specifically the Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, and Galaxy Nexus).

There's not much word regarding what the update (build JDQ39) includes just yet, but readers may remember that Google promised a Bluetooth A2DP audio streaming fix in the "next release" of 4.2 after 4.2.1.   The update comes in at around 50 MB on the Nexus 10 but it really depending on which device you have.

So if you haven't received the notification yet, perhaps it's time to go to Settings > About and check for new updates.  If you haven't got it yet, you should in the coming days. If you did and notice any improvements, let us know in the comments below.

Source: Androidpolice

Samsung has just started to push Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update to the Galaxy S II Canada according to Facebook Samsung Canada:

GALAXY S II owners on Bell Canada's network will get a taste of Jelly Bean over the next few days. Please stay tuned for more upgrade announcements for other carriers & other devices over the coming weeks.

Some of the Enhancements in the new Jelly Bean Update:

• - Buttery Smooth Performance & Great Stability (Thanks to Project Butter)
• - Full User Interface Revamp (Same UI as of the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II)
• - TouchWiz Nature UX
• - Samsung's S Cloud services
• - Improved Camera features
• - New Lockscreen With Many Customization Options
• - New Features like Direct Call, Smart Stay and Pop-up Play
• - New Widgets (From Galaxy S III)
• - 2 Home screen modes
• - New Notification bar With More Notification Toggles
• - Google Now

Galaxy Nexus international versions can now update to Android 4.2.2, which is already available for download. This new version promises improved quick settings controls, new sounds and the download notification now shows how much time or percentage is remaining for you to finish downloading applications. However, before updating, ensure that your unit is the right version or you'll risk your smartphone getting bricked.

The zip file is already downloadable for anyone who wants to flash to Android 4.2.2. To update, got to recovery mode, indicated by a red exclamation point. Then, press Volume up and Power button simultaneously and a new menu will be on display and update. Connect your Galaxy Nexus international version to your PC and load the Android 4.2.2 update zip file via command prompt. You will be asked to type a code or syntax and wait until it gets updated to 100% and reboot. Remember, always ensure that you are flashing the right Galaxy Nexus device or you'll kill it.

Download Link | XDA

Thanks to Droid-Life

It looks like Samsung is finally ready to rollout the official update to the Samsung Galaxy Note (First Gen) .  You might not be able to update your device to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean right away as the update is rolling out in phases. Sam Mobile says that the update is already available in Asia - specifically in Hong Kong and Taiwan - but you can expect your country to get it soon as well. Not to mention that you can always choose to manually update your device, by getting the appropriate firmware.

Jelly Bean software upgrade features:

• - Android 4.1.2 - Build JZO54K
• - Buttery Smooth Performance & Great Stability (Thanks to Project Butter)
• - Multi-View (Multi Windows Multitasking, same as in Note II)
• - Multi-View can also be disabled
• - Page Buddy
• - Notification Panel can now be customized
• - New Additions in Notification Panel
• - Smart Rotation (Screen Display adjusts to your angle of sightings)
• - Continues Input in Samsung Keyboard (Like Swipe or Android 4.2 Keyboard)
• - Samsung's Cloud services
• - Features like Direct Call, Smart Stay and Pop-up Play
• - New Widgets From the Galaxy S III
• - 2 Home screen modes
• - New Notifications bar
• - Google Now

Be sure to following this Samsung Kies update twitter account: @SamKiesUpdates

If you're not already a Sprint customer, you can get the Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note II for just $69.99. That's $230 less than what Sprint charges you directly, and you'll still sign the same two-year contract with the carrier.  That's an awesome deal, and I don't think you can find a better deal with any other carrier.

If you are already with Sprint and want to upgrade your existing hardware to a Galaxy Note II, you'll have to pay $199.99 at Amazon. That's still $100 less than what you'd need to pay at Sprint itself.

Samsung Galaxy Note II brings a whole new category of smartphones to Sprint. This high-performance device boasts many rich features and is indispensable when it comes to entertainment and productivity thanks to an enhanced S Pen hover experience, intuitive software, and elegant hardware features. Touch, hover, scribble, and speak-the Note II offers multiple tactile ways to interact. Capture and create with the innovative S Pen and preloaded apps like S Memo and S Note. Enjoy multitasking, intuitive interactions, customizable home screens, and more on the latest Google OS Android 4.1, Jelly Bean and the Samsung TouchWiz platform. With the latest HD Super AMOLED Plus technology powering the Note II's 5.5-inch 720P display, images are bigger, clearer, and brighter than ever allowing you to view color-rich movies, photos, presentations, and gaming. With Note II performance and power are automatic, thanks to Samsung's Exynos 1.6 Ghz quad-core processor, a long-lasting battery, and blazing fast 4G LTE network speeds.

Link to Amazon.

https://wireless.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-II-Android/dp/B00A0CHAS8/

Thanks unwiredview

The Galaxy S3's Android 4.2 in the new Jelly Bean version was leaked as SamMobile showing us new features and capabilities. Looking at the UI, it is still characteristically TouchWiz but it does come with better features.

The S3 is now capable of locking screen widgets the same way that the stock Android can. Also, two-way swiping adds an extra functionality because a swipe going to the left will directly take you to the camera. Swiping to right will take you to the menu widgets.

Other new features include additional toggles and more useful options for the notifications. This new version is also said to be voice-control capable.

For those who want to flash the Galaxy s III, make sure that you have the right version of the Galaxy S3 before doing so and back up your phone for extra security or you risk losing all your data or possibly even bricking your phone.

Imges credit: droid-life

Link: SamMobile Firmware

One of the most popular mid-range smart phones is the Galaxy Ace 2. A recent leak from SamMobile shows that it will be given a well-deserved upgrade to 4.1.2 Android Jelly Bean, which many will find useful and timely. This will definitely up the ante on mid-range phones against more expensive ones such as the Note 2, S3 and the S4.

Some of the first Galaxy Ace 2 units will be shipped first to Ukraine, according to the leak. The site also features what looks like the ROM build and you will find this on their firmware section. You might even be able to flash it to see if it greatly improves the Galaxy Ace and to experience additions such as Google Now. A new interface might also be thrown in (Nature UX). Be careful when flashing though and follow instructions carefully and don't forget to back up.

Source File

Samsung Epic 4G users can now upgrade their old devices to the latest Android 4.2, using CyanogenMod 10.1 for the device. This was a popular and the first Galaxy phone among many from 2 years ago and developers just refuse to retire it. However, take note that nightlies are not the same as typical drivers and a few users may be affected by some bugs, but nothing that will prevent it from running smoothly on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.

Before flashing, always back up your data and download the CM 10.1 for the device, so you can enjoy the new features and capabilities that the latest Jelly Bean brings such as lock-screening of widgets and other system and network additions. "Epic" is truly the operative word and judging from the fan-base that this phone has created, it remains to be one of Samsung's greatest phones.

Download Link: cyanogenmod

Nexus followers will love the new Android JB 4.2.2 binaries for different devices. Google is definitely showing its support for its Nexus Devices and is also planning to push to Android Open-Source Project or AOSP.

Although the latest Jelly Bean has been out since February, not many devices were fully compatible with it and the release of these binaries will open doors for many Nexus users such as the Nexus, 4, 7, 10 and the Nexus S to fully use and optimize the AOSP.

Other devices such as the Galaxy Nexus (on Verizon) and the Motorola Xoom will also be able to enjoy the latest JB by using these proprietary binaries.

So if you are someone who does not like changing devices all the time trust that these devices will always be taken care of and updated by Google and these just might be the Android devices that you are looking for.

Google Developers

Verizon's Galaxy Nexus looks like it might finally benefit from an update from 4.1 Jelly Bean to the latest Android version. This device has been "unfairly" left out and it's been well over 5 months since the 4.2 Jelly Bean came out. Now, you might want to try a leaked ROM for your Galaxy Nexus that may possibly turn out to be just the thing you have been waiting for.

Also, please be reminded that this is not the final version of the ROM and it could be slow or buggy initially, but it really is bound to improve. Also, it should be flashed from stock software. Back up your phone if possible and flash at your own risk, since this will void your warranty and it could even kill your phone if done incorrectly. If you're too cautious and would not want to risk your phone, wait for the official OTA rollout, it probably won't take more than a couple of months if we're hearing constant news (or rumors) about a Galaxy Nexus update.

Source: XDA