If you have a Galaxy Nexus phone and don’t have the latest version of Android yet, blame Verizon.
If you do have Android 4.1, also known as Jelly Bean, then it means you’re an AT&T or T-Mobile subscriber. It seems that Verizon and Sprint are still waiting to get that update pushed through, and it is more the fault of the former than the latter.
The problem is that Verizon has an incredibly detailed testing and quality assurance process, one that is perhaps even redundantly extensive.
It is frustrating since the “Nexus” devices are supposed to be first in line to get upgrades. It’s one of the selling points. So customers on those two networks are rightfully upset. Google, Verizon, and Sprint all just say the upgrade is coming soon.
The Jelly Bean upgrade could be considered a minor update for the Android platform, which is why it only brings the version number up to 4.1 instead of 5.0.
The most functional aspect of the update is that it looks different depending on the kind of device, so 7-inch tablets have a different presentation of Jelly Bean than 10-inch tablets or smartphones.
Among the updates are increased enhancements to the speed and performance of Android, new and sleeker widgets for the home screen, expandable notifications, and a more user-friendly app for viewing and deleting photos.
It also offers a new touchscreen keyboard for even more seamless text input, as well as new features for the ever-growing list of near field communication (NFC) devices, allowing users to tap phones together to enable things like photo sharing.
