At first glance, Google Android 4.3 Jelly Bean looks like a minor operating system update. The overall user interface hasn’t changed much since Android 4.3, and there aren’t a ton of user-oriented features.
But when you start digging beneath the surface, Android 4.3 has more than a new version number. It’s designed to be more responsive, offers parents the ability to restrict a child’s access to certain apps or content, includes support for new 2D and 3D graphics technologies, and supports the new Bluetooth Low Energy standard. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The first devices in line for the Android 4.3 update are Google Nexus devices. If you have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus or newer device, an over-the-air update is probably on the way — or you can download the factory image for your phone or tablet.
Samsung and HTC will also soon be pushing out updates for the Google Edition HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4.
Here are some of the things that are new in Android 4.3 so far:
- Even when you turn off WiFi, it’ll stay on a bit in the background to help with location services — unless you dig even deeper into the advanced settings to really turn it off.Â
- There’s support for OpenGL ES 3.0Â 3D graphics.
- Bluetooth Low Energy is now supported, allowing for wireless, short-range communications with certain devices (like smartwatches) while using less power.
- There are a few new developer options for testing/debugging.
- The default “Roboto” font has been updated. Android Police has an analysis of the new font, as well as download links for folks that want to install it on devices that aren’t yet running Android 4.3.
- Third-party Android 4.3 apps may be able to totally replace the default notification system. Hello Facebook Home?
- It looks like you may have an option in the default Android 4.3 app drawer to sort apps and widgets by frequency of use. Right now apps can only be sorted alphabetically.
- When pairing with a car stereo over Bluetooth, your mobile device can now send song info to your car audio system.
- There’s support for T9 dialing in the phone dialer.
- Dialpad auto-complete.
- Google has fixed the vulnerability known as the “Master Key” exploit.
- Google Keep is now a system app.
- Camera icons rotate when you turn the phone, while the overall camera app UI stays in place.
- Use the volume keys to snap photos in the camera app.
- Mult-user support gets an update, allowing you to restrict a user’s access to apps or content.
- New DRM APIs mean Netflix and other online video sites may start streaming content in 1080p.
- Android 4.3 uses SELinux security in the Linux kernel.
Keep in mind, these changes were all found in a leaked build of a pre-release version of Android 4.3. It’s possible that some or all of these features won’t be available in the final release. It’s also possible that we’ll see more new features if and when Google officially launches Android 4.3.
We’ll probably have to wait until the launch of Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie before we see more dramatic changes to the operating system though.
Has the Google chrome issues have been solved for nexus 10 in this update?
Still waiting for Key Lime Pie 5.0 (“K release”) or whatever it turns out to be. What I want is a new build profile adding “desktop” to the existing phone and MID types. Something designed for 2-foot use of a large screen. The multi-user support is a step but they really need a redesign of the “home screen” to better support desktop Android use.
JB 4.3 is probably meant as a final update Google hopes vendors wil push out to existing devices rather than a version targeted at new devices.
Wtf, I permanently disable location services and certainly, if I turn off WIFI, I want it to be OFF, not lingering in the background defying me.
Who the hell does Google think they are?
THere would be an option to disable it completely.
Not sure if you followed Google IO but they showed amazing location related features which take minimal power.
This is in line with that and they have probably tuned it to have no or negligible impact on the battery.
Stop buying Google products. They are not catching your neck. And moreover there is an option in the advanced menu to disable it completely.
Tracking you no matter what. There goes your privacy when the
Fed can eavesdrop on you at will with no Court Order. They claim it is for 911 services but they can code it to only cell tower triangulate your position only when 911 or 411 is called.
*Waiting patiently* can’t wait
As long as it fixes my bluetooth bug in the Nexus 4, I’ll be happy
What bug ? I use a bluetooth earpiece and streaming to my bluetooth enabled LG HDTV and I have no problem.
I don’t know about his bluetooth bug, but mine suddenly stops working every now and then, and I need to reboot my Nexus 4 in order for it to resume outputting through my bluetooth headset.
I have a similar problem with pressure sensor in N4. Sometimes stops showing the air pressure, need reboot.
I dont trust this as being real. Why the S4 over the nexus 4, Gnexus, Nexus tablets or even the HTC One Nexus.
It is a leak. Not a release. Probably the S4 google edition leak.
That’s not what I meant. I know it hasn’t been released because my API options haven’t been updated. I meant why was it leaked for only the s4 and no other Google phone. Not even a whimper from the Nexus phones and the only other news is about a new Nexus tablet running it.
And that’s what snekiam said. It just so happened that the S4 leaked and not the others. That speaks nothing to Google’s intentions for the other devices.