Sprint has started to roll our the Jelly Bean update for the LG Optimus G and for those of you that picked up this little gem, this is a really big deal. We were all a little bummed when LG decided to release the Optimus G without the most recent version of Android, while at the same time it’s near twin brother the LG Nexus 4 was released with Android 4.1.2.
Sprint began rolling out the build in February, though it was not a wide roll-out, more of a test roll-out per say. The original build was rolled-out as LS970ZVB while the wide roll-out build will be known as LS970ZVA. So, it is hard to tell whether LG decided to roll back to an earlier build for the wider roll-out or there is no difference and maybe it was a typo.
The important part though, would be the change-log and yes it does include most of the Jelly Bean features. The most important feature to most people would probably be the one regarding “vsync timing and drawing”, which is actually Project Butter. Here are the rest of the changes.
– Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
– Google Nowâ„¢
– Expandable, actionable notifications
– Android Beamâ„¢ to send photos and more
– QuickTranslator application downloadable from the Application Manager
– Smoother user interface. Vsync timing across all drawing and animation done by the Android framework, including application rendering, touch events, screen composition and display refresh; and triple buffering in the graphics pipeline.
– User-installable keyboard maps
– Ability to turn off notifications on an app specific basis
– Shortcuts and widgets can automatically be re-arranged or re-sized to allow new items to fit on home screens
– Bluetooth data transfer for Android Beam
– Improved voice search
– Improved camera app
– Android mobile version of Google Chrome replaces stock Android browser
– Ability for other launchers to add widgets from the app drawer without requiring root access
The way most of the updates work, especially on with Jelly Bean and Project Butter, the handset makers actually have to optimise the phone to the features. Not all phones that have been updated to 4.1.2 have chosen to utilise all of the features, including the HTC ONE X which does not utilize Project Butter. It looks like LG will be optimising the phones that are to be updated to Jelly Bean to use Project Butter. At least they will have Project Butter on the Optimus G, which is most exciting to all of you OG owners.
Over the next ten-days most of the Optimus G handsets should have received this update. Let us know if you have gotten your update and what you think of the new features in Android 4.1.2.