Android Jelly Bean 5.0 To Launch Q3 2012?

[cereal killer]

According to DigiTimes, Google will unveil its next major OS build, Android 5.0 Jelly Bean in Q3 of 2012. This is interesting timing, and we believe this may not be the smartest move. Ice Cream Sandwich is currently found on 2%- 3% of Android smartphones according to the site, though Google’s own online version tracker puts the figure at just 1.6%. Granted, a lot of devices will be upgrading to ICS, and a new crop is due to release with it, but this does nothing to quell the argument about "fragmentation." Why bring devices "current" only to go back to square one with a very low percentage of phones running 5.0? This cannot be healthy for development of the Android ecosystem.

Is this too soon to be rolling out another OS, or is it not soon enough? We want to hear from you.

Source: DigiTimes

 

[dgstorm]

Sometimes DigiTimes gets it wrong, and this is one time that I would like to see that be the case. I think Google bringing Android 5.0 out that soon would be a huge mistake. I can see it maybe at the end of the year or early next year, but most people haven't even been able to taste ICS yet. Quarter three would be "competing with themselves." Google is just too smart for this, and I doubt this will turn out to be true.

 

[justin82]

i doubt this is true .. i think they need to make ICS bug free and stuff before just jumping to 5.0 . i dont know how many devices officially have ICS but as CK stated 1.6 % come on google lets get OTA rolling out before releasing the next software updat.. reminds me of a certain phone manufacturer .. lets forget the old and release a new device ..

 

[geoff5093]

If it is true it ties in with Apple's iPhone 5 announcement.

 

[tgyberg]

I'm still hung up on what sweet treats start with x or z! lol

 

[johnomaz]

Assuming it will actually be Android 5.0. Why not Android 4.5 or something? Integrate new features into the current OS for phones that support these new features. Froyo and Gingerbread were both Android 2.x versions. Remember, Google isn't in control of what carriers and manufacturers do. They care about their Nexus phone and their OS. My wife who isn't super awesome with technology but isn't a dullard either has no idea what the difference is. With Sense and Blur and whatever else over the OS, people don't see the difference and thus don't really know what the update brings when their phone says one is available. And with the modder community, we are a very small percent of the user base. We are the ones that follow the features and versions. Though fragmentation is bad...I don't think Google should slow down and stop innovating because others are slow to update their phones. I think the biggest group it will hurt are the app developers because they need to make sure their app is compatible with all the versions. I do hope Google considers this and makes it easy, or easier, to allow devs to update their apps efficiently and easily.

Also, if the manufacturers are going to slow down and start producing fewer phones but better phones, the new OS versions may not impact them so bad when its time to update phones. I think Moto and HTC are having issues getting ICS on phones because of how many they have to update, test, release, fix, release again, etc. If they have 3 good phones a year, thats only a few phones to update when the time comes.

 

[blacksoxing]

Everyone has to remember....HONEYCOMB (3.0) was being touted as a phone update for a LONG time!!!

Then as the picture became more clear....it was discovered it was for tablets only!

Might be the same thing. Might be a tablet only update.

Few businesses would make such a fatal mistake of releasing a brand new look and feel moments after the LAST new look and feel! (Oh crap, forgot....Motorola did such a thing w/the Razr...knowing folks sign 2 year contracts and would have loved knowing about this....)

 

[Detonation]

Everyone has to remember....HONEYCOMB (3.0) was being touted as a phone update for a LONG time!!!

Then as the picture became more clear....it was discovered it was for tablets only!

Might be the same thing. Might be a tablet only update.

Few businesses would make such a fatal mistake of releasing a brand new look and feel moments after the LAST new look and feel! (Oh crap, forgot....Motorola did such a thing w/the Razr...knowing folks sign 2 year contracts and would have loved knowing about this....)

ICS was the unification of the phone and tablet versions into one OS...I don't think they'll be releasing separate updates/versions anymore.

 

[jfkansas]

I don't mind the new releases from Google. It is the overlaid UIs that cause most of the deployment delays from the carriers.

Simple, just use Google's OS as is. How much BS do we need on our phones?

 

[OneTenderRebel]

How many phones even have ICS officially? This is the problem with Android and why people complain about fragmentation, devs start working on ICS stuff and then before it's even released to the masses a new OS has been revealed. Obviously this is just a rumor so this could all be for naught but I hope it's not true.

 

[czerdrill]

How many phones even have ICS officially? This is the problem with Android and why people complain about fragmentation, devs start working on ICS stuff and then before it's even released to the masses a new OS has been revealed. Obviously this is just a rumor so this could all be for naught but I hope it's not true.

Officially I think it's just the Galaxy Nexus that has it, maybe the Nexus S? Tablet wise I believe it's just the Prime. But yeah, Q3 2012 seems way too fast. It'll benefit me since I have the Nexus haha, but it sucks for those who are still waiting for ICS on their non-nexus phones. As soon as they get it, 5.0 will be out and then the wait begins.

I hope this is not true either though.

 

[justin82]

Officially I think it's just the Galaxy Nexus that has it, maybe the Nexus S? Tablet wise I believe it's just the Prime. But yeah, Q3 2012 seems way too fast. It'll benefit me since I have the Nexus haha, but it sucks for those who are still waiting for ICS on their non-nexus phones. As soon as they get it, 5.0 will be out and then the wait begins.

I hope this is not true either though.

I know for sure the TF101 has it as well on tablet sided and pretty sure the xoom wifi only models have it . and i think acer released it as well .. i believe we will find out way more tablets than phones so far .

 

[czerdrill]

I know for sure the TF101 has it as well on tablet sided and pretty sure the xoom wifi only models have it . and i think acer released it as well .. i believe we will find out way more tablets than phones so far .

Oh yes you're right I had heard about the TF101, didn't know about the xoom or acer tabs though. thanks!

 

[mtnbkrbob]

i believe it is to soon. some will say that everother build of android is the better build? i beg to differ. my gnex has been running ics from th git go and i love it i think since its a complete new build of android the manufatures are having problems or difficulty porting their UI's over to it and thats why its taking so long for ics to be rolled out to the other devices. as for fragmetation of the android system?? yes i believe that its possibly becoming that way. and i also believe that having so many different builds of it out and many of them are lesser/lower builds that many user are experiencing with lower model phones and tablets and getting bad experiences with it that that is what is hurting android as a whole. if that is fragmentation ? but this is all my opinion and who cares what i think?

 

[dirkbonn]

"Unveiling" Jelly Bean doesn't necessarily mean releasing it and having it show up in phones. I think they might "unviel" it this year but I wouldn't think it will start showing up in phones until sometime in 2013.

This would give ICS time to mature and end up being used as the OS in most Android phones when released.

Just my opinion though,