14 DAY TRIAL // Following the official release of Android’s new Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system flavor, Google has started to make available for download factory images of the platform for its Nexus devices out there.
Initially released only for the Galaxy Nexus (akju) and for the Nexus 7 (nakasi), these builds are now available for more devices.
On Google’s servers, users will also be able to find available for download the Android 4.1.2 factory images "yakju" for the Galaxy Nexus "maguro" (GSM/HSPA+), as well as factory images "soju" for Nexus S (worldwide version, i9020t and i9023).
For those out of the loop, we should note that the release of these factory images provides users with the possibility to reinstall the OS on their phones from scratch.
Provided that the handset is hit by issues that cannot be resolved otherwise, users can download these builds and flash them on their devices.
However, they should know that all data on the phone will be erased in the process, and that the smartphone will be automatically reverted to factory settings.
The Android 4.1.2 binaries are available for download from this page at Google. Users heading there will also find all the necessary instructions on how they can install them on their handsets.
Among the changes that Google has included in the new operating system flavor, we can count support for homescreen rotation in the launcher, changes to expandable notifications, which can now be accessed with a single hand, and various fixes.
Following the update, users will notice that Location Services are now called Location Access, and that long SMS messages are no longer converted to MMS.
For a full rundown of the modifications in this update, head over to this post on Android Police. Unfortunately, there is no word on how long it will take for Android 4.1.2 to arrive on all Nexus devices out there, nor on other handsets running under Google’s mobile OS.