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State of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: Three Big Upgrades Still Missing

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Yesterday, Google rolled out its Android 4.2.2 update to the Nexus 7, Nexus 10, and GSM Galaxy Nexus. And while those devices are now rocking the latest Android update from Google, some big name devices are still without their promised upgrade to the previous version of Android, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, including the AT&T HTC One X, the Samsung Galaxy Note and the Motorola Droid RAZR and RAZR MAX HD.

Read: Wait for Verizon Galaxy Nexus Android 4.2 Update Continues.

While Nexus 7, Nexus 10 and Galaxy Nexus owners are busy complaining about the slow Android 4.2.2 roll out and Nexus 4 owners are peeved about the fact that Android 4.2.2 didn’t arrive for their device, their situation isn’t even close to the situation that other Android owners are in. Specifically, owners of a trio of big name smartphones that are still without their upgrade to Android 4.1 as we push further into 2013.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was announced all the way back at Google I/O last summer and was shortly thereafter released to a handful of Nexus devices. By fall, we started seeing companies rolling out devices with Android 4.1 as the stock operating system, and in September, the Galaxy S3 became the first big name smartphone to receive its Jelly Bean update.

July and September are now completely in the rear view mirror and so is Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as Google unleashed its Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update in November alongside the Nexus 4. And while plenty of owners, Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners in particular, are frustrated about the whereabouts of Android 4.2, there are worse situations out there to be sure.

Here are those situations.

AT&T HTC One X

All the way back in October, shortly after Samsung delivered its Galaxy S3 Android 4.1 update, HTC rolled out a big Android 4.1 update of its own for its flagship, the HTC One X. Since, the software has hit carriers and devices all over the world, including North American carriers in Canada. However, the software still hasn’t hit one important variant of the device, the AT&T HTC One X.

Read: AT&T One X Jelly Bean Update Beaten Again.

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The AT&T HTC One X is still without Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The HTC One X was one of AT&T’s flagship Android smartphones in 2012 but for whatever reason, the carrier has neglected the device and its customers up until this point.

It remains on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, leaving users peeved and frustrated, something that isn’t surprising considering the type of promotion that AT&T has given to its device. GBM reader Preston Gorman might be speaking for the masses when says:

This is getting really silly. AT&T stores have an enormous display in the middle of the store dedicated to the HTC One X. They sell it as a flagship device and then don’t support it like one. The sad part of this is what an absolutely fantastic device the One X is. If AT&T didn’t insist on loading it down with utter crapware to sell their add-ons, this update could have been streamlined.

AT&T still hasn’t said why the update has taken this long to roll out so users remain on Android 4.0, a piece of software released all the way back in 2011 alongside the Galaxy Nexus.

Motorola Droid RAZR & Droid RAZR MAXX

While it has been under the radar lately, the Motorola Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX Android 4.1 roll out back in December may wind up being one of the bigger Android blunders of all time.

On December 24th, it appeared that Christmas had arrived early for Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX owners as their Android 4.1 Jelly Bean updates seemingly arrived.

However, soon after the roll outs began, it became apparent that something was wrong. At the time, we received several emails from concerned Droid RAZR MAXX owners who claimed that the update failed to download. Droid RAZR owners were having the same issue. Turns out, the updates arrived well ahead of schedule.

Read: Droid RAZR & Droid RAZR MAXX Jelly Bean Update Will Continue in Q1.

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Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX owners are hopeful that Android 4.1 brings bug fixes.

Motorola cleared the air, stating that the updates would be heading out in the first quarter of this year. Q1 contains the months of January, February and March so right now, we’re almost right smack in the middle of its roll out window.

We’ve heard from numerous Droid RAZR & Droid RAZR MAXX owners who aren’t worried about the lack of Jelly Bean so much as they are concerned about bugs on their devices. Since June of last year, owners of these devices have been dealing with an assortment of bugs that they had hoped would be taken care of with a bug fix update.

That update still hasn’t arrived and it appears that the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update might just be the update that handles everything, making it an important one to both Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX owners.

Samsung Galaxy Note

And finally, maybe the most frustrating missing Android 4.1 update, the Samsung Galaxy Note Android 4.1 upgrade. All the way back in August, at the Galaxy Note 2 launch event, Samsung promised Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in the near future for three devices. The Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy Note 10.1, and the Galaxy Note.

Read: Galaxy Note Jelly Bean Update Could Roll Out in March.

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In August, Samsung said the Galaxy Note would get Android 4.1 soon. Turns out, it’s February and it still doesn’t have the update.

Since then, we’ve seen the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update roll out, the Galaxy Note 10.1 Jelly Bean update roll out,  and surprisingly, the Galaxy S2 Jelly Bean update roll out. The Galaxy Note Jelly Bean update remains to be seen.

It hasn’t helped that Samsung has seemingly teased the update multiple times. We’ve heard that the update might roll out in March but thus far, Samsung has yet to confirm anything meaning Galaxy Note owners have been waiting almost half a year for an update that promised to them “soon.”

The Road Ahead

While we are seeing improvements from Android manufacturers in regards to communication and timing of Android updates, it’s clear that there is still work to be done.

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Promising Galaxy Note owners an update in the near future and failing to deliver any kind of timing or update in six months is beyond ridiculous. AT&T’s treatment of the HTC One X is baffling to say the least. This is a flagship smartphone that deserves flagship treatment. And the fact that Verizon hasn’t rolled out a Droid RAZR bug fix update for more than half a year is, well, not surprising, but unbelievable nonetheless.

And while it might be wishful thinking, our hope is that companies learn from these situations and aim to not make the same mistakes again.

14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. George

    02/14/2013 at 8:02 am

    this is why i would never buy anything other than a nexus device. we’ll probably have android 5.0 before some of the above get jellybean.

    • Marko

      02/14/2013 at 9:08 am

      Sad but true.. One x owner but switching to nexus soon

      • Mike

        02/15/2013 at 10:17 am

        Root and install CM10. Very easy, i should have done it sooner and i am no longer slave to ATT.

  2. will

    02/14/2013 at 1:07 pm

    Moto really didn’t step up and fix this. If you own the Razr with you have no JB push and you are not on the list for a 100$ off upgrade. I like my Razr but I don’t know if would buy another Moto phone. I am thinking Nexus in the future. I want more than one update during the life of my two year contract.

  3. razrmaxx isanexpensivedisappointment

    02/14/2013 at 4:52 pm

    ready to bury my razr maxx for a nexus…

  4. Rysty

    02/14/2013 at 4:59 pm

    Motorola Disappoints!

  5. Rakh

    02/15/2013 at 5:01 am

    only good thing Razr maxx got is the battery . The rest – camera ,touch screen , CPU is a big , fat disappointment , just waste of money, even the memory u get only 8gb from promised 16gb

    • Scott

      03/03/2013 at 2:10 pm

      No…you got 16 with 8 dedicated to the OS and required things on the phone.

  6. stevenf

    02/15/2013 at 1:35 pm

    I’m happy with my RAZR Maxx & its features like the extended battery life mostly & a few others but what i don’t understand is they did an ‘accidental’ leak & pulled it & refused to say anything in reguards to it,probably a liability issue incase of damaged handsets but still they could’ve addressed the issue & reassured everyone it was not the official build & you were eligible for a replacement if their was damage to your device & the actual build is still in progress but neither verizon or motorola adressed the issue & were tight lipped when asked about it. Although the droid forum moderators say no but I’m thinking it was an unofficial soak but i could be wrong,htc recently snubbed their dev community & wouldn’t put it passed verizon & motorola to do the same especially with samsung wiping their ass with the competition lately lol.

  7. scottrazr

    02/16/2013 at 5:38 am

    Tired of Android update waiting and the pathetic shutter speed on my Razr.[I often have to delete more shots than I get to keep – {blurr and missed shots}] I’ll likely switch back to Apple for the faster camera and simple reliable updates and use my Razr as a wifi device at home or with Lapdock.

  8. Sam

    02/17/2013 at 10:10 pm

    Hi all, I have both the Razr Maxx and the Nexus4 and guess what. Razr Maxx by far is more reliable phone than the N4. I do have some problems with the RM but the problems with N4 are actually worst like, Network time and date does not sync, Camera is below average (RM camera is better) and Battery is the 2nd worst battery I have ever used (can you guess which was the worst —————> Thunderbolt on 4G LTE). My point is No phone is perfect you have to do your research and find the phone that suites you (this is the nature of the beast). One last point I hate apple products. LOL

  9. EF Nedell

    02/18/2013 at 7:49 am

    The Razr Maxx is by far the WORST phone I have ever had and Motorola’s and Verizon’s response has been pathetic. In fact, the Verizon rep insisted the speaker problem was not a known issue with the Razr Maxx until I brought him a print out of the blogs that indicate others are having the same problem. Verizon just keeps replacing the phone with a refurbished and each phone that arrives has the same bugs as the one it replaced. This phone is so bad I’m skeptical the JB update will fix all the bugs with phone. r I’m done with Verizon as soon as the contract is up.

  10. KD

    02/18/2013 at 9:36 am

    I like the RAZR Maxx but Google’s inability to update its own Moto hardware is an absolute joke. The failed roll-out attempt in December reinforces the idea that nobody has a clue who is running the shop over there. Moto is definitely off my list so is it Nexus and the continuing Android pot luck or the dark side?

  11. p.delgado

    02/18/2013 at 10:55 am

    I side loaded JB on my Droid RAZR and its working flawlessly I love it I wasn’t gonna wait for Verizon or Motorola.

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