Google announces the new version of its Android mobile operating system – Android 4.3 in an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. The new edition of Android is 3rd version to hold the “Jelly Bean” label and not the rumored next-generation “Key Lime Pie“. It is now available on the market for download through the Android Open Source Project and covers those with a Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10 or Galaxy Nexus (GSM version only).
Still under the name of Jelly Bean, this update follows the same footsteps of versions 4.1 and 4.2 where it introduces a couple of major features and a few smaller ones. Officially – Android 4.3 continues to be a version of Jelly Bean, considering the minor nature of its changes. However this update might disappoint Android fans whose have been waiting for Key Lime Pie all this time.
Android 4.3 is on the Nexus 7 and therefore the software is also being released to Google Nexus devices in an exceedingly phased roll-out. From the first impression, Android four.3 seems to be much like its predecessor as the general interface seems familiar with the previous versions.
Restricted Profiles
However Android 4.3 introduces a range of latest options including multi-user support, first introduced in Android 4.2. Currently this feature gets a big improvement in restricted profiles which intended as a parental-management feature, where some users have access to only selected apps. This new feature let users control access to contents and apps per user. As an example, parents can manage which applications their kids can access. Applications behave differently when accessed from restricted profiles.
Open GL 3.0
The new Android 4.3 also supports OpenGL 3.0 which enables higher graphics experiences in Android games and introduces higher digital content protection – enabling a lot of apps to provide full HD (1080p) video. The 1st app to include the feature is the latest version of Netflix which is already in Google Play. Depending on device capabilities, Android 4.3 through OpenGL ES 3.0 allows developers to create apps with improved graphics.
Bluetooth Smart
Android 4.3 will also support Bluetooth Smart, a low-energy Bluetooth standard. That will return in handy for Android phones and tablets to work more efficiently with wearable devices and the supported Bluetooth AVRCP 1.3 profile which enhances remote media controls and can show media metadata.
Android 4.3 is not an excessively dramatic advancement over Android 4.2 however this new Google’s mobile OS will bring a number of enhancements that should delight developers and end users.
