Jelly Bean is the dessert-themed Android codename for the 4.1 and 4.2 updates of the open source Android mobile operating system. Jelly Bean 4.1 debuted in June 2012 as the successor to the v4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” release, and was followed by Jelly Bean 4.2 in October 2012.
New additions in Android Jelly Bean include interface enhancements and improved overall responsiveness via “Project Butter,” Google Now support, advanced natural language voice command capabilities akin to Apple’s Siri, an improved Web browser with constant on-screen tabs, enhanced file management capabilities and better text input options.
Jelly Bean follows a number of earlier updates for Android, including Cupcake (v1.5), Donut (v1.6), Eclair (v2.0), FroYo (v2.2), Gingerbread (v2.3), Honeycomb (v3.0) and Ice Cream Sandwich (v4.0). The follow-up to Jelly Bean, Key Lime Pie (v5.0), is expected to be released in late 2013.
See also “An Introduction to Mobile Devices” in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia.
