It’s no secret that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is one of the most highly anticipated smartphones of the year and is expected to be unveiled at an event later this month. One of the big questions though regards whether it will be released running Android 4.0 ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich) or the very latest Android mobile OS, 4.1 Jelly Bean. Many of us are hoping for this ‘phablet’ to release with Jelly Bean although there are mixed opinions and reports so today we are looking at the likelihood of ICS or Jelly Bean.
The big reveal of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is expected at IFA in Berlin on August 29 with hopefully a simultaneous release or one very soon afterwards. We know from reader’s comments to some of our earlier posts on the Galaxy Note 2 that many people are keenly waiting for this phone with its large 5.5-inch display to hit the shelves and had hoped that as the weeks had ticked by until a release that it may mean an increased possibility of it launching with Jelly Bean. The first device launched with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was the Google Nexus 7 tablet last month and the update has already started rolling out to some other devices, even though many of you may have smartphones and tablets that are still waiting for 4.0 ICS.
As Jelly Bean rolled out to more devices it looked increasingly likely that the Galaxy Note 2 may have that Jelly Bean flavor but a quick look around various tech websites finds very different stances on whether it will appear with ICS or Jelly Bean and that there is a pretty equal split. Now a report on Gotta Be Mobile makes some relevant points regarding the Galaxy Note 2 operating system and the indicators are that those who are eagerly hoping for Jelly Bean rather than ICS may be disappointed. The article looks at the recent launch of the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet as an indicator and as there looks to be only be a short amount of weeks between the launch of this tablet and the Galaxy Note 2 you might imagine that the operating systems will be the same.
Alas, although Jelly Bean is now available for some devices the Galaxy Note 10.1 was released with 4.0 ICS instead, with a Jelly Bean update planned for later this year according to Samsung. This is not a good sign then for the Galaxy Note 2. Know Your Mobile also point to the fact that devices with larger displays with multiple screen inputs are harder to upgrade and uses the original Galaxy Note and its late 4.0 ICS update on AT&T and internationally as an example of this. It does stand to reason then that the Note 2 with it’s mammoth 5.5-inch display will be more difficult to adapt to Jelly Bean and so it may not be in time for its release.
Yet another hint comes from the fact that the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet is a WiFi-only device and that Wi-Fi devices usually get major updates before carrier-locked devices. Therefore if Jelly Bean didn’t make it to the launch of the Note 10.1 tablet it seems even less likely that it will make it to the Galaxy Note 2 where an update will have to pass through carriers as well. All the indicators then seem to point to Ice Cream Sandwich for the Galaxy Note 2 when it finally arrives, probably with a Jelly Bean update later this year as has been pledged for the 10.1 tablet.
With the August 29 event in Berlin approaching, at least it shouldn’t be too much longer before we find out for sure but in the meantime we’d like to hear your thoughts on this. Have you already made the decision to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Will it make any difference to you if it releases with ICS rather than the most up-to-date Jelly Bean OS? Let us know with your comments.