Android 4.2 is here, and it has a whole bunch of new features

With the huge bunch of Nexus news today, it almost seems as though the latest release of Android, 4.2 Jelly Bean, hasn't gotten too much press. Rest assured, Google still packed a whole bunch of new features into the latest Android release.

  • Photo Sphere: A new way to capture panorama photos, Photo Sphere creates huge multi-shot scrollable images very similar to those found in Google Maps Street View.
  • Gesture Typing: Lots of comparisons being made to the third party Swype keyboard, and rightfully so. You can now type by tracing the words on the keyboard with a single finger.
  • Multiple User Support: A feature that many people have been asking for, Android 4.2 now supports multiple user logins on a single tablet device. Widgets, wallpapers and even game save states are all tied to the unique user logins.
  • Wireless Screen Sharing: Watch YouTube videos, movies and anything that's on your screen to an HDTV with a wireless HDMI adapter.
  • Daydream: Setup your tablet to display photos, news and more while the device is idle or docked.
  • Expandable, Actionable Notifications: First introduced in Android 4.1, improved in Android 4.2. Interact with apps directly from the notification pane.
  • Google Now: A headline feature coming with the first release of Jelly Bean, Google Now is getting revamped with new kinds of cards and improved interactions.

We can't wait to get our hands on Android 4.2 and explore these new improvements. Until then, check out our continuing coverage of the Nexus line refresh and join the conversation in our forums.

Source: Android

More: LG Nexus 4 Forums

Andrew Martonik

Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.