Generally, it seems like any time Google's Android operating system receives an update it's a time to celebrate. Owners of Android-based phones are often starved for the new features by the time their carriers decide to send it out to them, and those who haven't already found other ways to obtain the upgrade download it as fast as possible.
With Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2, though, could it be a different story?
Some tech journalists, like Jamie Lendino over at PC Mag, are actually suggesting that Nexus owners pay no attention to the latest over-the-air Jelly Bean update. The fact that the update still can't be installed by a wide range of users, in addition to the fact that it doesn't offer much in the way of new features, means that people can feel comfortable skipping it altogether.
For one thing, most of the Jelly Bean 4.2.2 updates are minor. They include things like a new notification bar for downloads that are in progress, new sounds for the phone as it charges or runs low on battery, and a new ADB whitelist. LTE connectivity that could be activated through means that weren't intended has been removed, but chances are that most users never even knew about it. Of course, there are the requisite stability improvements, but if these sound like features you can live without for a while, then there's no reason to fret if your phone can't install the update yet.
And that's probably the biggest problem. Many devices don't even run on the previous upgrade to Jelly Bean 4.2. As of now, only the Nexus 4, the unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and Nexus 7 and 10 tablets can run the now three-month-old operating system, meaning that anyone still working with Android 4.1 or older can't install the update anyway.
If Android's developer dashboard is right, that means most people are out of luck. Jelly Bean only makes up 10 percent of all Android devices, while almost 30 percent run Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0. What's more, a whopping 47.6 percent of Android products are running on Gingerbread 2.3.
Fragmentation has become a big issue for Google, as it means that large majorities of its base don't have access to the nice, new features that it frequently develops for them. Until Jelly Bean itself becomes more accessible, many users might be left in the dark.
However, if you own a Nexus 7 and are interested in rooting it for 4.2.2, check out our guide here.
