Just as the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich brought along new features to its users, including The “Premium Suite” of applications (for the Galaxy Note), the Samsung Galaxy S III Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update brings new TouchWiz applications and features. As we reported previously, the Jelly Bean update (not the final) already leaked, and the folks over at AndroidCentral put a list together of all the enhancements. Hit the break for the complete rundown.
Redesigned Notification Shade
- Redesigned date and time section
- TouchWiz settings underneath new date and time section
- Stock Jelly Bean expandable notifications functionality included
- Certain Samsung applications include button controls from the notification shade
File Transfers over Android Beam
- Android Beam now available alongside “S Beam” application
- File transfers slower than “S Beam” as they are handled over Bluetooth
Task Switcher and Google Now
- New Google Search and Google Now applications
- Due to lack of on-screen keys, new button at the bottom of the task switcher has been added to launch Google Now
- New button is accessible by long pressing the Home key
Basic and Easy Home Screen Modes
- New home screen switching modes
- “Basic Mode” consists of standard arrangement of icons and widgets, just as stock Jelly Bean
- “Easy Mode” is a new and intuitive setting designed for first-time smartphone owners. It automatically fills in home screens with large widgets displaying favorite settings, applications and contacts
- The modes can be switched through the Mode Control section in the Settings menu
Help Application
- Geared towards first-time smartphone owners
- Offers walkthroughs of basic tasks of keys, the lock screen, notification bar, wireless and networking settings, and setting ringtones
S Note Lite
- Replaces “S Memo” application
- It is a stripped down version of the Galaxy Note’s “S Note” application
- Capable of creating multimedia notes consisting of texts, sound, video, drawings and voice recordings
Dormant Mode
- Similar to iOS 6′s “Do Not Disturb” mode
- Turn off specific notifications and events entirely or during specific hours
- Block incoming calls
- Disable the LED
- Customize emergency controls, such as only receiving emergency calls from select contacts
Other Features
- “S Planner” application has undergone a slight visual overhaul — the lines are cleaner and clearer, and it’s easier to tell what’s going on when multiple events are overlapping
- The option to limit background data usage, which was confusingly absent from ICS-based Galaxy S III firmware is now available in the Jelly Bean update
They also noted that there weren’t any obvious performance gains, mainly because the phone is already blistering fast running Ice Cream Sandwich. They also expect this update to be available soon as the performance and stability appear to be ready for rollout.
Source: AndroidCentral