Android Jelly Bean is the fourth generation of the mobile platform that arrived worldwide nine years ago. Currently only less than 1% of active users have this version on their phones and tablets, so Google has considered that it is time to stop receiving updates from Google Play Services.

Since the beginning of Google’s operating system, the intention of releasing a new version every year (we are close to Android 12 ) has been known, something that many users and manufacturers have complained about because they cannot keep up with updates on their devices. . However, previous versions have been supported in their basic operation much more than most believe and this can be seen with Android Jelly Bean being forgotten only in 2021.

Android Jelly Bean is forgotten: Google Play Services will no longer update on Android Jelly Bean

Android Jelly Bean was one of the most popular versions of the OS

Logically after so many seasons in which Android has received many new functions and performance improvements, version 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 has lagged far behind in what it is capable of doing. However, until now it kept receiving updates from the official Google Play services in order to continue downloading and installing the Apps compatible with their respective updates.

As stated in the official Google blog, the Google Play services for Android Jelly Bean will be discontinued at the end of August with the goal of increasing development and QA time for new features. Of course, application developers who still want to offer updates to this small community will have options to do so .

For example, developers will be free to create different APKs to support devices with an API level below 19 (which is recommended by Google from now on). This may be a bit more work, but it will give older device users the opportunity to continue downloading updates.

Fortunately, the current version of the Google Play services SDK is already present in Jelly Bean devices , so all mobiles that have this version of the operating system can continue to function normally for now. Of course, the next updates and improvements that arrive in the coming months and years will not be reflected, so the Apps will gradually lose characteristics until they stop working completely.

In conclusion, more than being taken as bad news, it is still an example of how Google has avoided alienating the user community from its OS throughout its different versions. You, are you still using old Android devices?