Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" Embarks on Samsung Galaxy Nexus

After months of waiting, Verizon owners of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus are finally getting a taste of Android 4.1 (AKA Jelly Bean), as the carrier has announced an over-the-air system software update is rolling out now to the smartphone, bringing an array of new treats with it.

The 146.6 MB update will be a vast improvement over the phone's current Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) interface, with new features including the intuitive voice search service Google Now, bringing Android users a more developed Google rendition of Apple's voice control system, Siri.

Galaxy Nexus owners can get the upgrade by going to Settings > About Phone > System Updates and checking for a new update, though be sure the handset has at least 75 percent battery charge before beginning the process.

More Treats from Jelly Bean

So what are the highlights of Google's latest operating system? The Internet giant packs the smart in smartphone with a string of perceptive features, such as a new keyboard that guesses the next word the user means to type, as well as an improved voice dictation service that is better at recognizing speech.

Expanded notifications that can reveal additional information or links to respond to calls, text messages and calendar notifications makes the interface user friendly, while an advanced Face Unlock requires a "Liveness check" where users simply blink to access their phone.

Verizon is a little late to the party, as the GSM version of Sammy's Galaxy Nexus received an update to Android 4.1 soon after Google announced the new system three months ago. Sprint recently upgraded its iteration of the smartphone to Jelly Bean, leaving Verizon customers with Ice Cream Sandwich, until now.