TL;DR
- Google is ending Play Services support for devices on Android Jelly Bean.
- This applies to all variants of the OS: Android 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3.
- To be clear, Jelly Bean devices will still work. They just will face app problems and will be major security risks.
Remember 2012? That’s when Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy concluded with The Dark Knight Rises, that song “Somebody That I Used To Know” was all over the airwaves, and Beastie Boy Adam Yauch (aka Ad-Rock) passed away. Oh yeah, that was also when Google launched Android Jelly Bean.
In August 2021, Google will push the Play Services APK version 21.30.99. This will be the last time that Jelly Bean devices will see an update. It applies to all variants of the OS, including Android 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3.
Google estimates that fewer than 1% of Android users are running Jelly Bean, so this should only affect a small number of users. If you’re in that camp, this won’t brick your phone or stop it from working as usual. It will, however, make certain apps difficult or impossible to run properly. It will also render your device even more of a security risk than it already is since it hasn’t received an Android security patch in years.
If you’re still on Android Jelly Bean, this news is the last sign you’ll get that it’s time to upgrade. Why not check out our article on the best Android phones available right now and grab something fresh?
