The Verizon Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.2- and 10.1-inch tablets launched last year are finally getting an update to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.
The Droid Xyboard tablets are in fact the Verizon versions of the Motorola Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition. While the upgrade to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean is definitely good news, it's quite odd that the carrier-specific versions get updates while their Wi-Fi-only counterparts remain stuck on the older Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Motorola's upgrade page for the Xyboard twins, however, leaves little doubt about it. The update is coming, but neither Motorola nor Verizon offer an exact rollout date for the Jelly Bean-flavored Xyboard 8.2 and Xyboard 10.1 slates. If the carrier-specific versions of the tablet are getting a Jelly Bean treat, it shouldn't be too long until the Wi-Fi-only models receive the same treatment.
When it comes to major firmware upgrades such as this one, which makes the jump from Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, it usually goes the other way around. The manufacturer's Wi-Fi variant of the device is typically the first to get the upgrade, with the carrier-specific models to get the update later on. This is clearly not the case here, and the unusualness of the situation sparks speculation that Motorola might change its mind and upgrade the Wi-Fi-only models before the Verizon-bound versions get their treat.
At this point, however, that seems like a long shot. If Motorola intended to upgrade the Wi-Fi-only models first, it would've announced it. Instead, the company posted news about the Verizon-bound models getting the update. It may be a bit unorthodox and unheard of, but apparently that's how it is.
The Motorola Droid Xyboard tablets are both good, potent slates, but the older operating system is a drawback for many. With such a wide range of tablets available in all price ranges and rocking a newer version of Android, getting an ICS slate with no news on upgrades doesn't sound all that appealing anymore. Verizon customers are apparently in luck, but what about the Wi-Fi-only versions of the tablets? Will they be stuck on ICS indefinitely, or will they get a shot at Jelly Bean after all?
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