Android 4.0.4 was bound to hit the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus after reaching some Motorola Xoom tablet owners yesterday (testers). Now Google claims that it’s offering the latest version of Ice Cream Sandwich on the UMTS/GSM Nexus S and the HSPA+ version of the Galaxy Nexus, plus the WiFi Motorola Xoom.
The update brings improved camera behaviour, smoother screen rotation and better stability. Electronista says that it has already received the update, while AndroidPolice has a method of getting the update manually on the Nexus S. This method does require a Nexus S on Android 4.0.3 already, though. As far as the Verizon Galaxy Nexus or the Nexus S 4G are concerned, no idea when their updates will come, but they will, that’s for sure. Meanwhile, XDA user Haka provides a flashable zip for the update and notices that the update makes the camera from lockscreen load up faster, makes the rotation animation faster as well and the time lag between clicking and opening a menu negligible.
You can download the needed software from here, copy it to the root of the storage on the Nexus S, power off the handset and hold Volume Up and Power. Then you’ll reboot into the bootloader, select Recovery and hit the power button. Next up there’s a warning triangle on the screen and you’ll have to hold the power button and press volume up. All you need to do now is select “apply update from /sdcard” and select the zip file. And then select “reboot system now” and you’re done.
Extra info and full tutorial here!
