Android 4.2: Further Teardown Reveals Tighter Security Among Other Features

The latest version of Google's Android operating system takes a while to catch on, but Google doesn't seem to wait. Despite the fact most devices are still trying to get Android 4.1.1, Google has released Android 4.1.2 for its own branded devices, and reports show that Google is already hard at work on Android 4.2, which will sport enhanced security features among other nifty additions. 

The folks over at Android Police have been digging deep into the Android 4.2 build to figure out what exactly the update will bring. Among other features, they found three significant security upgrades. 

The Security-Enhanced Linux is "a set of kernel add-ons and user-space tools first started by the NSA" that will essentially limit apps to only accessing necessary information from the device its running on. This feature should make enterprise users happy since it will minimize the damage that a malicious app can cause. 

There will also be a Virtual Private Network (VPN) 'Always On' mode that will ensure that if you have no VPN, then you won't have any internet. Once again, this feature is aimed at making Android more secure. 

Premium SMSs can add to an unwary user's phone bill, and it looks like Android 4.2 will rectify that. There's now an option to "Report malicious app," and Android Police is saying that the new approach should "stop phone billing malware in their tracks."

Android Police also recently revealed that there will be a second pull-down menu dubbed 'Quick Settings' that will give easy access to Wi-Fi, BlueTooth, and GPS among other options. The Gmail app in Android 4.2 will also come with a pinch-zoom feature, and the ability to delete or archive emails by swiping them off screen, much like the current notifications page.