We know, Jelly Bean seems like it was only just announced, and chances are your phone doesn’t even run it yet, but word on the street is that Android 4.2 is already just around the corner, likely to be revealed alongside Google’s expected Nexus device announcement. As we wait for official word of the new build, rumors attempt to identify a few key features we’ll be seeing, and server log analysis reveals a couple new pieces of hardware that could arrive running the new platform.

Supposedly, Android 4.2 would introduce some new features unique to Google’s Nexus devices, including the ability to stream more content through Google Play, as well as run games unavailable on other phones and tablets. There could be a new Customization Center to help personalize the look and feel of Android, and Google Now might be seeing updates to let it answer how-to questions about using and configuring Android.

We saw Project Butter attempt to make Android smoother, with a more consistent framerate and better responsiveness, and now Android 4.2 is rumored to introduce Project Roadrunner, an effort to make similar low-level adjustments to tweak battery life.

As for those logs, Android 4.2 has reportedly been showing up running existing Nexus-series hardware, as shouldn’t be too surprising, but signs of two new devices have also emerged. One appears to be a phone, going by codename Occam, and the other could be a tablet with codename Manta.

Source: Android and Me, Android Police