Samsung Galaxy S3 Among 20 Phones To Receive CyanogenMod 10.1 Android 4.2.2 Update

CyanogenMod, a free, community built, aftermarket firmware distribution for Android operating systems offers customized versions of the latest OS that can be installed on devices independent of its original firmware. Such ROMs are often used in order to attain specs and features not available on official firmware distributed by vendors of the supported devices, or in order to get OS updates much quicker than they are released by vendors.

The latest version of its more stable “Monthly” release for Jelly Bean has been pushed out fairly quickly since its initial CM10.1-M1 release in mid-January. Then seen on only a handful of phones, M2 is now available for the following 20 devices:

Acer Iconia a700

Google Nexus S (crespo, crespo4g)

Google Nexus 7 (grouper, tilapia)

Google Galaxy Nexus (toro, toroplus, maguro)

Google Nexus 4 (mako)

Google Nexus 10 (manta)

Google Nexus Q (steelhead)

Hardkernel Odroid-U2

HTC One X (evita)

HTC Incredible 4G LTE (fireball)

HTC Evo 4G LTE (jewel)

HTC One S (ville)

LG Nitro HD (p930)

LG Optimus LTE (su640)

LG Spectrum (vs920)

Samsung Galaxy S (captivatemtd, galaxysbmtd, galaxysmtd, epicmtd)

Samsung Galaxy SII (i9100g, hercules, skyrocket)

Samsung Galaxy SIII (US variants d2att, d2cri, d2mtr, d2spr, d2tmo, d2vzw)

Samsung Note (quincytmo, quincyatt)

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (p3100, p3110)

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (p5100, p5110)

While some mobile carries have begun pushing out the Android 4.2.2 update, some others see their most popular phones still stuck on even Android 4.1.1. For example, Sprint has rolled out its Android 4.1.2 update for the Galaxy S3, and Verizon recently announced that it will soon roll out 4.1.2, while AT&T, U.S. Cellular and T-Mobile have yet to do so, according to Gotta Be Mobile.

Samsung Galaxy S4: What are they waiting for?

Since the release of Android 4.2 in November 2012, such phones as the LG Nexus 4 and Samsung's Nexus 10 have tasted “A new flavor of Jelly Bean,” as the OS’s slogan from Google suggests.

Meanwhile, the progression of the highly anticipated release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 has many predicting that the Korean-based company and mobile carriers alike may be holding out on updating a number of their more popular devices until the S4 is on the market or much closer to being released.

A rumored April or May release for the smartphone may see consumers waiting for the phone’s debut -- as it's expected to run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean natively -- as opposed to waiting for an update for an older OS on an older device.

With Samsung reportedly working toward a lofty sales goal of 100 million handsets in 2013, the company may be attempting to shift focus from its old phones to its new device, which is already projected as its best-seller for the year.