Last Updated on September 1, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake

This is the second time we’ve seen the Android 4.3 leaked. This time it is for the Nexus 4 device. The leaked build is exactly the same package, only for different devices.

You will need to have an unlocked bootloader to get this done. Perform a Nandroid backup before continuing. This is not needed because you are not expected to lose any data simply by installing this new firmware. That said, things could go wrong, which is why you want to do it.

We love the Nexus devices because they often spell the start of something new that the Android team will be bringing out. Even though this one is aging, it was still used to pioneer a good piece of software. There’s certain advantages when deciding to hone in on a handset that sells well, and this is one of them. When something is popular developers target them and so do the companies because it works out better that way for sales. Just like a platinum game, it also can result in a price reduction, and that makes it unbeatable value for money.

All the way from 4.1 to 4.3 we’ve seen some big chances. We went from “Project Butter”, which is aimed at making the operating system much smoother than it normally was, to Google Now where users can have a personal assistant that is almost like a real living thing and really smart.

Another thing to look out for is the Google I/O event, which is held annually. It is the key ingredient to many source codes flying around the place. It has also been known to dish out the odd factory image or two. In this case it happened again for the 4.3 in 2013.

When it first came out it was arguably not appreciated as much as it should have been. When people are expecting something (Android Key Lime Pie) and they end up with something else (just 4.3) it immediately started on the wrong foot. Only a small part of the population would have seen this surprise as something to get excited about. The rest of us were left disappointed right off the bat. It didn’t do a great deal either, but it still managed to do just enough to keep customers happy.

How To Update The Nexus 4 To The JWR66N Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Firmware

1. Flash TWRP on the device. Technically, you can use any; however, people have reported issues with the CWM so far. That’s why the TWRP is recommended.

2. Download the file from this XDA thread. Apparently there is two available, and either two is fine. Take a look around for comments and what people prefer. Artem from Android Police recommends the deodexed kernel.

3. Connect the Nexus 4 to the computer via USB cable. You need to have Android SDK and ADB installed.

4. Power down the device and boot it back up in recovery mode.

5. Now it’s time to wipe the caches. If you are using TWRP it’s easy. Simply navigate to Advanced -> ADB Sideload from inside. Check both Wipe Dalvik Cache and Wipe Cache boxes and then select to wipe them.

6. Go to the command prompt and type adb sideload followed by the path to the zip file.

If that confuses you or you get stuck, you can transfer it to the SD card and install it that way.

7. Wait for the flashing process to complete. It may take a while. It will reboot when done.

You can download titanium backup to check if it was successful or not afterwards.

That’s all.