Google Now Service Hacked to Work On Earlier Android Version

Google Now is a useful, if somewhat potentially intrusive service that allows mobiles running Android to give localized information to the user such as weather reports, traffic reports, when the next train will arrive etc. It does this by learning the user’s habits so that it can give this pertinent information automatically.

Unfortunately, it’s a core feature of the latest unreleased Android 4.1 Jelly Bean announced on June 27, leaving users of the earlier 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwhich out in the cold, possibly literally. However, it turns out that it can be hacked to work on the earlier version, as XDA Recognized Developer febycv, has figured out: “By simply modifying the build.prop, users on older versions of Android can enjoy the latest in Googles privacy intrusions as well. All jokes aside, the service is genuinely useful, and is at least worth a shot”.

However, as with most things of this nature, compatibility gives mixed results: “It seems to be incompatible with OEM-skinned ROMs, and some have reported application stability issues after installation. However, febycv suggests that in order to prevent this, the build.prop modifications should be reverted once the application has been installed”. So, use this with caution.