In today’s mobile news roundup: Revamped iPhone production slated for Q2 ; Second generation Nexus 7 coming in July; Vodafone shares drop after Verizon denial; and Android Jelly Bean getting traction with Google’s new math.

Revamped iPhone production slated for Q2

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple is already planning on producing a revamped version of the iPhone 5 in the second quarter of 2013, slated to come in the summer as the company’s flagship smartphone.  The Cupertino company is still collaborating with Asian manufacturers for the cheaper iPhone version, which Apple aims to release as early as the second half of this year.

Apple wants to address the growing demand for top quality smartphones that aren’t too expensive.  Samsung has led the charge, quickly launching multiple products per year that cater to the different consumer lifestyles.

“The panacea is to transform the industry with a revolutionary design,” said Neil Mawston, an analyst at research firm Strategy Analytics.  “Until then “you have to do the traditional business school implementations like manage costs and move quicker than rivals.”

Second generation Nexus 7 coming in July

Google is said to be launching a second generation Nexus 7 by July which will be more powerful than the first.  The 2nd gen Nexus 7 will feature a display with higher resolution, a thinner bezel, and the Nvidia Tegra 3 chip will be replaced with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chip.

Google contemplated on the two chip makers, but decided to go with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon for power reasons.  As for the price of the 2nd gen Nexus 7, it may still be priced at $199 or lower at $149 if the search giant chooses to discontinue the first version to cut back on expenses.

Vodafone shares drop after Verizon denial

Verizon has denied rumors that it is considering bid together with AT&T for a joint offer on Vodafone.  The company stated that it has no intention “to merge with or make an offer for Vodafone, whether alone or in conjunction with others.”  Verizon’s denial led to Vodafone’s shares dropping “as much as 3.7 percent, and lost 2.5 percent to 187.25 pence at 11:18 a.m. in London.”

“There never was a bid,” Ottavio Adorisio, an analyst at Societe Generale in London, said in an interview. “As far as Verizon is concerned, they have had for the last 10 years one target — it’s to get Vodafone out at a decent price.”  The analyst also suggested selling Vodafone shares.

Android Jelly Bean getting traction with Google’s new math

According to the latest report from Google, 25 percent of Android devices used already have Android 4.1 or 4.2 Jelly Bean installed.  This is a significant increase considering that only a month ago, Jelly Bean presence was only at 16 percent.

Though the number jump is impressive, Google clarified that it is using a new way of determining how many devices have been Jellyfied.  Previously, devices were counted when it checks into Google.  Now, devices are counted when it visits Google Play stating that this method “accurately reflects users who are most engaged in the Android and Google Play ecosystem.”

Though the latest version of Android is gaining traction, Gingerbread or Android 2.3 still has the greatest market share at 39.7 percent while Ice Cream Sandwich or Android 4.0 is at 29.3 percent.