Enable mutilple users in Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean

[techbeck]

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean brought with it an assortment of new features, but it looks like some unannounced multiple-user functionality is present in the OS as well. On the xda-developers forums, zanderman112 has posted a tutorial and video showing how to create a secondary account using a terminal emulator. The new account then shows up in the power button menu, allowing users to jump between the different accounts. The functionality looks to be rather limited at the moment, with the secondary account only having access to a small number of settings, and functions like text messaging reportedly showing up across both accounts. According to zanderman112, the method will work with any Jelly Bean ROM built from the Android Open Source Project.

Another forum member, cdesai, submitted a patch to the AOSP tweaking the order of the power button menu when the multi-user functionality was enabled, only to have the change rejected. In response to the submission, Google software engineer Amith Yamasani wrote that the feature is "not ready for deployment," warning that "Bad things will happen if you use it in its current state!" However, Yamasani also notes that the UI for the feature may change based on input from the Android user experience team, so it appears that the capability is something Google is planning to bring to future versions of Android.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/2/3216403/android-multi-user-feature-shown-off-developers-video

[The_Observer]

dont understand why you would want multiple-users on a cell phone.

[FloatingFatMan]

dont understand why you would want multiple-users on a cell phone.

You likely won't, but you probably would on a tablet or netbook.

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

dont understand why you would want multiple-users on a cell phone.

You might have kids who want there own profile in Angry Birds / other random games.

I see it been very useful on tablets however.

[techbeck]

dont understand why you would want multiple-users on a cell phone.

Feature is probably more geared towards tablets. This just happened to be shown on a phone.

[Hardcore Til I Die]

dont understand why you would want multiple-users on a cell phone.

My cousins kids like to play games on my phone. I'd love to have a guest account so they can't see my messages, change settings, delete photos etc.