We've gotten hints in recent weeks that the Motorola DROID Bionic's Jelly Bean update could be getting close, including news of soak test invitations going out to Motorola Feedback Network members. Now we know all that there is to know about the update, as Verizon has officially spilled the details of the DROID Bionic's Jelly Bean bump. Documents on the Bionic's official support page reveal that the new update is version 98.72.22.XT875.Verizon.en.US and that the Bionic will be left on Android 4.1.2 once the dust settles and the 98.72MB update is installed. 

As far as enhancements go, DROID Bionic owners can expect to see improved voice and data connectivity, better mobile hotspot data connectivity, calendar improvements and the removal of the preinstalled Sling and MOG apps. Also included are the usual Jelly Bean goodies, such as Google Now, actionable notifications and smoother performance thanks to Project Butter. The full DROID Bionic Jelly Bean changelog is available for your perusal at the bottom of this post.

Verizon says that the DROID Bionic's update to Android 4.1.2 will begin rolling out in phases on April 15, so it'll only be a few more days before Bionic-ers (Bionic-ites?) are able to sink their teeth into Jelly Bean. That's pretty exciting news for owners of the DROID Bionic, which has led a rather interesting life for a smartphone.

Originally announced in early 2011, the DROID Bionic didn't actually launch until September 2011 after undergoing a bit of a makeover. When it did finally arrive, it did so with Android 2.3 Gingerbread in tow, which is a very different version of Google's mobile OS than the one that the Bionic will be running next week. Now get to celebrating, Bionic owners, comfortable in the knowledge that you'll soon be able to use Google Now and act on notifications just like your newer DROID brethren.

VOICE SEARCH

• Sometimes you’d rather just speak your search query. Android lets you search the web with your voice, and it’s convenient for getting quick answers on the fly. It speaks back to you and is powered by the Knowledge Graph, bringing you a precise answer and ranking search results.

NOTIFICATION

• Take action directly from the notifications panel. Send emails, return calls, share photos and more. Notifications are expandable so you can scan multiple emails, view event details and full images.

GOOGLE NOW

• Just the right information at just the right time. Get today’s weather before you start your day and know how much traffic to expect before you leave for work. Cards appear throughout the day automatically.

SMART KEYBOARD

• More accurate and relevant dictionaries have been implemented. Jelly Bean’s keyboard guesses the next word before you type it and voice typing now works even when you don’t have a data connection. Text-to-Speech capabilities have been improved.

ADDITIONAL JELLY BEAN ENHANCEMENTS

• Move between home screens with more intuitive graphics
• Smoother transitions
• More reactive and uniform touch responses
• Personalize your home screen easily by placing widgets directly on the screen

ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS

• Improved voice and data connectivity quality
• Calendar settings have been improved
• Improvements to Mobile Hotspot data connectivity have been made
• Improved reliability and connectivity of Back Up Assistant Plus & Visual Voicemail
• Sling and MOG application preloads have been removed

Via Verizon Wireless (1), (2)