International Samsung Galaxy S III handsets have begun received the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update this week, which introduces a number of new features to this year’s hottest Android smartphone. In addition to the new “Multi-View” multitasking feature — which originally made its debut on the Galaxy Note II — users can look forward to a redesigned Gallery app, a customizable notification panel, and more.

The update is currently reaching Galaxy S III handsets with the GT-I9300 model number in Poland, and it’s expected to make its way around Europe over the course of the next few weeks before finally going global. Those of you in the United States may be waiting a little while for it yet, then. But it’ll be worth it.

The update introduces Multi-View, a nifty feature that allows you to split your Galaxy S III’s display into two (not literally!) and display one app on one half and another app on the other half. It’s like traditional desktop multitasking, only on your smartphone — finally! You may have already seen the feature at work on the Galaxy Note II.

You can also look forward to “Page Buddy,” which adds additional context-sensitive pages to your home screen that are automatically activated by certain things — such as if you plug in headphones, or if you take your handset into another country. Samsung has also added a customizable notification panel.

Other features that have been ported over from the Galaxy Note II include the redesigned Gallery app, Paper Artist, and the Group Cast media sharing function.

Once again, this update is currently making its way around Poland, so those in other European markets should see it over the next few weeks. We’ll let you know as soon as the update arrives in the U.S.

• ViaAndroid Central