Last month we reported on a rumor that Google might be preparing the next version of their Android operating system for a launch in the second quarter of 2012. The update, Android 5.0 Jelly Bean, would increase Android’s tablet optimization and maybe even allow dual-booting of Android and Google’s other operating system, Chrome OS, on tablets.

Now it looks like we have some confirmation of those rumors. According to a recent report in TechRadar, the Corporate Vice President of Asus, Benson Lin, has confirmed that Android 5.0 will be called Jelly Bean. Thanks to Asus’ close relationship with Google, Lin said that he expected Asus devices to “be the first wave to offer the Jelly Bean update.”

Unfortunately, Lin did not confirm any of the details of the new OS. Better tablet optimization is likely, especially in light of the fact that Google appears to be working on their own Google-branded tablet. This tablet, likely to be called the Google Play, appears to be set for a late second or early third quarter release. That time frame matches the rumors of the Jelly Bean launch, so it’s a decent bet that the Google Play will run Jelly Bean out of the box.

Everything’s still very much up in the air at this point, since nothing has officially been announced by Google. Stay tuned for more as it becomes available.