Update calendar and contacts app?

[CocodaMonkey]

Is there anyway to update the Calendar and Contacts app on the Nexus S? I thought they were part of the OS and would update when I update the OS but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I'm currently running Andriod 2.3.6 and I was just playing around on my brothers Galaxy S2 and he's only on 2.3.4 but his calendar and contact apps are far more up to date. For example in my contacts screen I only have four tabs, phone, call log, contacts, Favourites. On his screen he has a groups tab that I'm completely missing.

Is this is just something that can't be updated on a Nexus S?

 

[quantumrand]

The Galaxy S II (and many other phones) has its own customized user interface on it. Samsung calls its UI TouchWiz. The apps on the Galaxy S II aren't necessarily a new version, but rather an entirely different app, created by Samsung to replace the stock version.

 

[CocodaMonkey]

But there are threads on this site claiming that contact groups can be created in stock Andriod. People claim there is suppose to be a group tab to the right of favourites and I don't have it. Granted I've only personally seen it on the Galaxy S2 so maybe these people are crazy but I'm getting the impression the average user can actually see the groups they've created in gmail.

 

[quantumrand]

But there are threads on this site claiming that contact groups can be created in stock Andriod. People claim there is suppose to be a group tab to the right of favourites and I don't have it. Granted I've only personally seen it on the Galaxy S2 so maybe these people are crazy but I'm getting the impression the average user can actually see the groups they've created in gmail.

In the 4.0.3 version of the stock Contacts App (it was renamed "People"), there is a button on the top left to view, add, and edit groups. This version of the app is definitely different from the version on 2.3.6, but I don't recall if I could manage groups in that version or not.

Through Gmail (on your computer, not your phone), you can manage your contacts and put them into groups and whatnot. My memory may be rusty on this, but I think that once you've setup your groups in Gmail, you can view them in the Contacts app by pressing Menu and selecting Display options.

 

[CocodaMonkey]

I guess at this point I'm just stuck waiting for google to release ICS for my version of the Nexus S. I've seen multiple people say there should be some way to view groups on 2.3.6 but I can't find it and every time I try to follow someones directions there just simply isn't an option for it. I have made the groups in gmail ages ago but there is simply no way to access them from my Nexus S.

It really seems like my phone is just out of date but there isn't anyway to update these apps. The entire time I've had the phone there has never been a change to the contacts or calender app.

Thanks for trying to help, I appriciate the replies.