Back in
October 2014, Google officially announced Android 5.0 Lollipop and as of
November 2014, the new software update is being pushed to various
devices. As usual, the Nexus smartphones and tablets were first, followed by
the Google Play Edition devices, and by Motorola’s flagships. The unlocked
models are usually the first in line to receive new software updates, with
the carrier-locked variants trailing behind.
The US-based
carriers are working around the clock to bring the Lollipop update to their
supported devices and many of the said devices already got updated to
Android 5.0. In the meantime, the folks at T-Mobile have posted a support page
to help customers track the status of the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for Nexus
4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2013), HTC One M7, HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy Note 3,
Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, and Samsung Galaxy S5. Here’s the page if you want to take a peek.
The Android
5.0 Lollipop update for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and Nexus 7 2013 is listed as
completed. This means that the software update has been approved to launch and
that is now rolling out to users.
The status
for the HTC One M7 Android 5.0 Lollipop is labeled as “T-Mobile testing,”
meaning that the software update has been released by the OEM to the carrier
and that T-Mobile’s engineers are still testing it to see whether it’s ready
for prime-time. On the other hand, the HTC One M8 Android 5.0 Lollipop update
is labeled as “Completed” since it has already been pushed to users.
The Android
5.0 Lollipop update for both Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge is
still under “Manufacturer Development,” as Samsung is still working on the
update and hasn’t offered it to T-Mobile for the final tests. The Samsung
Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update is in the “T-Mobile Testing” phases (which
means that the roll out is imminent), while the Galaxy S5 is the only Samsung
smartphone carried by T-Mobile that received the Android 5.0 Lollipop update.
I remind you
that, just like any software updates, the Android 5.0 Lollipop update will be
released by T-Mobile in stages, meaning that not all customers will get it
in the same time. Usually, when your device is ready to receive the OTA update,
you should see a system update notification popping out. Just tap on it and
follow the on-screen instructions. You can also perform a manual check on
Settings > About phone > Software updates > Check for updates (may
vary with device).
As you may
already know, you are dealing with a major software update, so expect lots of
changes and improvements. The most notable change is the new Material Design
philosophy which relies on realistic 3D effects and shadows and vivid colors to
improve the user experience system-wide. The update also brings performance
boosts, support for 64-bit processors, and ART (Android Runtime) instead of
Dalvik.
The Overview
menu is now called Recent and it has a card-based interface with
document-centric multitasking, so select apps can show more than one card
in the Recent menu. The update also brings a redesigned notifications bar and
better-organized Quick Settings with new toggles for Flashlight and Screen
Cast. You will also be able to easily find specific settings sections, courtesy
of the new search bar within the Settings app.
One
of the most appreciated features of Android 5.0 Lollipop is the support
for Lock Screen notifications. You can even select the priority and privacy
level for each app that shows notifications in the lock screen, or even
block apps from showing lock screen notifications. You might also like the
multi-user accounts for phones and the new Screen Pinning. Lollipop also
introduced Smart Lock, a feature that can remove any layer of lock screen
security when you are in a Trusted Place or connected to a Trusted Device.
Lollipop also
boasts about better battery statistics and the new Battery Saver Mode. It now
shows how much time do you have left until the battery is fully charged (when
the device is plugged in) or how long it’s left until you have to recharge it
again. Battery Saver Mode can be automatically turned on when the battery level
reaches 15% or 5%.
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