Android 5.0 Lollipop update timetable for smartphones
Android Lollipop is now out in the open and it includes a hat full of new features, a visual overhaul and numerous under-the-hood improvements to make if faster, more efficient and lighter on your battery, but while we know all about it, it’s not yet available for public consumption. Even once it does launch it will be down to individual manufacturers to port it to their devices, so chances are you’ll still be waiting a while to get it on your phone and tablet (unless you’ve gone full Nexus already) and most companies haven’t yet been all that forthcoming with details of when they’ll bring it to their phones and tablets. But we do know some things and we can take educated guesses at others, so read on for all the information and theories on when you might see Android Lollipop on your device.
Whilst Android Lollipop was announced at Google’s IO event, it was simply known as Android L. Since then there were a lot of rumors swirling about that sweet-themed name Google would go for. These rumors were finally put to rest during Google’s launch of the Nexus 6, where Android Lollipop was officially confirmed as the name for Android 5.0. The Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 will be Google’s first devices to come with Android Lollipop, but these aren’t the only Nexus products which will get the latest sweet treat. Android 5.0 Lollipop will also be available on the Nexus 4, 5, 7, 10 and Google Play edition devices in the coming weeks. Any Nexus devices older than these are all but guaranteed not to get it, meaning that Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S owners are plum out of luck.
Release dates are not yet confirmed, but users can use arrival dates of Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 as basis. Google confirms that Nexus 9 is available for pre-orders starting on Oct. 17 while Nexus 6 will be available for pre-orders later this month. Both devices are expected to become available in physical stores by November.
HTC has been more forthcoming with its update plans than most manufacturers and it’s no surprise given how quickly it plans to bring the update to users. “HTC is excited about the new features in Android Lollipop and we can’t wait to share them with our customers. We are committed to updating our flagship HTC One family as fast as possible. “We will begin rolling out updates to the HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) in regions worldwide within 90 days of receiving final software from Google, followed shortly thereafter by other One family members and select devices.” Doing the mathematics that means the company’s most recent two flagships should get Android Lollipop either at the end of the year or possibly in January of next year. The HTC One Mini 2, the HTC One Mini and perhaps the HTC One Max and some of the other recent Desire handsets are likely to get the update too, though probably not until sometime after the One M7 and the One M8. According to one leak, the One Mini 2 and Desire 816 will get Lollipop sometime in March/April, while the One Max, One Mini and Butterfly S have an expected Android 5.0 rollout of March-May.
According to the company’s announcements, HTC One M7 and HTC One M8 should have the Android 5.0 Lollipop update around January/February 2015, with other One family members following soon.
According to the company’s announcements, HTC One M7 and HTC One M8 should have the Android 5.0 Lollipop update around January/February 2015, with other One family members following soon.
There’s a good chance recent slates like its Note Pro and Tab S ranges and even the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 will get Android Lollipop but anything older or low end is iffy. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 arrived too early to launch with Android Lollipop, but it will likely be updated quickly. Other Samsung handsets may have to wait a little longer, however, we‘d expect that most high profile devices released in the last 18 months to 2 years will get the update, including the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S4 Mini and the Galaxy S5 Mini. We doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S3 or anything older will get Android Lollipop. Samsung is yet to shed any light on when it will be bringing Android Lollipop to its phones, which is a shame, given just how many people are walking around with a Samsung handset. It’s a device that’s already over two years old and some versions of it didn’t even get Android 4.4. Samsung doesn’t seem great at updating its tablets either. The Galaxy S5, Galaxy Alpha and Galaxy Note 3 are also likely to get the update very shortly after it launches, probably within the same sort of several month timeframe as HTC is operating under.
There is no confirmed news on when this latest Android update will be featured. However, according to some rumors, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4, at least, will be updated before the end of 2014.
Sony has openly declared that it will be “bringing Android 5.0 Lollipop to the entire Xperia Z Series.” It’s even published a full list of handsets which are in line for Android Lollipop, so here we go… Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1S, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3v, Xperia Z3 Compact and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.
There aren’t any update plans confirmed for Sony devices either, but their current range of smart devices are expected to be updated.
Not only would it be a strange decision not to, but the LG G2 got updated from Android 4.2 to Android 4.4. The update started rolling out roughly four months after Android 4.4 launched, so if the same thing happens again, then you can expect the LG G3 to get it early next year. LG has told us that it currently has no update “on if / when Android Lollipop will be coming to the LG G3.” That ‘if’ doesn’t fill us with confidence, but we’d be very surprised if the company’s flagship didn’t get the new version of Android.
LG has not released any scheduled dates for the Android 5.0 Lollipop update but it is expected that the LG phones G Pro, G2, G2 Pro and G3 will most likely be updated with the new software.
LG has not released any scheduled dates for the Android 5.0 Lollipop update but it is expected that the LG phones G Pro, G2, G2 Pro and G3 will most likely be updated with the new software.
Things might be different now that Lenovo’s in the driving seat, but we doubt there’ll be too long a wait for Android Lollipop on any recent Moto handsets. Motorola has confirmed that Android Lollipop will be coming to a number of its handsets in a recent post on the official Motorola blog. The release schedule for the Android Lollipop update hasn’t been revealed by Motorola yet, but you can check its software upgrade website for updates. Other Motorola handsets that will get Android Lollipop are the Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx and Droid Mini. Motorola’s UI is very close to stock Android as well so it shouldn’t be as much work to get new versions up and running and back when the company was owned by Google it was pretty prompt with updates, unsurprisingly. According to the post Android Lollipop will come to both the first and second generation Moto X, the Moto G, the Moto G 4G and the Moto E.
it is expected that the Android 5.0 Lollipop update will follow soon on majority of Motorola devices soon after the Nexus release.
In a statement posted to the OnePlus forums a staff member confirmed that not only would its first and only handset be getting Android Lollipop, but that it would arrive within three months of Google releasing a final build. The OnePlus One is still bizarrely hard to get hold of thanks to the requirement for an invitation, but if you have managed to get your hands on one you’ll be pleased to know that the company plans to upgrade it Android Lollipop (or a CyanogenMod build based on Android Lollipop anyway).
The company’s latest flagship, the Ascend P7, shipped with Android 4.4 and we imagine it will probably get Android Lollipop, but possibly not any time soon. Unfortunately, it’s not always the quickest at updating its phones either as it only fairly recently started rolling out Android 4.4 to the Ascend P6 for example and the Ascend G6 is still waiting for it. Like most manufacturers, Huawei hasn’t yet shared any details on its Android Lollipop plans. We’re less sure whether any of the company’s other phones, will get it, but fingers crossed.
Fairly recent phones like the ZTE Blade V and the ZTE Blade Q Mini launched with old versions of Android and they haven’t been updated, so we’re not optimistic that they’ll get Android Lollipop. If you’re one of the relatively few with a ZTE handset you might be wondering if and when Android Lollipop will be arriving for it.
Nvidia might not be high on most people’s radars when it comes to Android devices, but gaming fans might be interested in knowing if and when the Nvidia Shield will be getting Android Lollipop. We try to make sure that updates come as close to their announcement as possible.” So while it didn’t go so far as to confirm anything, it sounds very likely that the Nvidia Shield will get Android Lollipop and probably quite soon after launch.
