Android L 5.0 Update for Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z Ultra

By Shawn Schuster
Android 5.0 on Galaxy S5
Android 5.0 Lollipop running on a Samsung Galaxy S5. Photo: SamMobile

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z Ultra GPE users rejoice! Android 5.0 Lollipop is now updating to your phones, according to a report at Digital Trends and SamMobile.

"Samsung stayed quiet about the official release of an Android 5.0 update for its phones, but it looks like a rumor published by SamMobile.com was accurate," Digital Trends' Andy Boxall reports. "According to users in Poland, the Galaxy S5 began receiving an update to Android Lollipop at the beginning of December."

This is certainly good news for users in Poland, but it's also good news for the U.S. and Europe as Poland is usually the etstbed for new Android releases. And according to tech site SlashGear, the Polish Galaxy S5 has the same model number (SM-G900F) as the European version anyway.

As most Android users know, getting the update for the latest version of the operating system can sometimes last months or a year after its initial release. The Google software will usually hit Google's own flagship Nexus devices first, and from there, it's usually anyone's guess. So far, we've seen Android 5.0 Lollipop hit Motorola's Moto line of devices and LG's G3 in addition to the Nexus phones and tablets.

Since the Android operating system is open source, hardware developers and cell carriers are free to modify the software to be customized for their own products. But this customization takes time because every change has to be certified and tested, especially in the United States.

Android 5.0 Lollipop is Google's latest version of its popular Android mobile operating system that was first unveiled as Android L on June 25, 2014 during Google's I/O Conference. It was released as source code on November 3rd to all developers, and as an over-the-air update on November 12, but the roll-out to all devices may take well into next summer if history is any indication.

Lollipop features a brand new notification system that allows notifications on the lock screen and as "cards" that pop up over running apps. The new Material Design language allows for a more grid-based layout with deeper customization of the user interface, more responsive animations, and a wider array of effects like shadows and lighting.

Battery life is also greatly improved with Lollipop, thanks to a series of optimizations known as "Project Volta." A battery saver mode and a battery history tracker both work towards a more efficient battery consumption with the Android software.

Samsung has already confirmed that Lollipop will be coming to its other devices, and SOny has followed suit by ackowledging that it will be coming to the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1S, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3V, and the Xperia Z3 Compact.

If you're a Samsung Galaxy S5 or Sony Xperia Z user, keep your eyes open for notifications of the OS update soon. And if you're looking to update manually on your Galaxy S5, you can download and install the firmware once it's available through the over-the-air service by visiting Settings>System>About Device>Software Update> Update. 

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