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Android L: Customer representative confirms Moto X and Moto G will receive update

Android L Developer Release
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Google revealed the L Developer Preview, better known as Android L, during the keynote presentation at Google I/O 2014. The new version, set to have a dessert-related name beginning with the letter L, is shaping up to be the biggest alteration to the way Android looks and operates we’ve seen in a while. You can read all about the new features here.

If you’re more interested in when Android L will come to your phone, then you’re in the right place. Here’s what all the major manufacturers, and Google itself, are saying about Android L’s impending release.

Updated on 07-07-2014 by Williams Pelegrin: A Motorola customer representative confirmed that the Moto X and Moto G will receive the Android L update.

Google commits only to a “fall” release

Barely any mention was made of Android L’s eventual release during the keynote. It’s clear from the developer-centric title Android L isn’t ready for the big time just yet, and Google appears to be sticking to its traditional fall release schedule, despite giving us an early preview. Expect this to mean sometime after September, and before the end of the year.

A beta version of the software is being released for developers in the meantime. The early build is compatible with the Nexus 5 and the Nexus 7, with no news on a version for the Nexus 4, the Nexus 10, or any of the Google Play Edition phones at this time.

The software will launch on June 26 through the Android developer website, but we’d suggest not installing this early version unless you’re really confident rooting around inside your smartphone, particularity if the phone is one you rely on each day.

HTC says Android L will come to the One

HTC One M8 ColorsHTC is the first manufacturer to come out publicly with a vague release schedule for Android L. In a confident blog post, the company pledges to “update all HTC One M8 and One M7 smartphones within 90 days of receiving final software from Google.” HTC doesn’t say when it expects to see the final build.

Don’t expect it to be anytime soon, because HTC says it’s in the pre-evaluation phase of the update process, and hasn’t actually been given the official software from Google yet. This means that while it’s promising a relatively fast turnaround, it could face many unforeseen problems once it gets to work on the update.

Motorola says Android L will make its way to the Moto X and Moto G

In an alleged conversation with Motorola customer representative “Kristina,” she revealed that Motorola will update the Moto X and Moto G. While we’d still treat this as a rumor rather than a fact, since this comes from a customer representative and not as a statement from Motorola itself.

When asked about the Moto E, however, the representative wasn’t sure it would receive the Android L treatment. The representative also didn’t mention any dates regarding the Android L update, but since Motorola has likely not received the software from Google, since the only build available is the developer preview, that makes sense.

Everyone else is keeping quiet

Samsung, Sony, LG, and all the other Android manufacturers are keeping quiet about their plans for Android L, perhaps until its final name and number are made official. There’s no need to worry, though. It’s still very early days, so don’t take this silence as a bad omen.

We’ll be updating this article with news and rumors on Android L’s release, so make sure you check back often to see if your phone is on the list.

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Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
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