Android Lollipop update halted to squash bugs, should resume on November 12 (Updated)

By Andy Boxall Published November 5, 2014

The latest version of Android is almost here, and according to Google, it’s about to begin its journey from the company’s servers to your smartphone or tablet. A post made on the official Android blog, under the title “Designing the perfect Lollipop,” hid the exciting news at the end of the introduction. “Design is a major focus for Lollipop – the latest version of Android – which begins to roll out today,” it stated on November 4.

Updated on 11-05-2014 by Andy Boxall: Added in news the Android 5.0 update has been delayed.

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While Google may say the update is headed our way, its absence on our phones and tablets suggests otherwise. According to an anonymous source speaking to AndroidPolice.com’s Artem Russakovskii, Android 5.0 Lollipop’s release has been halted, and will recommence on November 12. The delay is to provide Google with a little more time to squash a few more bugs, and that’s never a bad thing.

Google didn’t confirm which devices would receive the update first, but we can make the assumption the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and the Nexus 10 are the lucky devices, but whether Google Play Edition smartphones are also included isn’t known. Google will probably stagger the launch of Android 5.0, ensuring it runs smoothly once out in the wide world.

When Android 5.0 Lollipop was announced, the only timeframe Google committed to was for the update to arrive “in the coming weeks.” Now the Nexus 6 smartphone and Nexus 9 tablet are both on sale, it’s logical for the update process to start for older Nexus hardware.

If you own one of the above phones or tablets, when the new software arrives you’ll get a notification saying it’s ready to install. If you’re desperate, you can force your phone to check for new updates by going to Settings, About Phone, and Software Update. However, it does check on a regular basis, so this isn’t really necessary.

Owners of other smartphones need to be even more patient. While several manufacturers have spoken about their plans for Android 5.0, few have given a specific arrival date, and those that have talked timing don’t expect it to be finalized much before the end of 2014.

Article originally published on 11-04-2014

Former Senior Mobile Writer

Andy has written about mobile technology for almost a decade. From 2G to 5G and smartphone to smartwatch, Andy knows tech.

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