Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop Update Starts Rolling Out

At long last, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update is starting to roll out though the new Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.0 upgrade is currently limited to just one variant in one specific part of the world.

Several weeks ago, Samsung announced that it would roll out a Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update in early 2015. The company did not outline any specific dates though most expected the Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.0 Lollipop update to follow closely behind the company’s other major update, the Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop release. That did not happen.

Instead, Samsung pushed two other Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrades, one to the Galaxy S4 and the other to the Galaxy Note 3. The Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update was reportedly delayed due to code for the Gear VR accessory though all signs pointed to an imminent arrival alongside the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S5 Lollipop releases.

Today, after a bit of a wait, the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update is rolling out. The Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.0.1 update delivers a host of new features including Google’s Material Design, upgrades to TouchWiz and more. The update is similar to the software that started pushing out to the Samsung Galaxy S5 back in December.

Unfortunately, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.0 release is limited. The update is currently rolling out in Poland and it remains limited to the SM-N910C, an international variant. This roll out mirrors what Samsung did with the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update. Poland was also one of the first countries to receive the Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 update though it was followed closely behind by Korea, Spain and several other regions.

Samsung’s Android roll outs are extremely unpredictable though we typically see the company start to push out faster after a buffer. This slow release serves as an unofficial beta test for the Galaxy Note 4 and once the company determines that it’s safe to roll out, we should start to see a wider push to Galaxy Note 4 models around the world.

Galaxy Note 4 release dates for other regions remain scarce though we have seen several new details pop up in recent days. French carrier SFR claims that it will start rolling the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update out in February though it hasn’t provided an exact date. The company’s release dates serve as ETAs and not concrete release months. As is the case with all carriers, the release date is dependent on internal testing.

Canadian carrier Rogers also recently confirmed a Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update though its a little less specific. The carrier says that while the update is indeed coming at some point down the road, its release is “To Be Determined,” a sign that a roll out is still probably weeks away. By comparison, it lists the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update with a release in February or March.

U.S. carriers remain silent about the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update though the U.S. is expected to bring Android 5.0 Lollipop to the company’s flagship model. U.S. carriers tend to remain silent about release dates so there’s a good chance that owners of the Galaxy Note 4 on carriers like AT&T and Verizon will remain in the dark all the way up until the actual roll outs begin.

Samsung is also expected to roll out Android 5.0 Lollipop updates to the Galaxy S5 mini, Galaxy S5 Active Galaxy Note Edge, Galaxy Alpha, and the aging Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

It’s not clear when any of those updates might roll out though it’s safe to assume that they will start pushing after Samsung gets its flagship Android 5.0 Lollipop updates to the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 4, and Galaxy S5 pushing en masse. As of right now, all four remain fairly limited.