Connect with us

Android

Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop Release & Time: What to Expect

Published

on

With the Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop release date seemingly here, we want to take an updated look at what to expect from the Nexus Lollipop release and more specifically, the Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop release time. This will help prepare Nexus 5, Nexus 4, Nexus 10, and Nexus 7 users looking to make the jump from Android 4.4 to Android Lollipop.

In October, Google announced a number of new products including a Nexus 6 smartphone from Motorola, a Nexus 9 tablet from HTC, and an Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, and Nexus 5. It also confirmed Android 5.0 Lollipop for its stable of Google Play Edition devices though our focus has been on Google’s Nexus users.

At the time, Google did not confirm any specific Android 5.0 Lollipop details other than the features. For weeks, Google’s left the Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop release a mystery. November 3rd saw the company start pushing the update’s source code into AOSP and we even saw it release factory images for the Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. Nexus users have been in the dark though today, we’ve started to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Nexus6-4

Today, Sprint confirmed a Nexus 5 Android 5.0 Lollipop release date for today, November 12th. At this point, that’s all that Sprint is willing to reveal though if the information is accurate, we could see more Nexus Lollipop release details emerge in the next few hours and at most, the next few days.

With that in mind, we want to take an updated look at what Nexus users can expect from the Android 5.0 Lollipop release. We’re also going to take an in-depth look at what to expect from the Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop release time. The when is a huge part of the equation and we’re going to do our best to set the stage for those of you looking to shift from Android 4.4 KitKat to Google’s brand new Android 5.0 Lollipop update.

Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop Release

Here are a few things to expect from the Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop release for Nexus 5, Nexus 4, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10. Now that we have our first bit of official information, it’s safe to start setting expectations. Here’s what we expect from the release itself.

Nexus Android 5.0 OTA Release to Start Soon

Sprint’s confirmed updates prematurely in the past though today feels right. November 12th was rumored to be the start of OTAs, Motorola is pushing Android 5.0 for the Moto G and Moto X, and Nexus 6 review embargoes have broken. Everything seems to point to a release for Nexus users today, well, Nexus 5 users at least.

We expect the Nexus 5 Android 5.0 Lollipop update to roll out today, or at the very worst, some point in the not-so-distant future, meaning, soon. Sprint’s typically pretty accurate with this kind of information so Nexus 5 users, and really all Nexus users, should expect to get lifted up from Android 4.4 KitKat to Android 5.0 Lollipop soon.

Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop Release Details to Flow

Now that Android 5.0 Lollipop is rolling out to Motorola devices and soon, Nexus devices, we fully expect details to start flowing for all Nexus devices including the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10. Maybe those details come from Google itself, maybe they come in the form of a leak. We can’t be sure. What we’re sure of though is that once the dam of information breaks, we typically see a flood of new info.

Nexus5-Android5-7

So, if you’re for some reason left hanging today or this week, you should expect to hear more about Google’s plans in the next few days as it pushes out its brand new upgrade.

The Need to Prepare

Finally, expect the need to be prepared. We’ve outlined a number of steps to take to prepare for the Android 5.0 Lollipop roll out and we highly recommend taking a look at those before you upgrade. Too often, we hear from people that updated to soon, without doing any research. Expect to run into some trouble during the release if you don’t prepare properly.

Nexus Android 5.0 Lollipop Release Time

With all of that in mind, we want to branch out and take a look at what we expect from the Android 5.0 Lollipop release time for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10.

Unpredictable Nexus Lollipop Release Time

We now have a possible Nexus 5 Android 5.0 Lollipop release date though we still don’t have the binary files or the factory images for the Nexus 5 or any other update. We also haven’t seen the OTAs start to roll out. Unfortunately, we don’t expect to know the precise Google Nexus Android 5.0 release times for any of these devices.

Nexus-7-LTE-Review-2013-Verizon-3

Unlike Apple, Google doesn’t stick to a specific release pattern. In the past, roll outs have been all across the board. We’ve seen roll outs take place in the morning, afternoon, and evening and we’ve seen files posted at odd times as well. Do not expect Google to fill you in on the specific release time for any of these updates.

You’re almost certainly going to have to sit by your phone or your computer to check for updates.

Different Nexus Android 5.0 Release Dates

Expect Google to take a staggered approach in terms of release date timing. We almost never see every single Nexus update rolled out on the same day. Some take longer than others. So, while the Nexus 5 Android 5.0 update might be poised to roll out today, there’s a good chance that it won’t be followed by every other device that’s slated to get Android 5.0. In fact, we heard that this very thing would happen several weeks ago. Don’t be surprised when it does.

Staggered Roll Out

As far as the actual roll out timing is concerned, expect Google take its usual approach. As another reminder, here’s how Android engineer Dan Morrill explained Google’s process many moons ago:

Rollouts are conducted in phases. Typically they start at 1% of devices for around 24 – 48 hours; we watch the return rates and resulting device checkins and error reports (if any), and make sure nothing looks wrong before sending it to more. Then typically it goes to 25%, 50%, 100% over the course of a week or two.

What the percentages mean is that when your device checks in, it has a 1% chance (for example) of being offered the OTA. If it doesn’t (randomly) get an offer, it will never get an offer until the next batch.

IOW, once your device checks in and gets turned down, that’s it until the next batch. Mashing on the “check for updates” button just causes your device to check in again, and get automatically turned down again. Think about how that makes your device feel! WON’T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE PHONES?!

That said, once the new batch does start, hitting that button does give you a new roll of the dice — but once. Since devices usually only check in for system updates every 24 hours (I think? Certainly on a many-hours basis) this can get you your shot sooner than it would happen on its own.

So, mash away. :) Just be patient, and mashing on it more often than once or twice a day isn’t going to gain you anything.

Edit: also, keep in mind that this isn’t first-come/first-served. You’re not racing other devices to get your slot in the current batch, or something.

Expect something similar to happen with the Android 5.0 Lollipop release for the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10. The release time is going to be very random.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.