5 Things to Know About the Samsung Android 5.1.1 Update

With each passing day, we get closer and closer to the release of Samsung’s next big Lollipop update. That update is expected to be Android 5.1.1, Google’s newest version of Lollipop. This week we’ve seen several new details emerge and today we take a look at what you need to know right now about the Samsung Android 5.1.1 release.

In April, Google released Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, a brand new version of Lollipop that ties up some loose ends that arrived with the company’s Android 5.1 Lollipop release in March. And while Android 5.1.1 is now available for most Nexus-branded devices, it’s not yet available for some of Android’s big names including the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 4.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything outright but we know that the company has an Android 5.1.1 update up its sleeve for several devices. And as we push toward the end of June, we’re finally starting to see new and important Samsung Android 5.1.1 release details emerge.

Today, we’ve seen new information seep to the surface and with those new details in mind, we want to take an updated look at what we know about the Samsung Android 5.1.1 update and its release for Galaxy devices.

Android 5.1.1 is Stable

Samsung’s been rolling out Lollipop updates for a number of months now. And while it and its carrier partners have been deploying bug fix updates for Lollipop problems, Galaxy smartphone and tablet users are still running into Lollipop problems after switching from Android 4.4 KitKat.

Samsung’s Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update is expected to bring new features to Galaxy devices including Guest Mode and new camera options but there’s also a good chance that it will help to stabilize some of the issues that have plagued Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 4 users for a number of months.

We don’t know what fixes will be featured on the update just yet and it’s not clear if Samsung’s been able to fix the memory management issues that have hurt performance on some Galaxy S6 devices. What we do know, however, is that Android 5.1.1 is far more stable than Android 5.1 and the company’s other Lollipop releases.

We’ve been using the Android 5.1.1 update on several Nexus devices and what we’ve found is an update that comes with fewer problems than its predecessors. While we can’t tell you how all of these fixes will translate to Galaxy phones and tablets, we can tell you that the fixes Google’s included have worked. And that means that it could solve some of the more glaring problems for Samsung device owners as well.

Will there be problems? Of course, no update is perfect, but at this point Galaxy users should be thankful that Samsung is pursuing an Android 5.1.1 release rather than an Android 5.1 release.

Samsung Android 5.1.1 Release Date Hasn’t Moved

Rogers, the carrier that confirmed Samsung’s Android 5.1.1 plans, recently updated its Android upgrade page to reflect new release dates and new Android update roll outs.

We still don’t know when the carrier plans to release Android 5.1.1 exactly but the company’s latest rundown still lists Android 5.1 releases for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge in June. In other words, it hasn’t been delayed, at least not yet. So, for now, we’re still expecting the update to arrive for some devices later this month.

Galaxy S6 Android 5.1.1 Update

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge have long been rumored to be getting the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update first and nothing has changed.

SamMobile, a site that’s plugged into Samsung’s Android update pipeline, still believes that these two will get first dibs on the Android 5.1.1 update and its features and Rogers still hasn’t listed any other Android 5.1 updates.

There’s no reason to believe that Samsung’s plans will change and there’s every reason to believe that the first Android 5.1.1 updates will be for its two flagship Galaxy S smartphones.

Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.1.1 Update Update

The Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.1.1 update is the only other Samsung Android 5.1.1 update that’s been all but confirmed. We haven’t seen any details emerge for devices like the Galaxy Note 3 or Galaxy S5.

Today, new details from SamMobile have emerged and it looks like Samsung is making steady progress with its other Android 5.1.1 update.

The publication has posted benchmarks for the new Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update and it says that Samsung is now actively working on this update behind the scenes.

The Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.1.1 update was previously rumored for July though it’s unclear just how big of a gap there might be between the Galaxy S6 Android 5.1.1 update and the upgrade for the Galaxy Note 4. Given that we haven’t seen any carriers confirm it outright, we wouldn’t expect an imminent roll out for the Note 4.

Android 5.1.1 Update for New Galaxy Devices

Finally, it appears that Samsung will use Android 5.1.1 as the base for its upcoming devices. SamMobile claims that Android 5.1.1 will be the software that comes on board a new Galaxy S6 Note, a device that’s expected to have a 5.7-inch display and an arrival sometime in the third quarter.

What this means for the rumored Galaxy Note 5 is unclear. With an Android M update slated for Q3, it’s possible that Samsung will shift its flagship to that release rather than Android 5.1.1. We expect more Galaxy Note 5 details to emerge as we push deeper into the year towards a launch in the third quarter.