Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop Release Breakdown

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop release continues to make progress in the months after its initial release in December. With that in mind, we want to take a close look at the Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop update, its release, and give you an all-around look at what we think you need to know about the upgrade as we head into March.

In December, a few weeks after Google first started rolling it out, Samsung delivered its first Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade. The upgrade unsurprisingly went to the Samsung Galaxy S5, the company’s current Galaxy S flagship and a device that arrived with Android 4.4 KitKat on board. Android 5.0 Lollipop represents the Galaxy S5’s first major Android update and it delivers a host of changes to the popular smartphone.

In the weeks since the initial release, we’ve seen tons of new developments. We’ve seen the Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop update make progress in countries around the world including the United States. We’ve seen Galaxy S5 Lollipop problems emerge. And we’ve even seen a brand new Galaxy S5 release take place to restore one of the update’s missing features. It can be a lot of digest, particularly for those of you who don’t follow along on a daily basis.

Today, we want to breakdown everything we think you need to know about the Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop release. This breakdown includes a look at the progress the update’s made, a glimpse at what’s to come in the future, a look at what we expect, and some advice that we’ve wanted to pass along to Galaxy S5 users for sometime. If you’re at all interested in the Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop upgrade, this will be a great resource as the roll out moves forward.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop Release Making Progress

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop update continues to make progress in the United States and around the world.

We’ve been poking around for a couple of days in an effort to bring you a look at the places where the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update is currently available and here’s what we’ve found.

U.S. 

• Verizon
• Sprint
• T-Mobile

International

We’ve seen the update land for a ton of regions outside of the United States so we’ll focus on the places where it has landed during the month of February. The list is fairly extensive so we’ll look at the six most recent roll outs for unbranded versions of the SM-G900F:

• Sri Lanka
• Montenegro
• Germany
• Malaysia
• Thailand
• Italy

We’ve also seen the update roll out for several carriers including French carrier SFR, Wind in Italy, T-Mobile in Germany, and T-Mobile in Croatia. These international carrier roll outs are key because they should represent the start of a wider push throughout Europe and perhaps, some of Samsung’s smaller markets.

It’s also important to point out that a new Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop update is currently rolling out in the United Kingdom. It’s not a massive bug fixer or Android 5.1 but it does bring back silent mode, a feature that was stripped from the Galaxy S5 with its initial Android 5.0 Lollipop release. That’s a huge gain for users in the UK and we expect the feature to be returned to everyone that’s currently missing it.

While Samsung’s made some solid progress since the software’s initial push in December, it still has a long way to go. We still haven’t seen updates pop up for AT&T or U.S. Cellular and many international variants are still without their upgrade. And while some carriers will likely opt to keep their customers informed, others probably won’t. Many of you will likely learn about the release on the day the update rolls out.

Galaxy S5 Lollipop Release Details

As we’ve noted many times, we do have a solid lead on a few missing Galaxy S5 Lollipop upgrades. Most carriers are still silent but thanks to Samsung and a some vocal carriers, we do have some information that gives us a solid base for the future. Let’s start with the regular Galaxy S5.

We know that the Canadian release of the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update is getting closer. Rogers Canada has tacked on a February or March release for the software and typically, Canadian carriers roll their updates out in and around the same day. What’s more is that we’ve seen AT&T roll its software out in and around the same time as Rogers. That’s not a guarantee for the Galaxy S5 but it’s something to keep in mind.

Rogers has also confirmed a Galaxy S5 Active Lollipop update for release in the future though it hasn’t outlined any specific release details. That probably means that the update is still a ways off. If the Galaxy S5 mini Lollipop release is any indication, we could be looking at a release that’s months out.

Samsung France recently confirmed a Galaxy S5 mini Lollipop release for Q2 which means that it should start pushing sometime between April and June. A specific date hasn’t been confirmed though with the Galaxy S5 Lollipop release still moving out slowly, we imagine that Samsung’s focus is on the current roll out and not lesser devices.

It’s also worth pointing out that the Galaxy S5 LTE-A Android 5.0 Lollipop release which Samsung promised in early 2015, is still MIA. The Galaxy S5 LTE-A is an uncommon device though it’s still available in a number of markets including Korea.

Most carriers that we’ve come into contact with have yet to announce any firm details. Even Australian carriers like Vodafone and Optus, known for their early announcements, are silent. It’s a sign that this roll out is probably going to take many months to complete.

U.S. Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop Release

In the United States, the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update is currently available for three carriers: Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. The updates have all finished rolling out and those of you on those three carriers can make the move up to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

We still aren’t sure about release dates for the AT&T and U.S. Cellular Galaxy S5 Lollipop models though we do expect them, and smaller U.S. carriers, to get the software out in the future. With that in mind, here are a few things that we think future Galaxy S5 Lollipop users need to know in the buildup to March and their Galaxy S5 Lollipop release dates.

Prepare

If you own an AT&T, U.S. Cellular, Rogers, or really any variant of the regular Galaxy S5 variant, now is a very good time to start preparing the device for the arrival of Android 5.0 Lollipop. We’ve put together a number of steps to take ahead of the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update and we suggest taking a look at them ahead of your unpredictable Galaxy S5 Lollipop release date. They’ll help.

Galaxy S5 Release Date Tips

We’ve also put together a list of tips that will help you come March or whenever your carrier decides to push out the upgrade. Here are a few things that could help those of you who are getting anxious:

1. The exact Galaxy S5 Lollipop release time is extremely unpredictable though we usually see roll out start during the working week (Monday-Friday). If your roll out hasn’t started, you don’t have to worry about checking your phone on the weekend. It’s very rare to see Samsung or its carrier partners fire up a roll out on Saturday or Sunday.
2. Be patient. In some cases, Galaxy S5 Lollipop roll outs will take a few days to complete. Carriers in the U.S. like to roll out their updates in batches so that they can catch potential issues. AT&T is known for this practice. So if you don’t see an update on day one, know that you’ll probably get it within a week. The roll outs typically don’t take longer than that.
3. You don’t need to install on day one. Just because you get a prompt doesn’t mean that you need to replace Android 4.4 KitKat. In fact, there are some reasons why you might not want to install on day one. Maybe you’re traveling. Maybe you’re scared of bugs. Problems have plagued the Sprint and Verizon models and it might be smart to avoid the software for a few days to let the smoke settle.
4. Set aside time for the update. This is a huge upgrade for the Galaxy S5. It’s going to take time to install and it also has the potential to throw problems your way. You don’t want to be rushed so make sure you install it when you have time.
5. Rooted/Custom ROM users proceed with caution. While power users will likely have no issues making the upgrade, Galaxy S5 users that aren’t as involved in the community and users who have only recently rooted or installed custom software will need to be very careful. Consult the developer and your community before installing.

Galaxy S5 Lollipop Problems Continue

Samsung Galaxy s5 Lollipop problems continue for Galaxy S5 users on Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. Carrier forums and Android-centric forums are full of complaints about Android 5.0 Lollipop problems. We continue to get complaints about terrible battery life though we also have seen users bring up a number of other issues.

It’s not clear when these carriers, or their international counterparts, plan to roll out bug fixers for the Samsung Galaxy S5 which means that users are going to need to be very proactive between now and the first Android 5.0 bug fix update for the phone.

Staff at one major U.S. carrier we spoke to highlighted a number of Samsung Galaxy S5 problems including app crashes, slow performance and absolutely awful battery life. They’ve told us that they’ve gotten a high volume of complaints about the recent update though they were unable to provide any estimates about a bug fix release.

One thing to note: Google’s poised to deliver a massive Android 5.1 Lollipop upgrade to Android users next month. An MR release (MR stands for Maintenance Release) is confirmed for March and it’s possible that Android 5.1 will be heading to the Galaxy S5, in some capacity, down the road. We recommend keeping an eye on it as Google and its partners make progress towards a release.

Fixes for Galaxy S5 Lollipop Problems

In the meantime, we’ve put together a list of potential fixes for some of the more common Samsung Galaxy S5 problems. Those of you who are dealing with issues, on T-Mobile or otherwise, would be wise to check those out.

Those of you currently on Android 4.4 KitKat would be wise to check them out so that you can absorb the information ahead of your Android 5.0 Lollipop release.

If you’re familiar with the common problems and fixes for those common problems, you’re going to be in much better shape once the Galaxy S5 Lollipop release emerges for your device.