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DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update: What to Expect

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Roughly four months after the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google’s now released a few small updates as well as a bigger bug fixing Android 5.1 Lollipop update. Those with the Moto DROID Turbo are still waiting for Lollipop and below are a few things you can expect as its release nears.

Back in June Google debuted Android L, which is now known as Android 5.0 Lollipop that the company fully revealed in October and launched in November on the new Nexus 9, Nexus 6, and Nexus Player. They quickly released Android 5.0.1 and Android 5.0.2 with fixes, but then this month released a big Android 5.1 Lollipop update. Motorola has confirmed that is what the DROID Turbo will get, and here’s what we know.

Read: Android 5.0 vs Android 4.4 KitKat: What’s New in Lollipop

The Android 5.0 Lollipop update delivered a number of new features detailed above, as well as tweaks and enhancements to the overall look and feel, along with tons of animations and neat visual effects for Nexus and Android users. However a few bugs and problems made Google deliver Android 5.1, as well as some new features which are coming to the DROID Turbo. We’re hearing it’s currently being tested, but read on for more details.

The Droid Turbo camera can take great photos, but it isn't always reliable.

Back in October Motorola made the DROID Turbo official, launching a smartphone similar in size and features as the new Moto X, only improved in multiple key areas exclusively to Verizon Wireless. The phone has a lot to offer and arrived just weeks after Android 5.0 Lollipop was announced, so for now is running Android 4.4.4 KitKat.

Multiple rumors surfaced that a new software update was in the final testing phase for the DROID Turbo, and many assumed this would be Android 5.0 Lollipop. However, it arrived in December and only fixed a few bugs. The device is still on Android 4.4 KitKat while many others have already received android 5.0 Lollipop.

Read: Motorola Android 5.0 Update Breakdown

With that, below we’ll go over a few things users can expect regarding the DROID Turbo Android 5.1 update.

DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Update

The new DROID Turbo is Motorola’s best smartphone released in 2014. It’s the same size and offers many similar features as the popular Moto X, only they improved a few key areas. Those being a huge 3,900 mAh battery, a 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD display vs the regular 1080p resolution on the 5.2-inch display, and cranked up the camera to 21 megapixels.

It’s their best phone, and one the company (and Verizon) will want running the latest version of Android. Motorola was quick to update the Moto X Pure Edition, and the Moto G (1st & 2nd Gen) all to Android 5.0 Lollipop back in November. Beating almost all other manufacturers, and even Google, to the update.

So how does this relate to the DROID Turbo? It’s a premium device that both Verizon and Motorola want running the latest version of Android. Many owners have been waiting for Android 5.0 to arrive, but last week we learned it will jump straight to Android 5.1 Lollipop.

Read: Android 5.1 vs Android 5.0 Lollipop: What’s New

According to some Moto engineers, the DROID Turbo will be updated directly to Android 5.1 Lollipop, and skipping 5.0 completely. This is to have the latest bug fixes, offer the best performance, and deliver a new VoLTE (HD Voice) feature Google integrated into Android Lollipop. Rather than tweak Android 5.0 with this, they’re not wasting time and have jumped straight to Android 5.1 Lollipop. This same feature is on the Verizon Nexus 6 that arrived earlier this month. Which was the reason for all the delays in its release.

Release Date

Sadly we have no solid release date yet for the Motorola DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop update, but it should be coming soon. We’ve already learned Motorola has been working on 5.1, and not older versions of Lollipop, and this week Motorola started testing the final software of Android 5.1 for the Moto X Pure Edition.

This means they’ve finished integrating a few of their small changes to Android 5.1 Lollipop, and are ready to begin the final testing phase before pushing updates out to owners. We’ve yet to see a soak test for the DROID Turbo, but with the Moto X 2014 already done, a device somewhat similar to the Turbo, the update shouldn’t be too far behind. That said, Verizon has a long history of testing updates, causing delays, and being slow to deliver. Meaning it could arrive for the DROID Turbo this month, or users could be waiting well into April. We don’t know for sure, but will update once Motorola or Verizon confirm more details.

Slow Arrival

When it does arrive, it will be a slow and staggered update. What this means is that Google and its partner carriers aren’t pushing the update out to all user at once. If they did the process would take longer for downloads to complete, and if any problems arise they won’t be able to stop it before millions of owners get the update.

Read: DROID Turbo Review

As a result, Motorola does what we know as a “soak test” where they let members of the Motorola Feedback Network test the software ahead of the release. We always get tipped off to these tests, and will report back once they surface. As that usually means the over the air update for all owners is typically less than a few days away.

We can expect a soak test to surface sometime soon for the DROID Turbo, then an actual over the air update will arrive shortly thereafter, if all went well, and all owners will start to see the update arrive.

Android 5.1 Problems

The release of Android 5.0 Lollipop was the initial software debut, and as expected a few small bugs needed to be addressed. Once millions of users got it, more reports surfaced that got Google working on a fix. And while there will likely be a few small issues with Android 5.1 Lollipop too, it should fix a majority of the problems users have been facing.

Nexus6-5

The Nexus 6 and Nexus 7 tablets both have already received Android 5.1, as has the Nexus 5, and most users are reporting huge improvements over the initial Android 5.0 update. That said, the “memory leak” issue we keep hearing about reportedly is still happening on Android 5.1, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Our experience with Android 5.1 has been almost all positive, but surely there are a few bugs here and there. That said, once Android 5.1 arrives for the DROID Turbo, owners can expect a better experience, a new interface, more features, and hopefully even better battery life.

Final Thoughts

The Motorola DROID Turbo is only available on Verizon Wireless, so it’s extremely likely that the flagship Moto X launched on an array of carriers will be the prime focus for Motorola. Which means we’ll probably see the Android 5.1 update arrive for carrier Moto X smartphones first, then be quickly followed by a DROID Turbo Android 5.1 release for Verizon, but you never know.

That said, Verizon and Motorola work closely together, and the carrier may push them to get the DROID Turbo update out as soon as humanly possible.

We’re expecting the Turbo Android 5.1 update to be delivered sometime in the next month, but until further details or announcements are made, it’s anyone’s guess for now. Given Motorola and Verizon’s history, it should be here sooner rather than later.

9 Comments

9 Comments

  1. Xyz

    03/25/2015 at 8:42 am

    Idiot. Didn’t have anything new in the article. Why to u waste ur and my time writing nonsense like this.

    • ABC

      04/06/2015 at 8:55 pm

      Hahahhahaha
      4sure

  2. Kyle

    04/19/2015 at 6:38 am

    Lies. Turbo isn’t getting Lollipop. If it was it would have happened by now.

  3. Nicholas Pelmonter

    04/20/2015 at 10:25 pm

    I love how Turbo was GUARANTEED to get 5.0 before the end of 2014, hyped up so much. Now it’s supposed to jump straight to 5.1, software which The Nexus 5 already runs on??? Here we are about to enter May, pretty much halfway through 2015, and we are sitting on 4.4.4? All I know is, regardless of specs and features, I guarantee I will never bother with an “exclusive” device again… Hell, I’ll probably never bother with Motorola again. Maybe I’ll frame this pretty little “Limited Edition” Turbo EE, just in case I ever need a reminder on what a load of garbage these new exclusive flagship phones really are. All I can really say at this point… Damn, I should have just stuck with Samsung. Or just go ahead and Root this piece of crap. I can Root this device, Install the new lightweight OS, get Wakelock Blockers/adBlockers/Free Wi-Fi Hotspot, can even remove the 3G/4G Speed Caps and say nay to bs Throttling all through a nearly locked down Bootloader. Not only can you get all of these very obvious improvements to literally every aspect of the phone, but you can do it all within 24 hours completely by yourself. Face it, Motorola… We will probably all have our own OS up and running and outperforming 5.1 before your Cookiecutter Software Update ever even makes it’s long overdo appearance. Don’t expect to keep customers when you can’t even keep your word.

  4. Mike

    05/01/2015 at 6:06 pm

    This is the droid bionic akl over again they are announcing s4 and lg g2 lollipop updates but the Verizon flagship is left way behind. I wish i learned my lesson with the bionic. Motorola Verizon exclusive = updates that never come it’s insane.. Lg g4 at full price might be the next move

  5. Mike

    05/02/2015 at 7:11 am

    How do you write a what to expect on something that isn’t expected any time soon? Even now a solid month later we have no expectations for it to come it’s awful

  6. Rick1024

    05/27/2015 at 6:16 pm

    Droid Turbo getting 5.0 before end of December…
    Droid Turbo guaranteed to get update in February…
    Rumors leaked, Lollipop going to Turbo in March…
    Motorola going straight to Android 5.1, to avoid all the 5.0 Bugs, users should see it by May…

    Verizon+Motorola=BS…

    Gave up my Nexus 4 on Android 5.0 with no no bugs or problems 6 months ago only to be screwed by Motorola and Verizon. Great hardware, but great hardware can’t make up for crappy company… 18 months and back to a Nexus product…

  7. Jim

    05/29/2015 at 3:21 pm

    I’m with Nicholas! I left the a Samsung line up for the turbo. At this point the battery life sucks and frequently glitches. My wife got the note 4 and it’s a dream. The camera alone is significantly better. Never again!

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