Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop Update: What You Need to Know

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update isn’t rolling out just yet but that could change within weeks as Samsung’s poised to deliver more Lollipop updates. With that in mind, we want to take a look at everything we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update and of course, the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 release date.

For weeks, we heard rumors about Samsung’s Android 5.0 Lollipop update release plans. We heard that the company was hard at work on several Lollipop updates including upgrades for the Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung Galaxy S4, and Samsung Galaxy Note 3. These four devices represent four of its newest smartphones so the leaks, rumors and details did not come as a complete shock to us or anyone that’s familiar with how Samsung operates.

Just a short time ago, Samsung made good on those rumors as it started rolling out the heralded Samsung Galaxy S5 Lollipop update. The Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop update is the first of many updates that Samsung has planned for older devices including the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung’s flagship from last year that remains in the hands of consumers all over the United States and all over the world.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has only received one major Android update, Android 4.4 KitKat, which means that there is added anticipation for this massive update. It’s also important because the Galaxy Note 3 turns two next year and typically, Samsung Galaxy devices see their software support end after two years in service.

While we haven’t seen tons of details pour out from the cracks, we’ve seen some, and those details help us to paint an initial picture of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update and release. This roundup ropes in all of the key details that we’ve seen over the past few weeks and it should help to paint a clearer picture for those that are tuning into the upcoming roll out for the first time.

This is What the Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Update Will Look Like

If still don’t know what the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update will look like, the video below from SamMobile will give you a quick glimpse at the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update in action.

Keep in mind, this does not appear to be a final version of the update. Instead, it looks like it’s a test build. There’s still work to be done, bugs to fix, and enhancements to add but this serves as a general overview of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update and the look that it will deliver to Galaxy Note 3 users in the future.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Confirmed

The second thing you need to know is that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update is confirmed. Samsung confirmed it in a flurry of vague details for several Galaxy branded devices including the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4. The company did not say much beyond the fact that it will be coming and that it will be arriving alongside several other Lollipop updates.

Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop Release Date

Samsung’s confirmed the Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop release date for early 2015. The company did not offer any specific and it’s not clear when in 2015 the update will roll out. It’s important to note that  the company is referring to the update for the international version of the device and not the models found in the United States.

Carriers Silent

We’ve seen carriers confirm a few Galaxy Android 5.0 Lollipop updates for the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 but we haven’t seen anything for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Not surprising given that it’s not going to be first to this update.

Recent Android update details from SFR, Vodafone, Rogers Canada, and Telstra don’t reveal anything about plans for the Galaxy S4 Android 5.0 Lollipop update. These international carriers typically confirm updates well in advance. With a Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update confirmed for the early part of next year, we will almost certainly see some of these carriers confirm updates ahead of time.

U.S. carriers still aren’t saying anything either. And if they stick with the standard protocol, Samsung Galaxy Note 3 users will be in the dark up until the actual release date. U.S. carriers, unlike international carriers, typically remain silent in the build up to a major Android update release. The roll outs themselves typically serve as the announcement.

Android 5.0.1

Google’s rolled out an initial bug fix update for Android 5.0 Lollipop. This Android 5.0.1 bug fix update tackles some of the initial issues that popped up in the days and weeks after the initial release. And while the Android 5.0.1 update is limited for the moment, we’ve seen Android 5.0.1 land for some non-Nexus devices.

Samsung’s rolled out Android 5.0 Lollipop to the Galaxy S5. No Android 5.0.1, at least not yet. We haven’t seen any rumors that suggest that it will bump to Android 5.0.1 but given the fact that Samsung quickly moved to Android 4.4.2 KitKat last year, it’s possible that we’ll see the company roll out the updated version of Lollipop to at least some Galaxy Note 3 variants, especially those that are last in line.

What We Expect

Finally, you need to know that we’ve taken a deep dive into what we expect from the Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update in general. Samsung and its carrier partners typically don’t like to set expectations, so we’ve done the hard work for them. If you’re curious about the future of the update, we suggest checking those details and predictions out.