Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop Update: 5 Things to Know

The Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update is set to start rolling out today it seems as the carriers posted details about its upcoming Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop release.

In February, Samsung started rolling out its Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update. The timing of the update came as a bit of a surprise given that it started rolling out after the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop updates. Samsung typically rolls out major updates to its flagships before pushing them out to older models. Not the case with Lollipop.

In the weeks since the Galaxy Note 4 update’s arrival, we’ve seen it push out to a number of different models in a number of different regions. Earlier today, the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update made a strong push into India, Brazil, and the UAE and we’re now getting word that it’s starting to roll out for another carrier in the United States.

Before today, the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update was available on two carriers, AT&T and Sprint. Now, another carrier has joined the party though it’s probably not the one that you expected.

Verizon, a carrier well known for dragging its feet, is the third US carrier to release a Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update. The Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update is now confirmed thanks to a series of documents on Verizon’s website and it looks like it will start heading out to customers in the near future. With that in mind, here’s what Verizon Galaxy Note 4 users need to know about their upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Prepare Your Verizon Galaxy Note 4

With the Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update here, it’s time to prepare the Galaxy Note 4 (and yourself) for the transition from Android 4.4 KitKat to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

We’ve outlined a number of steps to take before installing the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update and we’ve also prepared some Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 release date tips that will help with today’s release.

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 users don’t need to follow them all but we suggest taking a look at them before making the move. This is a big update, the biggest ever for the Verizon Galaxy Note 4, and users need to be as prepared as possible.

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop Release Date

Today should be the day. Verizon’s approved the Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update which means that it should start rolling out today. That doesn’t mean that all Verizon Galaxy Note 4 users will get it today or even tomorrow.

Often times, it can take a few days for a Verizon Android update to land for every single user in the United States. Roll outs are random and unpredictable and Galaxy Note 4 owners will want to keep an eye out for a prompt.

How to Install

Verizon’s Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update will require 1.7GB of free space in order to complete. This means that users without a lot of internal storage available might need to shift around some files in order to get the new update on board.

The carrier says that the update will arrive in one of three ways: Over-the-Air, through a user initiated download process in Settings, or while roaming. The carrier also mentions how long the upgrade process will take:

In order to for Video Calling and HD Voice for Advanced Calling to work properly on the Galaxy Note 4, users should note that an additional 46-60 minutes is required for activation. This includes the OTA software update. Here is how that breaks down:

• Part 1: Download – 4 minutes, Upgrade – 8 minutes (12 minutes total)
• Part 2: Download – 18 minutes, Upgrade – 16 minutes (34 minutes total)

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop Features

Verizon’s outlined many of the features that will be coming with its Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update and the list is extensive. The carrier’s update mirrors what we saw for AT&T and Sprint in that it delivers tons of Lollipop features including Google’s new Material Design. Also included are changes to Advanced Calling, new S Health widgets, and more. The full change log is outlined here on Verizon’s website.

The carrier also adds a disclaimer about potential battery life struggles after the move to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Here is what Verizon says Galaxy Note 4 users should expect from battery life after shifting to Lollipop:

• The application memory areas may have to be optimized. This can take time and cause the device to temporarily use more battery while the optimization is in progress
• It can take time for the new software to optimize its performance and for the device’s battery life to normalize, which generally takes 2-3 days.
• Downloaded applications may not be optimized for the new OS version, as application developers do not immediately update their applications to support new versions of the OS. This may result in higher than normal battery drain, and in some cases device sluggishness, until the application is updated or removed.

Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop Problems

The Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop release is still young so we haven’t gotten any feedback about the update. That said, there is certainly a potential for problems (including battery drain) to emerge.

Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop problems continue to be problematic for many Galaxy Note 4 users and users in the United States haven’t been immune to them. AT&T Galaxy Note 4 users are complaining about Bluetooth problems, issues with private mode files, and battery drain issues. There’s also a couple of growing threads that feature a number of complaints about the AT&T Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update.

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop problems haven’t popped up yet but Galaxy Note 4 users will want to keep an eye out for complaints ahead of the Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop release. Verizon’s forums are a great place to start.