Android 5.0 (Lollipop) Set for Confirmed November 3rd Release Date
According to a report from Android Police, Google has sent out a message to its app developers stating that Android 5.0, which goes by the moniker “Lollipop,” is set to be released on November 3rd.
In addition to revealing the actual launch date of the next major Android update, the message from Google also told developers that the new Software Development Kit (SDK) is already available, and that they can go ahead and start testing and developing their apps on the Android 5.0 platform. Developers can also start putting the Android 5.0-optimized version of their apps in the Google Play Store.
The newly announced release date is not at all surprising to anyone who has been following tech news, as Google has already stated that the upcoming Nexus 9 tablet and Nexus 6 smartphone would become available in early November. The aforementioned devices will ship with Android 5.0 installed at around the same time the rest of Android users are upgrading to Lollipop.
Most Devices Will Have to Wait Longer for the Update
While Google's latest Nexus devices will receive the Lollipop update on the 3rd, other devices may have to wait a bit longer, as the rollout is a process that typically takes place over time. The reason for this delay is because manufacturers have to prep the update and the way it interfaces with their devices in order to ensure optimal compatibility and performance.
Google has stated that the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 will all be updated to Lollipop within the “coming weeks.” On the other hand, HTC has stated that its One M8 and One M7 smartphones will be updated “within 90 days” of receiving the finalized update from Google.
Meanwhile, Motorola has stated that both generations of the Moto G and Moto X and some of their other devices will be ready for Lollipop by “later this year.” While not many other manufacturers have disclosed when their devices will be ready for the update, overall we should expect all eligible devices to have Android 5.0 running by no later than February, 2015.
Material Design and the New Android
Back in July we covered Google's June I/O Developer Conference announcement of what was then known simply as Android 'L'. Since then the official moniker “Lollipop” has been revealed (confirming the popular speculation that the L would stand for something delicious, in line with Android's past releases like Ice Cream Sandwich and KitKat), along with plenty of other details about the changes we should expect to see in the upcoming update.
Perhaps the biggest addition to the new version of Android will be the Material Design theme, which is expected to revamp the appearance, feel, and responsiveness of the operating system. While Google hasn't yet released a list of features or specs for Android 5.0, there are already plenty of videos online that showcase and explain what the Material Design theme will look and behave like (see below):
