Google's latest mobile operating system Android 5.1 Lollipop is now ready to hit more smartphones as the official rollout has just been revealed yesterday.
David Burke, Vice President of Android Platform, wrote in a blog article that Android 5.1 update "will be available on most Android phones and tablets shipped with Android 5.1 in addition to Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 which have been first spotted to run the OS.
Other phones that surfaced earlier with Android 5.1 are Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2012), Nexus 10, Android One (Indonesia and the Philippines only), LG G4, and HTC One M7.
According to Burke, the update is the first big maintenance release for Lollipop, fixing bugs and improves stability and performance of a device. It offers a few new features, including a multiple SIM cards, Device Protection and high definition voice on compatible phones. Android 5.1 also allows owners to use more than one SIM card on a device with multiple SIM slots, ideal to share the phone with a family member or better manage mobile costs.
With Device Protection, lost or stolen device will stay locked until owner's registered Google account signs in. The phone will also remain locked even if someone resets the device to factory settings. Reportedly, this will be integrated with Lollipop's full disk encryption feature.
High Definition voice calling is now within reach with Android 5.1 Lollipop. This feature gives crystal clear calling between compatible T-Mobile and Verizon Nexus 6 devices. However, T-Mobile's Des Smith confirmed in a tweet that Wi-Fi calling will be a separate update, not included in the 5.1 OTA.
The revamped screen pinning feature gives users easier instructions when scrolling up to see the Pin icon. The check box to ask for a PIN or security pattern lives in the App Pinning menu in Settings > Security regardless of enabling lock screen security. This feature was originally made to make it easier to lock kids or guest users into a particular app which was a bit confusing in the previous update.
The update provides improvements like the facility to join Wi-Fi networks and control of paired Bluetooth devices right from the Quick Settings. The Quick Settings has been tweaked with minor changes wherein each icon here becomes animated when tapping it. With the new Quick Settings, easier hopping between Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth devices can be made with the new dropdown arrows.
The traditional Mute mode has been removed from the latest update. However, for Samsung and HTC they have brought back the feature for those who still want it. "None," "Priority," and "All" are now accompanied by their corresponding icons, making it easier for new users to navigate their phones.
Access to Interruptions menu is now made possible for music and videos playing. Simply tap the new Bell icon on the right and the volume slider will expand out into the familiar Non/Priority/All menu. In his article, Burke is hopeful Android users will enjoy the update with its tasty additions.
Other features include new animations in clock app, contacts lose colored overlay and Google+ linkage, sticky soft keys fix, hide "Heads-up" notifications without dismissing, a new status bar icon when there is no SIM inserted, new NuPlayer as default streaming player, and more.
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