Android 5.0 L Update for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10: What to expect

It’s no longer a mystery that the folks at Google will soon release the Android 5.0 L update for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10. The new major Android L (Lollipop?) release was officially introduced last month at Google I/O 2014, being the most major update Google’s mobile operating system has seen since its release.

Google haven’t officially revealed whether it will be called Android 4.5 L or Android 5.0 L, but judging by the number of changes and improvements, we strongly believe the latter name will be used.

As I was mentioning above, the new Android 5.0 L update will be rolled out for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, and other supported devices like Google Play Experience terminals, or other flagship smartphones and tablets. In fact, the Android L Developer Preview for Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 2013 has already been made available for download.

But when will the Android 5.0 L update for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 will actually see the light of day? No one knows for sure, but Google’s previous releases might suggest that the update will be issued sometime mid-fall. The company made a habit out of releasing important Android updates in October, synchronized with the debut of new Nexus hardware.

Rumor has it that a new Nexus tablet developed by Google and HTC will be officially unveiled late October, a device known internally as Volantis. If the reports are to be believed, HTC Nexus 8 (or 9) will arrive with an 8.9-inch high-resolution display with 4:3 ratio, a 64-bit enabled Nvidia chipset, 3 GB of RAM, 8 MP primary cam, and Android 5.0 L out of the box.

The first thing you’ll notice about the new Android 5.0 L update is Material Design, which is Google’s design philosophy for their new Android iteration. Material Design aims to make every animation, ripple, or shadow look real, in the same time making the whole experience more intuitive with 3D tiles that slide over one another. It also brings updates to the Roboto font.

The notifications and the lock screen have also been improved in Android 5.0 L. The notifications have received a deeper integration in the lock screen, allowing you to interact with notifications as you pick up the phone. It also learns from your behavior and knows which notifications to prioritize.

Android 5.0 L will also be faster than previous versions, as it ditches Dalvik and makes the jump to ART runtime, the latter one being 64-bit compatible as well. You should also be able to notice battery life improvements, courtesy of Project Volta and the integrated Battery Saver mode.

But the Android 5.0 L changes don’t stop here. You will get a redesigned Quick Setting panel, improved Settings UI, notifications Hover, and more.

Summing up, expect the Android 5.0 L update for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 to arrive sometime in October. The Google Play Edition devices should receive the new update the same month, followed by Samsung’s, HTC’s, Sony’s, Motorola’s, and LG’s flagships towards the end of the year.