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

There’s no doubt that the folks at Google will release the Android 5.0 L update for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 later this year. It’s true, the search engine giant didn’t reveal the exact date when the new update will be pushed to users, but we will hopefully be able to make some estimations based on Google’s previous releases.

Most of you probably know that, so far, Google has released two major Android versions a year. One of them was released in the summer, usually a month after Google I/O, while the other one was launched mid-to-late fall. Anyway, each new major Android update also marked the launch of a new Nexus device, whether it was a smartphone or a tablet. But Google will do things a bit different this year.

It seems to me that the Mountain View-based company is doing the Android 5.0 L launch Apple-style. Why? I’m glad you’ve asked. Apple is announcing new iOS updates in the summer during their WWDC event. It releases it in beta for developers, then it makes the new iOS available for the public in the fall, when a new iPhone is usually announced. Google showed us Android L at Google I/O (this summer), it made it available for download as Developer Preview, and they will probably release it for everybody else this fall, when new Nexus hardware will be announced. Most reports are indicating that the new firmware will released for the public sometime late-October or early-November.

New Nexus hardware? Yes, we are just as excited as you are. You probably heard the rumors that Google is planning to release a new Nexus-like program called Android Silver which will lead to the death of the Nexus line-up. Well, after a Google representative said that the Nexus family is here to stay, rumors of new Nexus devices started to hit the web. The first reports talked about a new Nexus tablet manufactured by HTC and codenamed Volantis. Unofficially dubbed Nexus 9, the tablet is said to bring an 8.9-inch screen with 4:3 aspect ratio, 64-bit-enabled processor, and “aluminium zero-gap” construction. The last couple of weeks brought us a lot of Nexus 6 reports. It seems that the smartphone is developed by Motorola and that it’s know internally as Shamu. Its technical specifications include a 5.2-inch Quad HD screen, quad-core Snapdragon 805 CPU, 13 MP primary cam, and 3 GB RAM. Both terminals will definitely run Android 5.0 L out of the box.

We all know that each Android version has a specific version number and that is named after a dessert. Even though the new update is currently known as Android L, chances are it will be released under a different name. Given the high amount of changes it introduces, it will definitely be labeled as Android 5.0. On the other hand, most sources are reporting that the new Android version will be nicknamed Lollipop or Licorice.

Android 5.0 L is the most major update Android has seen since its launch back in 2008. It’s even bigger than the jump from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich. If you had the chance to play with Android L Developer Preview, you probably noticed the new Material Design. The new design philosophy aims to make Android 5.0 L more intuitive with the help of 3D effects and shadows. The interface as a whole is better-looking, it brings more colors and more animations. The performance also received a boost and the support for 64-bit processors and the introduction of ART runtime (replaces Dalvik) are two of the biggest factors.

The notifications bar and the lock screen were also changed in Android 5.0 L. The former now accommodates notifications and it allows you to interact with them. If you’re worried that your lock screen would get a bit to crowded, hear that the notifications are prioritized based on the frequency you interact with them. On the other hand, the notifications bar arrives with a new color scheme, while the Quick Settings button has vanished. The Quick Settings menu isn’t gone, but you will get to it in a different way. First you will have to swipe down to get to the notifications bar, then swipe once more to access Quick Settings. Besides the usual WiFi, Mobile Network, Bluetooth, Airplane Mode, Sound and Location toggles, the Quick Settings menu also shows toggles for Do Not Disturb and Rotation Lock. The Brightness Control is now displayed as a slider and “Auto Brightness” has been replaced by “Adaptive Brightness.” In order to allow you to find certain options with ease, Google has added a search bar into the main Settings menu.

Android 5.0 L also brings changes to the status bar. It has a different behavior now: it stays transparent in lock and home screens, but changes its color when you open an app. The color changes to match the action bar of the respective app, but it will be up to developers to update their applications in order to bring a unified visual experience.

The multitasking screen has been improved, too. The Android 5.0 L recents screen has a card-based interface that is a reminiscent of the recent tabs menu in Chrome. What’s even cooler about the new recents screen is that certain apps can show more than one card. Chrome is one of those apps and it’s capable of displaying a different multitasking card for each opened tab.

It’s no longer a mystery that the Android 5.0 L update for Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 will be the first one to be pushed to users. The Google Play Experience devices will probably follow soon after and we are pretty sure that Motorola will keep their good habit and update their supported devices to Android 5.0 in a matter of weeks. HTC One M7, HTC One M8, and OnePlus One will receive the new update within 90 days after Google makes the final code available. Or at least that’s what HTC and OnePlus claim. The other big players of the smartphone market (read Samsung, LG, and Sony) will probably bring the Android 5.0 L update to their smartphones late 2014 or early 2015.

To you have any favorite Android 5.0 L features? What are you expecting from the new Android update? Please let us know in comments.