A recent leaked image from U.S. carrier Sprint reveals potential launch dates for the Android 5.0 Lollipop mobile operating system on several devices to be rolled out through the rest of the month of February.
LG was one of the original companies to announce its leap to the Lollipop upgrade, but not every device made the switch. But a recent document leaked from Sprint shows that LG's G3 smartphone will be getting the upgrade on February 16 of this year.
But LG isn't the only manufacturer enjoying the big patch on Sprint's network. According to the document, the HTC One M8 and HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition will be upgrading on February 13. So within the next week, we should see the LG G3 and all HTC One M8 phones at least starting the update process.
The leaked document was originally posted by Android Central and it shows off two earlier dates that have so far proven to be true, which may add more credibility to the leak. In it, we see the HTC One and Samsung's Galaxy S5 getting Android 5.0 Lollipop on February 5. While not all Galaxy S5s and HTC Ones have made the upgrade on Sprint's network, many have so far. These update rollouts usually take around three to four months to complete per model.
While there has been no word from the other major carriers, we can expect Verizon to be next with AT&T and T-Mobile following soon after.
And to help push a few more LG G3s out the door, the Korean company has announced a free giveaway later this month for all G3 buyers. The free item is called the VR for G3, which is a plastic version of the Google Cardboard VR viewer that was available online for DIYers, but is made specifically to accommodate the G3.
According to an LG press release: "VR for G3 features a unique design that leverages the G3's signature Rear Key layout, compared to other smartphones where the volume rockers are located on the side of the phone. This unique design also means VR for G3 takes full advantage of the flagship phone's 1W speaker with Boost AMP to provide richer, clearer sound effects that complement the rich visuals. For a more personal experience, VR for G3 can be combined with a Bluetooth headsets such as LG Tone Infinim for wireless enjoyment."
But unlike the cardboard version, this VR viewer has some impressive bells and whistles. "The neodymium ring magnet on the side of the VR for G3 works with the magnetic gyroscope sensor in the G3 to select applications and scroll through menus without touching the display."
Android Lollipop is the latest mobile operating system for the Android line of devices bringing with it enhanced battery life, improved app efficiency, a shiny new inetrface called Material Design, a more robust notification system, and much more.
The OS first launched with Google's own Nexus line of phones and tablet, but was upgraded to an LG phone first. Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and Sony devices are also in the midst of rolling out the upgrade, but not all devices have received the automatic over-the-air (OTA) notification for all carriers just yet.
