Android 5.0 Lollipop Release Date for Moto X, G, E May Come Before the Nexus Devices

By Shawn Schuster
Moto X
Android 5.0 Lollipop running on a Motorola Moto X. Photo: Droid Life

In a rather surprising move, Motorola has pushed out the release notes for Android 5.0 Lollipop on its Moto X smartphone, meaning that the company's flagship device could be seeing the new update in the next few days.

Traditionally, Google releases its newest updates for its own devices (the Nexus line) before the other manufacturers follow suit. The Nexus 6 was supposed to be the first phone to receive the update upon its release on November 12, but this news from Motorola is surprising to many insiders who expected even the Nexus 5 to get the Lollipop update before Motorola's products.

According to Ars Technica, this first roll-out for the 2014 Moto X is called the "Pure Edition" and it represents an unlocked version of the phone that's going out to people who signed up for the soak test limited release. If all goes well with the testing and the carriers are on board, we could see Lollipop on the Moto X any day now.

Motorola has already confirmed that Android 5.0 Lollipop will release for Moto X (Gen 2), Moto X (Gen 1), Moto G (Gen 2), Moto G (Gen 1), Moto G 4G-LTE, Moto E, Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, and Droid Mini, although no other dates have been given.

Android 5.0 Lollipop is Google's largest Android OS update in years, boasting a new Material Design UI upgrade, enhanced performance, more intuitive interaction with the touchscreen, better integration between all Android devices, better security features, and much more.

The Lollipop release notes for the Moto X have since been taken down by Motorola, but not before the news got out around top Android news sites. Droid Life even shows a video of Lollipop running on a Moto X through a sideload to give you a good idea of what to expect on official release.

Google did release Lollipop to Nexus 5 users on November 3, but immediately pulled it after users were complaining of rapid battery drain and Wi-Fi issues. But according to a report by senior developer programs engineer Trevor Johns on the Android Developer Preview site, that issue has been resolved. So now it looks like it's a race to the finish. Will Motorola get that Moto X update out before this Wednesday, the 12th? Or will the Nexus 6 launch to be the first device with Lollipop, as everyone already expected?

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