Android L 5.0 Release Date Update For Sony Xperia Z3, Moto X and HTC One M8

By Mark Rollins

Ever since Android 5.0 (also known as Lollipop or Android L) started rolling out, Android users have been wanting to know if their newer Android smartphones will be receiving this update of the Android operating system.  Here is a release date update for the HTC One M8, the Sony Xperia Z3, and the Motorola Moto X.

HTC One M8

The HTC One M9 recently was announced at Mobile World Congress, and it will have Lollipop out of the box.  It is kind of ironic that the HTC One M8 still doesn't have the Lollipop update, according to Know Your Mobile.  HTC promised to deliver the Lollipop update within 90 days of receiving the source Code from Google.  This would have meant a February 1st release date, but HTC hasn't exactly achieved that goal. 

The rollout has not appeared on carrier models but it has appeared on unlocked, developer, and Google Play variants of the M8 in the United States and Europe.  This is the official statement from HTC on why it has been delayed. 

"In the spirit of continued transparency, I wanted to share a quick update on where we're at with our Android Lollipop rollout process. We've been working hard in the labs with Google and our carrier partners ever since the code release and are making great progress so far, but if you've been following the progress of this rollout you will know that Google has had to address several issues with this release. We've been diligently working to fix some of them on our end and incorporating Google's fixes as quickly as possible, but despite everyone's best efforts some carrier versions of the HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) will not meet our 90 day goal, which is February 1st. While we are committed to delivering within this time period, we are even more committed to ensuring these updates result in an even better experience with your devicehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png because that is what the updates are intended to do."

The best that I think we can hope for as far as a Lollipop update for the HTC One M8 and the M7 is sometime in Q1 of 2015.  

The Sony Xperia Z3

There was a lot of anticipation that Sony would roll out the Xperia Z4 smartphone at Mobile World Congress 2015, but this has not surfaced as yet.  I'm sure when it does come out, it will have Lollipop right out of the box. 

So when is the Z3 going to get its Lollipop update? There doesn't seem to be any change since we last reported on it last month, with Sony's current flagship phone, Xperia Z3, being confirmed to get the Android 5.0 Lollipop OS update in February along with the slightly older Z2. The most recent source that I could find at The Christian Examiner on this topic also revealed that the download date is still uncertain.

A manual download is available for the Z2 and Z3 now on the XDA developers forum, but that software is experimental and doesn't include all features that are found in Lollipop. The Z2 and Z3 are not the only existing Sony devices that will be receiving the Android Lollipop update, though. Sony has confirmed that the mobile operating system update will be coming in "early 2015" to the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1S, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z3V, and the Xperia Z3 Compact. It is really just a question of when.

Motorola Moto X

Since the Moto X has a second generation (2014) and a first generation (2013), most reports that I have seen report that if you have the 2nd Gen Moto X, then you should have Lollipop.  I say "should" because I've been to Motorola's supposed official update list for its phones, and it is not very helpful at all, saying that they will keep its customers updated.  A recent review of the Moto X 2nd Gen on AT&T by Gotta Be Mobile shows that the Lollipop update is at least available on that carrier for the 2nd Gen model of the Moto X.

I think we can be certain that an Android update is overdue for certain versions of the HTC One M8, the Sony Xperia Z3, as well as certain generations of the Moto X, assuming they haven't got them already.  Users of these phones should constantly check their "Settings" under "System Updates" to make certain they get receive the update if they want it. 

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