Moto G, Moto X and Moto E Android L 5.0 Update News; Coming Soon to Droid Ultra, Mini, Maxx

By Shawn Schuster
Moto X
Motorola has launched Android 5.0 Lollipop on the Moto X and Moto G. Photo: Motorola

Motorola has started rolling out the Android 5.0 Lollipop OS update to its latest Moto X and Moto G phones last week with more to come.

According to a blog post on Motorola's official site, the second generation Moto X 2014 Pure Edition, the second generation Moto G US Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and the second generation Moto G Global GSM retail version have all received the newest Android operating system update. These updates come on the same day as Google's own flagship Nexus devices, presumably because Motorola is the manufacturer of the Nexus devices, as well.

"We're working hard with our carrier partners to bring this update to more of our devices as soon as we can," the blog post says, noting that your own device and carrier may not see the update just yet.

Related: Android L Update Problems: Wi-Fi Connection, Lag, Performance Issues on Nexus Devices  

Previously, we heard confirmation that Motorola's devices were getting the Lollipop update, and some rumors even pinpointed the day correctly to coincide with the Nexus devices' update. While the first generation Moto X and Moto G, along with the lower-spec Moto E have yet to get word of their own upgrade dates, they have been confirmed to get the update at some point. The Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, and Droid Mini have also been confirmed to get the 5.0 Lollipop update, yet no exact date has been announced.

Android 5.0 Lollipop is the popular platform's latest edition of Google's mobile operating system software. It features a newly redesigned user interface, a visual overhual, improvements to notifications and security, and a more robust battery life. It's said to be Android's largest and most significant update to the platform in several years and has been highly anticipated by the growing pool of Android fans since its announcement this summer.

Android 5.0 Lollipop was first released to developers on November 3 to allow manufacturers and cell carriers the opportunity to customize the open source code to accommodate their own devices. This feature has made Android the most popular mobile operating system in the world, so the release of Lollipop marks a significant milestone in the mobile market.

Motorola's 2nd gen Moto X was released on September 5, 2014 and features several improvements over its predecessor. An aluminum frame, front-facing speaker, and a set of infrared motion sensors top off the list of improvements, as well as an upgraded 5.2-inch screen, 2.5 GHz chip, and 2 GB of RAM. The "Pure Edition" that received this Lollipop upgrade is not tied to any specific carriers and features an unlocked SIM card that's compatitble with most GSM networks.

The 2nd gen Moto G is similar to the Moto X, but is considered a lower-spec model with a more accessible price and availability worldwide. It features a 5-inch screen, 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 chip, 1 GB of RAM, and 8 or 16 GB of storage. Both the US and Global GSM versions that received this update are available with single SIM cards.

Since this Lollipop update is said to be rolling out in stages, your specific device may not get the update at the same time as others. To check the status of your specific device, you can head on over to the software updates page or check manually by visiting Settings > About Phone > Software Updates > Check Now on your phone. 

The manufacturer has also released some helpful tips on its blog to help you get more out of Android 5.0 Lollipop on your Motorola phone.

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