Google puts Android 5 online for existing Nexus devices – update

Google has posted factory images of Android 5.0 Lollipop for the Nexus 5 and 7 online. Those interested can flash the images to their Nexus devices. It is unknown when an over-the-air update will follow.

The factory images that are placed online must be manually flashed with, for example, adb and therefore do not come in as a software update. There is a good chance that that so-called over-the-air update will follow soon, but it is not known when that will happen.

Although Google has promised that the Nexus 4 will also get an update to Android Lollipop, the software update is currently only available for the Nexus 5 and 7.

Google’s Nexus devices are usually the first to receive new Android versions, although several other phones have had the update for longer than the Nexus devices. Google would have postponed the update for the Nexus devices due to problems with battery life, according to a rumor.

Google announced Android 5.0 as Android L in June and provided more details last month. With the new version of the operating system, Android gets many new features and functions, such as notifications on the lockscreen and a design that Google describes as ‘material design’. Google has already updated many apps with that ‘material design’ in recent weeks, such as the Play Store, Calendar, Maps and Gmail.

Update, 22:50: The over-the-air updates would also be rolled out. The Nexus 5, 7 (Wi-Fi) and 10 would receive the KitKat update to Lollipop. The Nexus 9 and 6 would get bug fixes. The lte/3g versions of the Nexus 7 and the Nexus 4 would not receive any updates yet.