If you own an Android device, your newest update is here in the form of Lollipop 5.0. This newest update will give your phone tablet a slew of exciting features like a brand new design, device sharing, revamped notifications and much more.
Android Lollipop
For those who aren’t familiar with it, Lollipop is the operating system used for Android devices. As such, this newest release is a big deal as it completely changes the way phones and tablets work. This newest version, as you can imagine, means that Android devices are all about to change in a big way.
Lollipop 5.0 was unveiled at Google I/O back in June 25, 2014. However, it was just recently unleashed, so let’s take a look at some of the advantages it provides.
New Design
The most prominent change that comes with Lollipop 5.0 is that the interface is completely different. Google made it with a brand new design language they have coined “material design.” This interface is extremely clean and involves responsive animations, grid-based layouts, depth effects, padding and much more.
In the end, Google is building on their prior card motifs that found so many fans. Still, this update is said to be even better.
Notification System
Building on the card design, all your notifications will now come on a digital card. You can then take these cards and batch them as you see fit to better organize your notifications. Using the same material design system we mentioned above means that many users may already feel at home with it, but plenty will also enjoy the user-friendly nature of this system.
When you lock your phone, notification cards will still pop up and there are even banners for more important messages you designate as vital. Action buttons are provided too, which makes it even easier to get your notifications and organize them as you want.
You can also opt to use a “do not disturb” feature so that these notifications are kept private and away from your screen until you decide to unlock it.
Developer Bait
Lollipop 5.0 is bound to attract a lot of new developers to the Android market too—even more than it already has. That’s because there are more than 5,000 APIs added to this platform. Developers will have a virtual field day creating new apps for your phone and tablet, meaning the Android store is about to explode.
Improved Battery Consumption
The problem with these operating systems is that the newer they are, the more juice they generally need. This is especially problematic for smartphone users who already tend to complain about how weak their batteries are.
Google has addressed these concerns with all kinds of battery saving features as well as a number of options the user can leverage in order to save even more energy if they don’t need it.
We’ll no doubt learn even more about Lollipop 5.0 as time goes on. For now, though, there is plenty to be impressed about this newest update to the Android platform.
By: Issa Asad
