Canadians that own a Samsung Galaxy S5 can jump for joy today as their Android 5.0 Lollipop update is beginning to roll out across Canada. Bell users seem to be the first to receive notification via Bell’s Twitter account (see below) and some users that have downloaded the Lollipop update say that it is showing up on their devices as ‘Firmware G900W8VLU1BOB3.’ Rogers had let us know that their best guess for the Galaxy S5 Lollipop update was February/March, so this should be right on time, as once one carrier releases the update, the others are generally close behind.
On Bell’s page they say that the Enhancements include “Android 5.0 Lollipop OS upgrade (A new user interface design, improved notifications and more),” and “Various improvements.” That description does not begin to cover the importance or breadth of this update…we are not going from Android 4.2 to 4.4. This major upgrade takes into account Google’s complete redesign with the most defining characteristic called Material Design.
This new Material Design will spread across all devices, making it easier than ever to get up from your Laptop and pull out your smartphone or tablet while away from your house or business and pick up right where you left off. The design is more bright and colorful with certain areas using specific colors. The app drawer, notification shade and settings menu will go to white or with more transparent backgrounds – gone are the blacks and dark colors. There are subtle animations here and there, always with bright colors throughout the UI. There will be an extensive use of the Google Cards throughout and the menus will flow in a more intuitive way. You will also see a ‘kinder and gentler’ TouchWiz that conforms more to the Material Design.
Because these updates ‘roll’ out, if you haven’t already received a notification on your phone prompting you to download the software, you can manually check for the update via Menu -> Settings -> About device -> Software update -> Update. Please hit us up on our Google+ Page and let us know if you received the update, if it showed up on your Galaxy S5 or if you had to check for it, how the upgrade went and which carrier you are on…as always, we would love to hear from you.
