Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active on AT&T is receiving it’s update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. The update is a pretty large one, and definitely great to see, especially since the Galaxy S4 Active is rapidly approaching the 2 year mark. The update should be rolling out now and it’ll likely be a slow rollout over the next few weeks. What’s included in this update? According to the changelog from AT&T:
“Songs, photos, apps, and even recent searches from one Android device can be immediately enjoyed across all of your Android devices. New User Interface look and feel, more fluid motions. Priority mode to only allow certain notifications to get through. Battery saving features and remaining time left to charge or deplete indicators. Smart Lock to secure phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like a wearable or car. Most frequently used settings available with just two swipes down from the top screen.”
While the update is Android 5.0.1, you aren’t getting the new Touchwiz. As we’ve seen in the past, Samsung doesn’t like bringing the new version of their skin to older devices. And there’s some reasoning to that. The biggest reason is to keep from confusing users. That was a big issue when Apple redesigned their entire OS a few years ago. And that’s not something Samsung wants to go through. It also gives Samsung a reason to get you to buy a new Galaxy S6 or even a new Galaxy Note 4. If you’re using a Galaxy S4 Active, it’s likely that you are coming close to an upgrade anyways.
The update is going to be pretty hefty, so make sure you are on WiFi for this one. Additionally, AT&T only allows you to check for an update once a day. A bit odd – especially as the other carriers don’t do this – so if you’re checking for an update, be careful, as you might get locked out for 24 hours. Go ahead and go into Settings > About Phone > System Updates > Check For updates and see if there’s some tasty Lollipop there waiting for your rugged Galaxy S4 Active.