The only LTE model of the Moto G, which is the 2013 Moto G, is now getting its update to Android 5.1. This comes just after, Motorola finally updated the Moto X 2013 on AT&T, with that being the last Moto X needing the update, it’s time to move onto the Moto G. Today’s update has a pretty large changelog as you’d expect. There’s plenty of bug fixes including fixing the clock, which wasn’t updating automatically, Chrome crashing when launching, and way more.
With the Android 5.1 update you’ll also get some nice new features from Lollipop including Smart Lock which allows you to use a passcode on your device, but it’ll stay unlocked when connected to a specific Bluetooth or NFC device. Like a smartwatch, speaker, or something else. Which is pretty neat actually. You’ll also get Material Design, which is Google’s newest design language, and it looks quite nice, actually. There’s also the revamped notification panel in Android 5.1, which allows you to quickly switch WiFi networks without going into settings, this also works for Bluetooth. You can also quickly switch users on the device. Which is probably more useful on tablets, but still a great feature to have.
The update is available now, so you can head into Settings > About Phone > System Updates > Check for Updates and see if the update is available for you. If it’s not available right away, you may need to wait a bit, but it should be available fairly soon. These types of updates are usually staged – and that’s to be sure the updates don’t brick devices or cause major issues – so it could take a few days before you get the update.
Additionally, it appears that only Moto G LTE 2013 devices in the US are getting the update at this time, not those in Europe and other parts of the world. However, we should be seeing the update hit other parts of the world shortly. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as it does.