Although Google isn’t yet rolling out Android Marshmallow to the masses (it’s currently rumored that the rollout will begin on October 5th), many users are this morning waking up to an automatically-updated Google Now Launcher, sporting a design that might be familiar to those who have taken a look at the Android M developer preview…
Expand
Expanding
Close
As we told you yesterday, Google is preparing several big Chromecast announcements for its September event later this month. According to the internal documents that 9to5Google has obtained, the company is planning to launch not only brand new Chromecast hardware and Spotify support, but an updated companion app for the streaming device as well. The new app seems to build on the previous, packing suggested content features, a new design, and more…
Expand
Expanding
Close
In case you’re uninitiated in third party launchers (which you shouldn’t be, considering Cam’s recent deep dive), Nova Launcher is definitely one of the most popular. The latest version of Nova Launcher beta is now available, and of the many new features that this version brings, the most notable is a new tweak allowing the normalization of icon sizes…
Expand
Expanding
Close
It was about a month ago that Google announced that it would begin pushing security updates to Nexus devices on a monthly basis, and now it looks like the second of those is about to be released. The Nexus factory images page hasn’t been updated yet, but several software update pages on T-Mobile’s website say that Google is pushing out a mandatory update today with “Android security enhancements” and “minor bug fixes”…
There’s definitely not much to see here, and this update doesn’t even go as far as to patch any specific vulnerabilities (in contrast to last month’s update, which very clearly intended to patch the vulnerability in Stagefright. We’ll update this post as soon as Google uploads the images, but you can also just keep up to date by checking your device for an OTA. Many of the updates sport build LMY48M, and range between 7 and 30 MB.
Google pushed an update to its Android Auto app today refreshing the home screen to bring bigger, easier to see cards, particularly when using navigation and playing music. Previously, all stacked cards were of equal height. Now, the top activity card is double the height of any of the cards below. Being bigger not only makes them easier to see, but also easier to interact with on the touch screen.
As well as the updated user interface, there are a few bug fixes and performance improvements. You can download the fresh update right now from the Google Play Store. It’s a free update and requires Android 5.0 or later to work. Obviously, you’ll also need a car with a compatible built-in system, or a compatible after-market system.
You can find out more about Android Auto, including compatible vehicles, over at android.com/auto.
Google and several of its manufacturer partners rushed to fix a vulnerability found within Android which could see malware installed through simply receiving an MMS message. Dubbed Stagefright, it was described as the worst vulnerability to be found since the dawn of the new Mobile OS era. According to one security firm, sadly, the patches being released by a number of Android OEMs aren’t enough to fully fix the vulnerability.
When Google launched the Android One program, its goal was to bring reliably-updated devices at affordable prices to developing countries. We’ve seen the program make its way to nine countries, most recently Pakistan and Myanmar, and now it’s bringing a new device to India. It’s called the Lava Pixel V1, and it has some decent specs and a modest price tag…
Expand
Expanding
Close
Sony confirmed in a blog post that its Android 5.1 update for the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z2 device family is rolling out now. Devices including the Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact, Z3 Tablet Compact, Xperia Z2, and Z2 Tablet are part of this current wave of software releases.
As always, if you have a carrier device you may have to wait a few weeks or months for your network operator to give its approval to the software. If you have the unlocked model, however, you could see the update any day now. Be sure to keep checking for updates in your settings menu if you haven’t already received a notification to download the OTA.
Included in the Android 5.1 Lollipop update are the following new features:
Older Xperia products will be getting the update “over the coming weeks”, according to Sony. Devices like the Z1, Z1 Compact and Xperia Z Ultra will be first in line before the T2 Ultra, Xperia C3 and original Xperia Z are updated a little while later.
For reasons unknown, AT&T has just suspended the rollout of Android 5.1 to the first generation Moto X. Motorola announced the update last month, and it first began rolling out to AT&T Moto X (2013) owners on July 7th.
Here’s what AT&T says on its support website:
UPDATE SUSPENDED
Effective July 20, 2015, the Android 5.1 (Lollipop) software update for the Moto X (XT1058) has been temporarily suspended. We apologize for any inconvenience and are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
As mentioned, it’s not yet clear why AT&T has pulled the update for now. The company does say that it is working to resolve the issue as soon as it can, and the rollout should continue soon.
Sony has invited Xperia Z3 owners in Sweden to test a new Android concept software. The company plans to run the group testing between July 27th and September 13th, but doesn’t reveal any specifics about the particular software, what it’s going to look like or whether or not it’ll eventually become publicly available.
It would seem Sony is working on a fresh, new look for its own bespoke Android UI, and wants to get real-life feedback and usage/crash statistics from real people. Those signing up are warned that the process will require a complete wipe of their phones’ personal settings, data and content. The trial itself is limited. Only Xperia Z3 owners with Windows PCs in Sweden can sign up. No other device will work, and customers from other countries won’t be able to join in either.
“‘Sony’s Android™ concept’ is a new initiative for Sony users that have a passion for innovation and the latest technology. As a Sony user you have the opportunity to trial a new concept Android™ software build for Xperia Z3. The initiative is all about letting you – our users – evaluate the software, so we can acquire feedback to improve the experience based on what you like and what you don’t.”
If you fit all the criteria, you can apply to join the program here.
With Google having released the second version of its developer preview for Android M, we thought it would be useful to take you through a visual tour of some of the changes …
It was back at Google I/O 2015 that the company released the first developer preview of the upcoming Android M, and now, right on cue, the company has released the second developer preview. Just like we did with the initial release of M, it’s time to dissect developer preview 2 and really figure out what kind of progress the Android engineers over in Mountain View have been making over the last few weeks. And based on our initial impression, it looks like a lot has changed — and for the better…
Expand
Expanding
Close
Update: While we can’t verify the authenticity of this quote, it seems that Yahoo News might be wrong..
We do not have any ongoing development of Jolla version of YotaPhone. I can’t say how things will turn in the future. Maybe Sailfish will obtain a certain market share as mobile OS.
At this point of time, we are fully committed to Android and recently migrated our customer base to 5.0 and working on the next generation of Android OS.
Yota, the Russian company behind the dual-screened YotaPhone, has reportedly decided (via Yahoo News) to no longer pack Google’s Android on its future handsets. Instead, the phone maker will be going with Jolla’s Sailfish, a spin-off of Nokia’s former MeeGo Linux distribution. Sailfish, which was built by many of the same engineers that worked on MeeGo, reportedly beat out Samsung’s Tizen in Yota’s search for an Android alternative…
Expand
Expanding
Close
Owners of the super-selfie-shooting HTC Desire Eye on AT&T are about to throw a party. HTC’s Mo Versi has announced on Twitter today that the phone received technical approval yesterday and that the rollout of its OTA to Android 5.0 is to start rolling out today.
I actually own an HTC Desire Eye, and I have yet to see the update hit my device. It’s rolling out in stages over the next couple of days, though, so it probably won’t be long. In other Lollipop news today, Sprint’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge seem to be getting Android 5.1.
Great news for HTC Desire Eye AT&T owners! We've just received technical approval for Lollipop update! OTA to start tomorrow!
— Mo Versi (@moversi) June 30, 2015
We told you last week that an Android 5.1 soak test was beginning for the Verizon Moto X, and now it looks like the update has been made official. Motorola has today announced the rollout of Android 5.1 to both the original Moto X and the Moto X (2014), both of which should be rolling out imminently.
In Android 5.1, there are improvements across the board, including changes to how notifications are handled, drop-down menus for both Bluetooth and WiFi in the quick settings shade, device protection, system-wide performance improvements, and more.
We are excited to announce a new software update for Moto X (2nd Gen.) by Motorola. This update brings Android™ 5.1 Lollipop to your phone along with other improvements. Android™ 5.1 Lollipop improves stability and provides better control over notifications.
If you have the 2014 Moto X “Pure Edition,” then you’ve probably had Android 5.1 running on your device for about a month now. For those unfortunate enough to be stuck with a carrier version of the first- or second-generation Moto X, keep an eye out for the update to hit your device in the coming days.
Update: It looks like the Amazon Appstore actually began rolling out to devices with the 10.3.1 update, and that BlackBerry was simply re-highlighting the feature it added previously. Perhaps humorously, it looks like not enough people use BlackBerry devices to even know if the addition is new or not. Some users have told us that they’ve had the Appstore by default since 10.3.1, which makes us think this feature is old. Move along.
BlackBerry is rumored to be going with an Android OS for its next hardware release, according to a report from Reuters last week. But while we haven’t heard anything about that handset quite yet, it looks like BlackBerry is already giving in to the inevitable fact that it just can’t keep up with the competition — on the software front, at least. Starting today, owners of some BlackBerry devices will be receiving an update that gives access to Android apps by way of Amazon’s Appstore…
NVIDIA’s SHIELD Android TV box is already becoming known as one of the best set-top boxes to ever exist, and now it’s getting even better. Thanks to a recent update, version number 1.2, the device is getting support for 4K resolution in the Photos & Videos app, optimized streaming of Netflix and Google Play Movies, enhancements to NVIDIA’s GameStream service, and other enhancements.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Update: AT&T has confirmed that they are the source of the update, but hasn’t said why it was pushed or what it contains.
According to several angry reports swirling around on Reddit, Twitter, and elsewhere, either AT&T or LG (or both?) seemingly just pushed a mysterious update to the LG G4 without asking permission. Some users even had their calls dropped while talking and saw their LG G4 reboot in front of their eyes, without a notification that this would happen or any dialog box asking permission…
Expand
Expanding
Close
Cyanogen, along with announcing a couple of contests aimed at finding 3 people to give exclusive early access to the OnePlus 2, has this morning taken to its forum to give us an update on the current state of software for the OnePlus One and the OnePlus 2. The company says that Cyanogen OS 12.1, updated with Android 5.1 Lollipop is on the way and should arrive soon:
CM12.1, updated to 5.1, is on its way. We have a preview build that’s undergoing factory testing and google certification. You will have it soon.
Sadly, though, if you were hoping for the Android 5.1 updated version of OxygenOS, it looks like you’re going to have to wait for the OnePlus 2. It will be coming to the OnePlus One, however—just after it comes to the OnePlus 2 later this fall. A new build of OxygenOS will be landing soon with touchscreen fixes (also included in the above COS release).
…we won’t have an OTA for the community build of OxygenOS we released back in April for the OnePlus One until after the OnePlus 2 release. We will put up a new build very soon with the touchscreen fix for those of you who are experiencing this problem but we won’t have an official update until we have the resources to do a proper job.
While the company has been talking about the OnePlus 2 a lot this week, we still don’t really know anything about the upcoming handset. That said, the two contests that OnePlus announced today suggest that we might be hearing about the phone sooner than expected, so be sure to keep an ear out for the announcement—with OnePlus, we know it’s going to be teased (a lot).
It’s widely speculated that LG is working to bring WiFi support to the LG G Watch R in some future release of Android Wear, but in the most recent official release, 5.1.1, the smartwatch is notably left out. Being left out of a feature isn’t an unsolvable problem for the XDA Developers community, though, as it appears one developer has put together a hack for enabling WiFi on the round smartwatch from LG…
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google Maps was updated to version 9.9 today, and with this incremental update comes an actual Google Maps app on Android Wear devices (surprise, surprise?), a translucent status bar (finally!), and more…
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google first announced Android Wear 5.1.1 back in April, and said that the update should be rolling out over the “coming weeks.” It looks like “coming weeks” has finally arrived today, as the company just took to its Product Forums to announce (again?) that the update to 5.1.1 should be rolling out “gradually in the coming days and weeks.”
In order for you to receive this update on your watch, please make sure you have the latest version of the Android Wear app on your phone, by opening the Play Store, searching for “Android Wear”, and opening the app’s Play Store page. If an [Update] button is visible, make sure to update the app.
We hope you are as excited about this update as we are. The release will roll out gradually in the coming days and weeks. Please feel free to ask questions, share feedback, and let us know if you encounter any issues!
While many of the Android Wear OEMs at this point have already confirmed the features that are (or aren’t) coming to their devices, Google also took this opportunity to finalize the devices that would be getting much sought-after WiFi support. It looks like it’s only four devices for the moment, including the LG Watch Urbane (obviously), the Moto 360, the Sony Smartwatch 3, and the Samsung Gear Live.
For the full rundown of the features coming with 5.1.1, see the original announcement.
It wasn’t that long ago that Android Wear got its big update to Android 5.1.1, but now rumors about the next revision of the smartwatch operating system are starting to pop up. According to the well-connected Artem Russakovskii, the Android Wear team is currently cooking up support for watches with built-in speaker hardware, as well as planning to introduce on-watch calling…
According to a statement from a member of the Google Chrome team, there are currently “no plans” to bring extensions to the mobile version of the browser. It’s a feature that has long been wanted, but the Chrome for Android Technical Program Manager says that they haven’t been able to implement them and still provide a good UX.
As per the AMA from yesterday:
There are no plans to add extensions support on mobile. We haven’t been able to implement these on mobile and still have it be a good user experience.
This seems a bit like the team is dodging the question here, and they don’t provide any details as to what exactly it is about the mobile experience that gets worse with extensions in the picture. One of the most popular extensions, AdBlock, would put an end to mobile ads—many of which Google themselves serves. Maybe this is what’s keeping extensions from allowing a “good user experience.”
