After weeks of speculation and months of anticipation, Google’s finally revealed the next major iteration of their Android operating system. Say goodbye to the dreaded Android 4.5 rumors and say hello to the Android 5.0 Lollipop! Here are some of the things we should expect once it rolls out to smartphones:
- It’s a multi-platform OS that will be integrated on your smartphone, smartwatch, smart TV, and possibly even your vehicle.
- It’s another step towards the Internet of Things with the promise of seamless syncing between devices.
- Improved graphics quality
- A new Material Design UI will allow intuitive interaction with apps and content, along with fresh new aesthetics for icons, and the multitasking window. How? Shadows, animations, and color contrasts, of course!
- Smarter lock screen unlockable through a smartwatch and even facial expressions. You can also interact with notifications right from the lock screen. No more fiddling around just to dismiss that latest Facebook game request.
- 64-bit CPU support for more power and RAM utilization.
- ART (Android Run-time) will be the default environment and gone is the Dalvik run-time. In non-nerd language, this translates to faster apps and longer battery life.
- Unnecessary Android services (the ones that don’t make sense in Settings>Apps>All) have been switched off for longer battery life.
- Increased mobile security as you can kill your smartphone or tablet in case of theft, and you can manually set privacy settings for each app now.
- Better integration with productivity apps such as Microsoft Office.
Android 5.0 Lollipop will surely be in the majority of the Nexus devices, including the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 9, and Nexus 10. Fingers crossed that our current devices will be receiving the Lollipop update as well once it rolls out, hopefully next month.