Motorola Rolling Out Android 5.0 Lollipop to Some Moto X, G Devices

Motorola is rolling out an automatic Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade to several models of its recent Moto X and Moto G smartphones, just a week after Google released the new Android operating system to all users and device makers.

“Get ready for something sweet! Android 5.0, Lollipop is officially here for some of our Motorola devices!” Seshadri Tangutur, of Motorola’s software engineering division, wrote in a Nov. 12 post on The Official Motorola Blog.

The operating system update is rolling out in the United States for Moto X (2nd Gen.) Pure Edition handsets, Moto G (2nd Gen.) US GSM phones and Moto G (2nd Gen.) Global GSM retail versions, Tangutur wrote.

Lollipop brings users a wide range of enhancements, including a new look and feel that’s based on Material Design visual style with more natural touch-screen interactions, vivid new colors, updated typography and edge-to-edge imagery, he wrote.

Also included in Android 5.0 are new capabilities that allow users to see and dismiss their notifications on their device lock screen without having to unlock the device, as well as new “Downtime” and “Interruption” settings that let users choose when people and messages can reach them, on their own terms.

In addition, Lollipop has a new Guest Mode that allows a user to let someone else, including a child, play with their phone without accessing personal information or settings, wrote Tangutur. A new battery saver mode is also included that will save power by reducing performance and most background data operations to extend battery life, he wrote.

“We’re working hard with our carrier partners to bring this update to more of our devices as soon as we can,” wrote Tangutur. “You can always check out the latest upgrade status for your phone by visiting our software updates page.”

Android 5.0 Lollipop is the fifth generation of Android, debuting earlier in November. Android has grown from a secret startup venture founded in 2003 by Google to become the world’s most ubiquitous mobile operating system, according to an earlier eWEEK report.

The latest edition of Motorola’s Moto X went on sale in September, featuring a 5.2-inch 1080p HD display, which is an upgrade from the 4.7-inch, 720p display of the first-generation devices. The metal-framed phone also includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor and voice-activated capabilities for a wide range of no-touch commands and functions. The phones include 2GB of RAM, Gorilla Glass 3 displays, a 13-megapixel main camera and a dual LED ring flash.

When the Moto X was first unveiled, it was hailed as the first smartphone that offered a lot of customization options for buyers, including more than 2,000 option combinations.

The Moto G smartphone was originally introduced in November 2013 as a $179 phone for the masses. The latest version was unveiled in October and continues the company’s battle in the low-price smartphone marketplace, according to a recent eWEEK report.