DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update: What You Need to Know is a post by Cory Gunther from Gotta Be Mobile.
The Verizon Motorola DROID Turbo is still running Android 4.4 KitKat nearly 8 months after it was announced, and the update to Android 5.1 Lollipop has been rumored for months. However, the past few weeks have been promising, and now it looks like Verizon and Motorola are finally ready to deliver the highly anticipated Android 5.1 update for the DROID Turbo.
Rumors about the Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop update have been floating around since as far back as December of last year, but here we are over seven months later and it has yet to arrive. Earlier this month Motorola said it was in the final testing phase, and rumors have been claiming a mid to late June release date.
Read: DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Update: What to Expect
Android 5.1 Lollipop, the successor to Android 4.4 KitKat, was released in November of last year just a few weeks after Verizon debuted the DROID Turbo. It was bad timing for Motorola but they’ve had plenty of time to get the latest software ready, and now it looks like it could finally be ready this weekend, or early next week. Read on for all the details.
At the end of October the DROID Turbo was officially released on Verizon, and since then we’ve heard countless rumors that an update is coming, but it has yet to arrive. Today though, reports have begun to surface suggesting it’s finally ready.
Read: Android 5.0 vs Android 4.4 KitKat: What’s New in Lollipop
The Android 5.0 Lollipop update delivered a number of new features detailed above, as well as tweaks and enhancements to the overall look and feel of Android, along with tons of animations and neat visual effects. However a few bugs and problems made Google deliver Android 5.1, as well as some new features which are coming to the DROID Turbo. We’re hearing it’s currently being tested, and could be released soon.
Turbo Android 5.1 Release Date
The DROID Turbo will jump straight from Android 4.4 KitKat to either Android 5.1 Lollipop, or the latest Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Google released back in April. This has been confirmed multiple times by Motorola employees on Google+ and Twitter. The only question now is when.
A few weeks ago David Schuster of Motorola took to Google+ and had this to say. Confirming the update is coming soon, and will indeed be Android 5.1 Lollipop.
Hey, I wanted to give a quick update on our progress on the DROID Turbo 5.1 lollipop upgrade since there seems to be A LOT of inaccurate information out there. We are still in the lab test cycle and things are looking good. We have not provided a launch date yet, but I will let you know as soon as the update is available.”
Lab test cycles typically take anywhere from 3-5 weeks to complete, but we’re not sure when the Verizon DROID Turbo actually started the testing phase. That said, it’s been nearly three weeks since that statement, and now today we’re finally seeing progress.
Late last night Motorola started sending out “software soak test” invites for the DROID Turbo. This is the last and final stage, one that typically lasts 2-4 days, where they test the software and update process with select users before the mass release for all owners. Now we don’t know that this is 100% Android 5.1 Lollipop, but the DROID Turbo already has seen a few small updates aimed at fixing problems, so most likely this is indeed Android 5.1 Lollipop for the Turbo.
If the soak test goes well, which they typically do on Motorola’s end, we usually see the software begin rolling out within 2-4 days of the soak test. That means it could be testing and finished before the weekend is over, or start rolling out to all Verizon DROID Turbo owners on Monday.
We’ll update the moment we know more, but all signs are pointing to the DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop update being ready in the next week, or even earlier.
DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Update
The new DROID Turbo is Motorola’s best smartphone released in 2014. It’s the same size and offers many similar features as the popular Moto X, only they improved a few key areas. Those being a huge 3,900 mAh battery, a 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD display vs the regular 1080p resolution on the Moto X, and cranked up the camera to 21 megapixels.
It’s their best phone, and one the company (and Verizon) will want running the latest version of Android. Motorola was quick to update the Moto X Pure Edition, and the Moto G (1st & 2nd Gen) all to Android 5.0 Lollipop back in November. Beating almost all other manufacturers, and even Google, to the update. However, the DROID Turbo didn’t get the same treatment, but it’s finally about to arrive.
Read: Android 5.1 vs Android 5.0 Lollipop: What’s New
According to some Moto engineers, the DROID Turbo will be updated directly to Android 5.1 Lollipop, and skipping 5.0 completely. This is to have the latest bug fixes, offer the best performance, and deliver a new VoLTE (HD Voice) feature Google integrated into Android Lollipop. This same feature is on the Verizon Nexus 6.
As shown above the Android 5.1 update also has a few other goodies and changes on top of the huge Android 5.0 update. With Android 5.1 users will have VoLTE calling, more stability, better battery life, an even better notification pulldown bar with quick settings and easy access to bluetooth and WiFi connections, and more. The walkthrough above shows all owners what to expect in Android 5.1 Lollipop. The DROID Turbo is mostly stock Android, and will have almost everything shown above.
Slow Arrival
When it does arrive, it will be a slow and staggered update. What this means is that Google and its partner carriers aren’t pushing the update out to all user at once. If they did the process would take longer for downloads to complete, and if any problems arise they won’t be able to stop it before millions of owners get the update.
Read: DROID Turbo Review
As a result, Motorola is doing the soak test mentioned above, and once that completes Verizon will begin the slow staggered over the air software update. It won’t hit all devices at once, but Verizon typically rolls updates out to all owners within a week.
Now that the soak test has surfaced for the DROID Turbo, an actual over the air update will arrive shortly and slowly hit all owners smartphones.
Android 5.1 Problems
The release of Android 5.0 Lollipop was the initial Lollipop debut, and as expected a few small bugs needed to be addressed. Once millions of users got it, more reports surfaced that got Google working on a fix. There was also a few issues with Android 5.1, and now the latest Android 5.1.1 Lollipop is currently on all Nexus devices, rolling out for the Galaxy S6, and could be what comes to the Turbo. Most of the problems users have been facing shouldn’t be present on the DROID Turbo update.
All Nexus devices have received Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and even the T-Mobile Galaxy S6. The update fixed most stability issues, improved performance, and fixed the memory leak bug. We’re hoping the Turbo goes right to Android 5.1.1, not just Android 5.1, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Our experience with Android 5.1 has been almost all positive, but surely there are a few bugs here and there. That said, once Android Lollipop arrives for the DROID Turbo, owners can expect a better experience, a new interface, more features, and hopefully even better battery life.
It’s worth noting that the Motorola DROID Turbo soak test invite mentioned users will be able to “participate in an early preview of a new software release” which means this isn’t just a bug fixing update, but a brand new release. Essentially confirming Android Lollipop. Stay tuned, the update will be here any day now.
DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update: What You Need to Know is a post by Cory Gunther from Gotta Be Mobile.
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