When Dave Burke, head of Android engineering, addressed the Google I/O developer conference last summer, he called the new version of Android the biggest update to Google’s mobile operating system ever.
Now people get to see what the fuss is all about, as Google starts rolling out Lollipop today, at least for its own Nexus devices.
The biggest change to come with Lollipop is what Google calls “material design,” a flatter, streamlined look across desktop and mobile devices. The company recently released updated versions of its Google Play Music and Calendar apps to fit in with the Lollipop design, along with a new email application, Inbox.
According to the company, the new software arrives with several other apps from outside developers and companies that already support material design, including the Wall Street Journal, Tumblr and Buzzfeed. The company released the developer preview months ago to give developers time to get apps launch-ready.
“Today’s updates are just the beginning of delivering a modern design language for the next wave of devices in your life,” the company wrote in a blog post.
Lollipop also boosts battery life, adds improved notifications, and a “personal locking” feature that lets your Android devices unlock another.
Google’s own reference devices—including the new Nexus 9 tablet and the upcoming Nexus 6 smartphone—will be the first to get the overhauled operating system. Others will roll out over time as the phone manufacturers and carriers allow.
Lead image courtesy of Google
