Lollipop's new features sweeten the Android experience

SWEET: Google unveils Lollipop Android system

 If you have not already heard, Microsoft recently announced that it will finally be dropping the Nokia branding from their smartphones. Moving forward, their line of Windows Phones will be known as Microsoft Lumia. This isn't shocking news, as it seemed inevitable from the time Microsoft purchased Nokia back in April 2014. 

While this may not seem to have anything to do with Android matters, it is still an interesting topic of discussion as it signifies the end of an era that once seemed untouchable. On the other hand, it is arguable that the rise of operating systems (OS) like the iOS and Android is what led to Nokia's eventual fall from glory.

The dropping of the Nokia name will definitely invoke nostalgic memories for many of us, whether we have ever owned any of their devices or not. I grew up during Nokia's glory days, although I never personally owned any of their devices. I was a staunch Sony Ericsson supporter, but the majority of my friends were die-hard Nokia fans. I did not like the Nokia brand partly because their phones were too mainstream back then, but I did secretly admire some of the models that they had to offer back in the day. Models like the 3310 and the N95 were such revolutionary masterpieces that many will appreciate their existence even to this day.

There are many reasons why Nokia's fortune may have nose-dived the way that it did, but in my opinion, one of the more prominent reasons was their delayed response in embracing change. In a market that wanted touchscreen smartphones with an ecosystem relying on apps, they stuck on with the Symbian OS for longer than they should, and lost many of their users to iOS and Android devices.

Nokia's fall from power is a valuable lesson for every business that nothing should be taken for granted. In order to survive, change and progress is vital.

Biggest Android update in 3 years

Change and progress is indeed what we are receiving in the Android world. Most of you who follow tech news will know that Google had earlier announced the next version of Android at the Google I/O in June 2014.

While Google did not give an official name to the next version of the OS back then, merely referring to it as Android L, we now know that the L is known as Lollipop and is finally on the verge of being released.

The latest version of the Google OS will be the biggest Android update in three years. The last few OS update announcements have all been incremental updates to the Jelly Bean version of Android, running from version 4.0 to 4.4 in that span.

This update brings a long list of new features and improvements to the table, but the following are a few that have caught my attention.

One of the main changes to the Android ecosystem with Lollipop will be Material Design, which will be the new design language across Android and Google as a whole. According to Google, Material Design is a comprehensive guide for visual, motion, and interaction design across platforms and devices. Aside from the use of eye catching pastel colours, Material Design is meant to impress by using transitions and animation to make the apps more appealing and engaging to users. This has actually been rolled out slowly to existing Google Apps, regardless of whether you're on the latest version or not. The most obvious example will be the Google Play Store and Chrome browser, which are noticeably different visually. Expect to see more apps to get this face lift in the coming weeks and months.

Another big change that Lollipop is set to bring is improvements in notifications. The latest OS update will offer new ways to control how and when you receive your messages. Just like how Android 4.1 Jelly Bean brought expandable notifications that could be viewed and responded from the notification bar, Lollipop will allow you to do the same directly from your lock screen. The ability to customise your notifications would mean that you can also set it such that incoming calls will no longer interrupt what you're doing on your Android. This is especially useful when you are in the midst of recording something or relying on a navigation app in an unknown area.

My biggest beef with smartphones is that the battery does not seem to be able to last. This is such a widespread problem that most manufacturers are now shipping their devices with battery saving features. Lollipop will offer Google's own power management capabilities in the form of Project Volta. It is set to have a battery saver feature which is said to be able to extend battery life by up to 90 minutes. The estimated time left before the device requires charging will also be displayable, as is the time required to finish charging the device once the charger is plugged in. 

For those who are concerned about the security of your smartphones, Lollipop will offer encryption to help protect data on lost or stolen devices. The addition of a "factory reset protection" will hopefully serve as a deterrent to possible theft. Devices with this feature enabled will not allow factory resets unless a password is inputted, hence making it more difficult for thieves to sell off stolen phones. The introduction of Android Smart Lock helps users manage their lock screen security by bypassing the lock screen when paired with a trusted device, such as your smartwatch or car stereo. When disconnected from the device, the lock screen security will be re-enabled.

Multiple user accounts for tablets were introduced in Android Jelly Bean. Now this feature will be making its way to smartphones with Lollipop, making it easier for you to share your phone with your children or significant other. Screen pinning is another feature that can be very useful. It will lock the pinned app so that you can lend your Lollipop device to a family member or a friend and not have to worry about that person snooping around your phone and invading your privacy.

Another interesting addition will be the ability to set up new devices easily. Google is adding another feather to Near Field Communication functionality by allowing users to set up their new Android by just tapping the old device with the new one. Restoring apps from old devices to new ones will also be made easier with Lollipop. 

Update availability

Android 5.0 Lollipop will launch together with two new Nexus devices - the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9. The two devices will go on sale on the Nov 3 2014 in the U.S. There is  no word yet on when it will reach Malaysian shores.

As expected, the Nexus lineup will be the first to receive the updates. This will then be followed by the various Google Play Editions smartphones in the market. We are sure other manufacturers will follow suit sooner than later, despite manufacturers such as Samsung requiring a longer time to update their devices as they will first have to incorporate their layered user interface into the OS, before conducting additional testing.

Having been an Android user since the days of Android 2.1 Eclair in 2010, it has indeed been an exciting experience whenever a new version of Android is released. While some highly publicised features turned out to be more problematic than useful (Android 2.2 Froyo's Flash player support, anyone?), most of the updates brought welcomed improvements to the overall smartphone user experience. With Lollipop, we get yet another huge step in the world's biggest mobile OS.

(Donovan is a full-time auditor and big-time gadget lover who discovered the wonders of the Android world back in October 2010. He is already in love with Material Design and can't wait for Lollipop's lock screen notifications to play with.)