Android L 5 may finally be about to launch. First announced back at June's Google I/O conference, it is one of the most hotly anticipated Android updates ever. Android L is a major departure for the mobile OS, with a completely redesigned interface, more fluid animations, a renewed focus on improving battery life and, for the first time, compatibility with 64-bit processors.
Android L will go up against iOS 8, which along with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will give Apple devices a major boost. Google has been drip-feeding new features and announcements about Android L over the past few months and we've gathered together everything we know in one place. We'll be regularly updating this article with all the latest updates, so keep checking back for the latest rumours and news.
Android L 5 release date
The latest rumours suggest that Android L 5 will be revealed on either October 15th or 16th, but we'd take this speculation with a huge barrow-load of salt. According to Android Authority, which claims to have "sources familiar with Google's plans" (we doubt it), Google will unveil Android L 5 on either 15th or 16th October along with the Nexus 8/Nexus9/Nexus X and the Nexus 6. The same sources say that Android L 5 will "officially" launch on 1 November. We're not holding our breath.
Google hasn't given any hints as to when Android L 5 will launch, but it is extremely unlikely it'll launch it before a new Nexus device. It has long been expected that this will happen sometime during the autumn and possibly in November, hence lots of made-up rumours suggesting possible dates. We'll get at least a couple of weeks notice, with Google certain to do a big press unveiling of its latest operating system.
How to get Android L developer preview now
If you want to get your hands dirty then Android L is available right now as a developer preview form for the Nexus 5 smartphone and Nexus 7 tablet. You can download the developer preview of Android L 5 for free. With a bit of fiddling you can even install it on handsets from third party manufacturers; there's already a custom ROM for the HTC One (m7) and others are appearing every day on the XDA Developer forums.
Android L version name
While Google has told us that the next version of Android will be 'L', that's as far as it's gone, not telling us which version number it's going for or what the 'L' stands for. With regards to the version number, there are two current schools of thinking: that it will be Android 4.5 or that it will be Android 5.
Given that we're currently on Android 4.4.4, the next logical step would be Android 4.5; however, from what we've seen so far, the next version of Android is not just a minor incremental update, but a complete reworking of the entire OS. With that in mind Android 5 feels the more likely choice and we'll continue to use it throughout this article until we know otherwise.
In regards to the name, we know that Android versions are and have always been named after confectionary. As the last version was named after the KitKat, some people have speculated that Android L will be Lion Bar. More plausible is that Google will just go back to more generic names, so Lollipop feels right. Besides, Google's 16th birthday cake was decorated with lollipops, so how much of a clue do we want?
Android L 5 updates for older phones
Any major Android release will be eagerly anticipated, but it's not much fun being stuck on an outdated version because your phone manufacturer doesn't plan to release an update. Thankfully that shouldn't be the case for HTC and Motorola customers. Right after Google made Android L official, HTC issued a statement confirming the current One (m8) and original One (m7) would be receiving Android L updates "within 90 days of [HTC] receiving final software from Google." A leaked roadmap, posted to XDA Developers, appears to show plans to add other handsets to this small list, but many are currently marked as "under evaluation" rather than confirmed.
Motorola has already confirmed that the new Moto G will be updated to Android L, while the new Moto X will also almost certainly be upgraded to Android L. As both devices use a stock version of Android they are likely to be among the first to get the update.
Android L 5 could also be coming to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 as early as November. The latest version of the Android operating system, which is yet to be given an official name, is set to launch in the autumn but a release date has not been confirmed.
If Google launches Android L 5 alongside the new Nexus 6 then it is likely to come to flagship handsets from the likes of Samsung, HTC and LG soon after. According to Sammobile the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S5 will be among the first devices to get the Android L 5 upgrade. No specific dates are mentioned the report claims the update will arrive "by the end of November/early December".
Unfortunately none of the other major manufacturers have made an official statement on which phones will be getting an update to Android L, potentially forcing owners to root their devices and install unofficial custom ROMs to get Google's latest and greatest.
Android L 5 Material Design
Android L has over 5,000 new APIs ticking away behind the scenes, but the most obvious changes will always be the visual ones. The new 'Material Design' (Google's caps) scheme is set to appear on every Google platform, not just Android. Apparently Google drew inspiration from pens and inks, with every icon and user interface element casting an accurate shadow to give a sense of depth. Everything animates as you touch it, with objects flying into view and tapped icons rippling like puddle.
The home screen, lock screen, settings pull-down menu, main settings page and even the onscreen navigation buttons have received a makeover. Android L will also include new system widgets to match the design scheme. Finally, every Google app will be redesigned to match the new look, with some having already been upgraded in time for the developer preview release.
Certain redesigned apps were teased behind closed doors at Google I/O, but that hasn't stopped leaked images appearing online. The highest profile leak so far has revealed a completely new look for the Play Store, on both tablet and smartphone. Images of a work-in-progress version of the app show a greater focus on images, a simplified layout, more colour coordination and more prominence for film trailers or app/game teaser videos. The leaked images still show Google has some work to do, as detailed content appears to be missing, but it should make it much easier to browse through the expansive Play Store to find what you're looking for once the update arrives.
The notifications system has been completely overhauled for Android L as well. Currently, Android users have to unlock their device to check, respond to or dismiss notifications, but with Android L they will be able to do this from the lock screen. They will appear as a stack of Google Now-like cards, which can be scrolled through rather than flooding the screen. Each one has an in-line preview, giving context.
Android L 5 features
Android L isn't all about looks; it will also include lots of clever new features. Personalised unlocking is one of our favourites. Essentially it makes your smartphone or tablet search for familiar Bluetooth gadgets, Wi-Fi networks, locations and even voice imprints to deactivate any lockscreen protections, letting you jump straight into your phone when it knows you're nearby. If the device can't detect any of these metrics, anyone trying to use it will be presented with the standard lockscreen.
The recent apps page will become the recent content page, displaying all your content in one list of Google Now-styled cards. You'll be able to jump between apps and the web, with links in Google search results jumping straight from the browser into the relevant part of an app. Although not strictly built into Android L, Google will also be giving its mobile webpages and search an overhaul in time for its release. The Material Design will be carried across, along with smooth animations and a slicker interface.
Google will be updating its stock Android keyboard for Android L, adding more personalisation and scrapping the individual tiled keys - instead each letter will sit on a flat background, which should make it easier for those with larger fingers and thumbs to type quickly. Also set to arrive are a Do No Disturb mode, which automatically deactivates all notifications and audio during set times, support for Bluetooth 4.1 and a completely redesigned Audio backend with support for USB audio devices.
Android L 5 performance
The biggest back-end change is the move from the Dalvik runtime to ART. Part of the operating system at a basic level, the ART runtime supports ARM, x86 and MiPS instructions, and a mix of AOT, JIT and interpreted code. Essentially Android now speaks a lot more languages and will work on more CPUs than its predecessor. This alone could improve performance by as much as twofold over Dalvik, without developers making any code adjustments.
DirectX 11-level graphics will finally make their way to Android using the Android extension pack. This set of APIs support advanced effects such as tessellation, geometry shaders, texture compression and compute shaders, and have the potential to put mobile devices on par with games consoles and PC games.
Android L 5 battery life
Google has concentrated on improving battery life in Android L with Project Volta. Similar to how Jelly Bean's Project Butter was an effort to make animations feel smoother and more responsive, Project Volta includes a new battery historian to better visualise battery discharge. This will help users work out what a device was doing at any given point in a battery cycle to find out which apps are draining the most power.
A battery saver mode will be included in stock Android for the first time with Android L, after being a common tweak for third party manufacturers. It will activate automatically when your battery drops below a certain percentage, downclocking the CPU, disabling extra features like location reporting and dimming the display. Google says a Nexus 5 running Android L gets around 90 minutes of extra use over the course of a typical day, without actually changing how a customer uses their phone.
