It's been a long wait for Nexus 7 owners, but Android 5.0 Lollipop is almost here. Manufacturer Asus confirmed the latest update to Google's mobile OS would be arriving on devices imminently as an over-the-air (OTA) update, with both the newer 2013 edition and the 2012 original both getting the bump to Lollipop.
As we've come to expect from Nexus devices, the Nexus 7 will use a completely stock version of Lollipop, complete with Google's Material Design, heads-up notifications, Project Volta battery savings and multiple user profiles across all devices - not just tablets.
Other major additions include greater control over which notifications appear on the lock screen, saving your blushes when leaving your device on a desk at work, support for low-energy Bluetooth Smart in compatible devices, and 'personal unlocking' feature which automatically disables lock screen protection when connected to a home Wi-Fi network, or any other network the user marks as a 'safe' zone.
Although Android 5.0 Lollipop is rolling out now for Wi-Fi only Nexus 7 tablets, anyone with a 3G/LTE model is still in for a bit of a wait; Asus confirmed the mobile broadband-equipped devices wouldn't be getting their lick of Lollipop until the beginning of December.
We've just checked our 2013 Nexus 7 and it's still saying there's no need to update, but others may be luckier - be sure to check your device throughout the week if you want to upgrade. The check, tap the Settings icon in the app drawer, then 'About tablet' and then 'System updates'.
However, you may not want to update right away; there have been reports of Android Lollipop causing problems on Nexus devices, including the Nexus 7. If you use your tablet predominantly for watching video, you may want to wait for others to install the update to make sure bugs preventing playback are squashed - anyone installing the Google-approved factory image (wiping their tablet in the process) has the chance to encounter the bug, but it's not clear if the OTA update will be affected.
