Notwithstanding the arrival and availability of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow already, the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop finally arrives, albeit belatedly, on the Samsung Galaxy S5 units that are connected with AT&T in the US.
Obviously, it is a preparatory firmware update for Samsung’s 2014 flagship smartphone before it takes on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Reports have it that the latest OS from Google will make it to Samsung devices early next year.
The Android 5.1.1 Lollipop started rolling out on the Samsung Galaxy S5 devices on October 22. The update brings along many security fixes including ones for the Stagefright exploits, notes Neurogadget.
There are already two Stagefright exploits – Stagefright 1.0 and Stagefright 2.0. Both exploits are gateways for hackers to wrests control over a user’s device.
The Stagefright exploits allow hackers to gain access to one’s mobile device by sending an MMS. Once the user opened the MMS, it would allow the hackers to connect to the infected devices and steal data from them.
The update comes via OTA or over-the-air so Samsung Galaxy S5 users who have yet to receive the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop should manually check it in the Settings menu of their handsets.
In taking on the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, it is important that the smartphone has 60% or more battery life and that it should be connected to a Wi-Fi network to ensure that no mobile data will be wasted or lost.
Coming to the Samsung Galaxy S4 too?
The predecessor of the Samsung Galaxy S5, the Galaxy S4, has been reported to be among the devices from the Korean tech giant which have been confirmed to receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow in the near future.
However, unlike the Samsung Galaxy S5 which took on the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop first, the Samsung Galaxy S4 shall no longer update to the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop but proceed straight to the Android 6.0 Marshmallow from its present update of Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.
But tech geeks believe that it will be quite risky to update the Samsung Galaxy S4 directly to Android 6.0 Marshmallow sometime early next year as the device will already turn three years old by then. The warranty of smartphones or any tech device for that matter is usually for a period of only two years and after that, most devices no longer receive further OS updates.
Of course, it would be a different story if users opt to update their firmware via customs ROM. But it is quite risky too because a wrong implementation could leave the phone bricked and unusable.
The Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update has a considerable file size of between 609 to 999 MB so it would really take days to complete the download.
The update can actually be done manually using the Samsung Kies. Once complete, the update can be applied by connecting the device to a PC and then syncing it, notes Latinos Post.
The Android 5.1.1 Lollipop has incidentally arrived a few weeks ago over-the-air to last year’s flagship smartphone and the phablet of Samsung in Canada.
The update weighs 629MB in file size and is now available for download for the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 that are under Canadian carriers Virgin, Fido, Sasktel, Rogers, or Bell.
Owners of the Samsung devices which do not automatically receive the update can always manually check it by going to their device’s settings.
The arrival of the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop on the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Note 4 is in preparation also for the coming of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the two devices sometime early next year.
Since Google announced the arrival of Android 6.0 Marshmallow sometime in May, it has been keenly noted that there is a marked increase in the rate of over-the-air updates of the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop to most Android devices.
While it is one of the last smartphone makers to have taken on the Android 5.0 Lollipop update last year, Sony will not be the last to get the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and will certainly not bring up the rear in taking on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Sometime at the end of July, the Sony Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z3 smartphones and other variants have gotten the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update.