Android 5.0.2 Lollipop Update: Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop Update: Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10
Nexus 5. (Google)
Zachary Stieber
1/4/2015
Updated:
1/4/2015

A new Android 5.0.2 version was recently released by Google but has only arrived widely on one Nexus device, leaving some users frustrated with the lack of updates.

“If, like me, you bought a Nexus device in the hope that you‘d get your updates both reliably and early, you may yet be disappointed. In particular, if you have a Nexus 7 3G model (either the 2012 or 2013 version), you’ll still be KitKatting your way into 2015, with not even Lollipop 5.0 available yet,” noted tech analyst Paul Ducklin.

The inconsistency problems are highlighted by the Nexus 7 2012. The phone has two models.The 3G version has the oldest firmware, the Android 4.4.4, while the Wi-Fi only version has the newest firmware, the Android 5.0.2.

“In short: yet more fragmentation, even in Google’s own corner of the Android ecosystem; and still no universal availability of Lollipop, even for what are effectively Google’s research and development platforms,” Ducklin said on Naked Security.

The Android 5.0 Lollipop update arrived for most Nexus users, including owners of the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and Nexus 10 back in November 2014. But the update brought problems along with new features, prompting complaints. Some issues have been fixed but others still have not been.

The fixes have arrived in two subsequent updates--the Android 5.0.1 update--available to owners of the Nexus 7 2013, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, and Nexus 10.

As Gotta Be Mobile notes, the reason that update wasn’t available for other versions of the Nexus 7 is Google was starting to roll out the Android 5.0.2. update forthe Nexus 7 2012.

The blog also notes that the update is rolling out randomly to the phones, so users should just keep an eye out if they haven’t gotten it yet. 

The update features a brand new design as well as a number of features, although problems such as battery drain have been reported.

“Google recently confirmed a fix for the memory issues causing app crashes on Android 5.0 Lollipop,” the blog added. “The company says that the fix has been approved for a future Android update though the company did not say what the update might entail. It’s possible that we'll see it arrive with an Android 5.0.3 update or we could see it arrive with the rumored Android 5.1 update. Nothing is confirmed and it could take months for Google to roll out a fix.”

Unfortunately, there’s no word on the Android 5.0.2. update rolling out to any devices other than the Nexus 7 2012. Google should announce something soon, because, as Android Authority reports, the major bug--a memory leak--with the 5.0.1 update is prompting some users to abandon their Nexus devices.

“The thread on the issue tracker is hard to follow as there are lots of complaints and there is lots of general unhappiness, but little in the way of official comments from Google or Android developers. However it does now seem that Google has agreed that this is a bug, and that it has been fixed in the source code,” the blog said.

“What that means is that the latest source code used to build Android doesn’t leak memory. However that doesn’t actually help affected users at the moment. The next step is for Google to make a new release of Android, probably Android 5.0.3 Lollipop, with this and other bug fixes. However there is no news on when that will be. Let’s hope it will be soon.”