Owners of Google’s Nexus mobile devices will be among the first people to get Lollipop, as the search engine today began rolling out the version 5.0 of its Android mobile operating system.
There’s an implicit promise from Google that people who purchase Nexus tablets and phones will be the first one to receive Android updates when they become available.
#AndroidLollipop rollout has started and will soon be available on most #Nexus devices. Dessert is served. pic.twitter.com/XVFX2tEbHv
— Android (@Android) November 12, 2014
The latest iteration of Android features a more colourful user interface which Google promises to provide more “intuitive experiences across all your devices” and comes with a collection of new features such as:
Device sharing
One of cool features of the new OS is its device sharing features designed to provide more flexibility for families and users that might be sharing the phone with another person.
The guest user feature allows users to share their tablet or phone with another person without sharing the data stored on the device.. A screen pinning feature enables users to pin their screen so that other users can access just that content and nothing else on the phone.
If a user forgets his phone, he can still call anyone from his contacts or access messages by logging into his account using another Android phone running Lollipop.
Message control
There are new ways to access and control messages. Users can view and respond to a message directly from the locked screen of their devices.
For example Lollipop users can set the phone so that incoming calls do not interrupt them when they are watching video on the device or doing some other task.
Users can also switch on Priority mode using the volume control of their devices. Priority mode makes sure that only certain people and notifications get through. The feature also schedules recurring downtime so that notifications get through only during certain hours.
Notification can also be ranked according to form and type of communication.
Security
Android Smart Lock helps Lollipop users secure their phone or tablet by paring it with a trusted device such as wearable
Lollipop also uses Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux), a Linux kernel security module provides a mechanism for access control policies. SELinux enforces security policies for all applications on the device.
New devices also come with encryption mode turned on to protect data on lost or stolen devices.
Find out more about Lollipop here.