Android 5.0 Lollipop, thoroughly reviewed



Android updates don't matter anymore—or at least that's what many people think. Back-to-back-to-back Jelly Bean releases and a KitKat release seemed to only polish what already existed. When Google took the wraps off of "Android L" at Google I/O, though, it was clear that this release was different.

Android 5.0 Lollipop is at least the biggest update since Android 4.0, and it's probably the biggest Android release ever. The update brings a complete visual overhaul of every app, with a beautiful new design language called "Material Design." Animations are everywhere, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a single pixel from 4.4 that was carried over into 5.0—Google even revamped the fonts.
5.0 also brings a ton of new features. Notifications are finally on the lock screen, the functionality of Recent Apps has been revamped to make multitasking a lot easier, and the voice recognition works everywhere—even when the screen is off. The under-the-hood renovations are just as extensive, including a completely new camera API with support for RAW images, a system-wide focus on battery life, and a new runtime—ART—that replaces the aging Dalvik virtual machine.

The other major storyline is that while Google is building a worldwide smartphone empire with 80 percent worldwide market share, Android isn't just about smartphones and tablets anymore. The OS that began as a small side project inside Google is now taking over nearly the entire company. Besides being Google's OS for phones and tablets, Android 5.0 will power Android Wear, Android TV, and Android Auto. The OS has turned into Google's de-facto operating system, serving as the basis for Google Glass and the Chromecast. Even Chrome OS has started running Android apps now. Nearly every physical thing Google sells runs Android or supports Android apps.

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