American smartphone manufacturer Motorola is preparing to release the latest Android 5.1 Lollipop update for its Moto X 2013 and 2014 phones by unveiling the release notes for both units.
The much-awaited software update promises to address issues with the Android 4.4.4 version, such as patching up bugs, and it will also have several improvements to the Moto X's user interface first featured in the Android 5.0 update.
Aside from the first- and second-generation Moto X phones, the release notes also include updates for the Moto E.
Moto X 2013 (1st Gen)
According to Motorola, the latest software update features improvements to the phone's visual style and UI.
The phone's Material Design look now includes new applications and widgets, colors and system themes for better customization. The animations are also more fluid compared to the KitKat version.
Notifications will now appear on the phone's lockscreen, ranked according to its type and the sender of the message. Users can open the notification by double-tapping on it; clear it individually by swiping the message left or right; or clear all the notifications from the bottom of the list.
The Android 5.1 Lollipop update allows the Moto X to incorporate Motorola's services such as Moto Voice (Touchless Control), Moto Active Display, Moto Actions and Motorola Assist.
A new flashlight function has been included in the update, which users can access through the Quick setting.
Moto X 2014 (2nd Gen)
The Android 5.1 Lollipop for the second-generation Moto X 2014 looks to improve the phone's stability and provide users with better control over notifications.
The update lets phone users block incoming notifications when they set the alarm. This function allows the alarm to still go off even if the phone is set to "No Interruptions."
Similar to the first-generation Moto X, the second-generation version also allows notifications to be cleared by swiping them off the screen. They will be placed on the notifications tray where users can dismiss them later.
Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth device settings can now be adjusted through the new pull-down menu. Conditional settings tiles, such as "Hotspot" or "Invert Colors," can now be removed from the active screen by long-pressing each tile.
The Lollipop update improves the viewfinder's responsiveness with the front-facing camera. It also reduces the noise during low-light shots.
Several bugs have also been fixed, such as non-updating status bar clocks, unresponsive alarms, no ringer audio when making an outgoing call and the inability to delete SMS messages when the SIM card is full.
Moto E (2nd Gen)
The Moto E software update features several improvements similar to the Moto X 2013 and 2014, such as the ability to dismiss heads-up notifications easily and the "No Interruptions" functionality.
Moto E phones will remain locked even when lost or stolen. It will only be unlocked if the owner signs in to his or her Google account. Resetting the phone back to its factory settings will not affect this security feature.
The phone's Android Runtime (ART) has been improved for faster launches of applications with the Android 5.1.
Photo: John Karakatsanis | Flickr
