Moto G (1st gen): Lollipop 5.1 Retail 4G with LTE

[Ry]

Android 5.1 soak tests begin for the Moto G (2013) in the U.S., Verizon Moto X (2014) [Update: AT&T, too] | Android Central

https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/prod_answer_detail/a_id/105163

https://plus.google.com/+DavidSchuster/posts/gkjwNmFafEH

One more update for now.... We have started full soak test for the Android 5.1 Lollipop upgrade for the Moto G (1st Gen) with 4G LTE for US retail today

 

[itguyjax8430]

Android 5.1 soak tests begin for the Moto G (2013) in the U.S., Verizon Moto X (2014) [Update: AT&T, too] | Android Central

https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/prod_answer_detail/a_id/105163

https://plus.google.com/+DavidSchuster/posts/gkjwNmFafEH

Nice, I will pass it on as I see people asking about it.

 

[Weirdo87]

Hopefully this means 5.1 for the non-LTE version will arrive soon.

 

[Old Stoneface]

Just saw a notification on my phone for the Lollipop update. Being as I'm at work I said "Maybe later," where "later" is defined as "As soon a few other brave souls try it."

I hope and pray it's good, and that it cures the "randomly goes off-line for no reason" problem.

 

[Unobtanium]

I am downloading the update now. I have a Moto G LTE that I am using on AT&T GoPhone right now, as a secondary phone/GSM Test driver.
I ported the number from my late mother's home to keep the number "in the family" and also in case anyone tried to call looking for my mother. Unfortunately, most of the calls are robo spam calls (yes, the phone number is on the Do Not Call list).

The download in the drop shade says it is 414.7 MB, BTW

Now, about my Droid MAXX: Verizon, can you hear me now?

EDIT: After downloading, the install screen says it takes about 10 minutes. It was more like 12 from Power Off to reboot, then another 3 minutes or so after the boot-up animation started to the blue circle with the batwings and the water effect went away, an then "Android is upgrading" and optimizing apps (it said I have 117).

In reality the total time was almost 30 minutes from starting the install to having a usable phone. Google Play Services had to up date, too (included in the 30 minutes). No changes to my home screen layout, though a few of the icons are different looking. Even kept my FM radio presets.

 

[Old Stoneface]

Thanks for the report, Unobtainium!

I await, with baited breath, your reports of your experience with Lollipop

 

[Unobtanium]

First Impressions:
The change is not as dramatic as it was on upgrading my Dell 7840 to Android L (nor as dramatic as upgrading to ICS on my HTC Thunderbolt). The Moto G update did not install encryption by default, and didn't change my wallpaper or even my icon layout. As I said, "full" Lollipop setup took nearly 30 minutes. I also have done a cache partition wipe, and the buttonology for that is slightly different than Kitkat. That took about thee or four minutes.

The look and feel is only slightly different than Kitkat. I have the Moto flip cover on this phone, and it is set up to lock when the cover closes. The pin pad now requires a swipe to access where before it was there when I opened the flip. I have noticed no lag or slowness. Because this is not my primary phone, I am probably not the person to ask about battery life, but so far, the drain doesn't seem any different. So far, I see no reason to do a factory reset.

I am still working my way through understanding Android L Notifications, Interruptions, and Downtime. The whole scheme seems to be unnecessarily complicated. I was OK with the way Gingerbread worked, but, and I have said this before: Google should license the Blackberry Sound Profiles scheme, especially now that it appears that Blackberry is going to come out with an Android OS device.

 

[Old Stoneface]

Thanks for the update, Unobtanium!

Over on Motorola's forums, I'm seeing mainly:

• 4G LTE connectivity problems with come European carriers (which Motorola appears to be looking into)
• Stuttering bluetooth (no response yet from Motorola)

Agree on the Notifications, Interruptions and Downtime thing. Read up on that on Motorola's changelog for the update and thought "Geez. Really? I'm supposed to remember all that?" (And I'm an I.T. guy!)

Meanwhile: What remains un-addressed is whether the wide-spread "silently drops 3G connectivity," which appeared after the KitKat update (and sometimes bites my phone), was fixed in 5.x.

 

[Old Stoneface]

FWIW: I did the upgrade a week ago today. Other than some changes in the UI: I would never have known the difference. Everything seems to be working fine. Battery life is, if anything, better.