The CyanogenMod team today announced the final stable release of CyanogenMod 11, based on Android 4.4 KitKat, and CyanogenMod 12, based on Android 5.0 Lollipop, for all the devices supported by them.

This is the first snapshot release of CyanogenMod 12 from the CyanogenMod team, so if you have been using CM11 on your Android device due to stability reasons, now is a good time to update and taste Lollipop on it.

Some of the new features in CyanogenMod 12 are as follows:

• LiveDisplay
• Privacy Guard
• Theme manager
• System Profiles
• Quick Settings customisations
• Ambient Screen

You can find a detailed list of all the new features in CyanogenMod 12 here.

As for a new CM11 snapshot built, the CyanogenMod team was compelled to release one after they noticed the relatively slow uptake for Lollipop — either due to the major changes introduced in it or due to stability reasons.

Ever since Google released Android 5.1.1, the CM team have shifted their focus on CM12.1, so the final builds of CM12 and 11 are all about stability improvements, bugs and security fixes, and more.

Additionally, the CM team also announced that they will now be gradually phasing out the CM11 and CM12 nightly builds, and they will be completely shut down once Android M is released by Google later this year. CM12.1 nightlies — based on Android 5.1 Lollipop — will continue to roll out as the team works on a snapshot build for it.

If you are currently running CM11 on your Android device, you can safely flash the final snapshot build of CM12 on top of it, but make sure to flash a compatible Google Apps package on top of it.