The winter doldrums have arrived in Android update l. There were a few security updates, bug fixes, KitKat delivery, but no llipop left under anyone’s tmas tree.
Hopefully it’s the calm before the storm, as llipop has been out long enough for some of the other hardware makers to get their act together. There are some rumblings about the HTC One M8 being next, so keep your fingers crossed.
Each week we gather up all the major software updates for the biggest devices; phones tablets on U.S. carriers ( unlocked phones, of course), wearables, round them all up so you don’t miss a thing.
Making sure your device installs the latest software is a good housekeeping practice, ensuring you have the latest features, close security holes, squash those pesky bugs.
AT&T
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.5: This big tablet gets a small update. It rearranges the icons on the default home screen launcher, most alarmingly replacing Chrome with the terrible Samsung-built browser. No Android update for you here: it leaves the tablet at 4.4.2. Get around Samsung’s nonsense by installing the Now uncher.
Sprint
Galaxy Note II: It’s not llipop, but update 00VCNK2 includes two security fixes from . There aren’t any details about what specific loopholes they close, but that makes this an important update nonetheless. Given that this device is two generations back it may be a while, or never, before llipop arrives.
Sony
Xperia T3: No, it’s not llipop. But at least you’re finally getting updated to KitKat for your super-slim Xperia T3. Sony has previously promised its entire Xperia line is getting llipop, so hopefully this update will pave the way for that to happen sooner rather than later.
Oppo
Find 5: If you have this device with its impressive 441 ppi display, get ready for some KitKat. Yes, many of us have moved on to llipop, but take what you can get. It comes in the form of a 2.0 version to ColorOS, one of the many custom ROMs the phone can run. There has been a number of complaints about several bugs, so proceed with caution on this one.