The 5.1 update isn’t a typo. It’s real and it’s already available on entry level Android One devices designed for emerging markets.
In the nomenclature of updates, it’s a fairly large jump from 5.0.2 to a full 5.1, though we don’t have an official changelog on whats included. AndroidPit published a list in December on what was coming in 5.1. They expect we’ll see the Silent Mode return alongside improvements to performance, RAM utilization, and radio management.
It’s just somewhat odd that Google would launch a decimal point update like this with virtually zero fanfare, though it’s interesting to see what phones Google selected first to receive the new software. Android One is one of the few areas that Google can almost completely control the software experience on a smartphone. It’s an area where even the Nexus experiment can falter when carriers get involved in support. Lollipop still garners less than 2% of the Android ecosystem, and most manufacturers like Samsung and HTC are only just now trickling updates out to consumers on select handsets in select regions. Android One as a program has the potential to influence a number of markets primed for significant growth over the next several years. As the “First World” markets are fairly well matured, Google might be shifting their focus to new potential consumers in a way that will better guarantee they can control the experience on new phones.
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