There’s no question Android 5.0 Lollipop was one of the biggest — and buggiest — firmware updates Google’s mobile OS has ever seen. Even though Motorola didn’t have such a tough time with it (the Verizon Moto X 2014 received Lollipop back in November), getting things approved by Verizon is typically a much longer process. This is especially true when talking about a Verizon exclusive DROID device like the Motorola DROID Turbo.
Meanwhile, while Android fans the world over were complaining about not receiving a buggy Android 5.0.2 update, Android 5.1 happened. It’s the absolute latest version of Lollipop which just so happens to squash most major bugs, and introduces some smaller user experience improvements but more importantly, VoLTE support. For devices like the Motorola DROID Turbo — which is currently stuck in KitKat limbo — this is the exact Android version Verizon was waiting for before updating their premier Android handset to Lollipop (despite the GSM variant receiving Android 5.0 last month).
Motorola engineer Luciano Carvalho confirmed this in a Google+ post, mentioning that the DROID Turbo for Verizon would leap frog over 5.0.x completely, updating straight to 5.1. Not because of bugs mind you, but because of its baked in support for VoLTE, something Verizon takes very seriously.
While it’s true Motorola’s “Moto” devices are running a damn near stock Android experience, Motorola’s “DROID” devices like Verizon’s top-of-the-line Android flagship powerhouse have a little more Verizon in them. Exactly how much longer we’ll have to wait before we see Android 5.1 begin rolling out to the DROID Turbo is still anyone’s guess. But it’s definitely nice knowing we wont have to wait for Android 5.0, only to wait even longer for 5.1. We only wish other OEMs who have yet to update to Lollipop would follow suit.
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