Cyanogen OS 12 Based on Android 5.0 Lollipop Out “in a Few Weeks”

Cyanogen's OS 12 update, which the new version of the operating system based on Android 5.0 Lollipop is still in the works. Although developer promised the update will be provided to smartphones owners pretty fast, it release date went from February to March.

Now the company has updated the status of the Cyanogen OS 12 and said that the upgrade will be available for at least three smartphones “in a few weeks.” The relevant devices mentioned by Cyanogen are OnePlus One, YU Yureka and Alcatel Hero 2+, which will all receive Android 5.0 Lollipop once OS 12 is released. For those of you who don't remember we've already reported that Micromax teased Android 5.0 Lollipop for YU Yureka a few days ago. According to this teaser the update should be available beginning March 26. This is the only confirmed release date for Cyanogen OS 12 based on Lollipop that we have now, along developer's recent statement that it will be out in a few weeks.

“We are in the final stages of preparing the Cyanogen OS 12 ‘L’ OTA updates,” say developers in a status update for this version of the OS. Keep in mind though that not all three smartphones will receive the update at the same time. It looks like the team is working separately for each of these devices and will provide the update at different times.

OnePlus One, YU Yureka and Alcatel Hero 2+ will be getting the update

For OnePlus One, Cyanogen OS 12 based on Lollipop will be released OTA (over the air) “in the next few weeks.” Developers are currently packaging final bootloader firmware and addressing QA/QE restults. YU Yureka owners will be getting the update “in the next few weeks” too, as Cyanogen is now addressing QA/QE results and beginning soak testing with users in India. You best bet is to get it around March 26. Last but not least, Alcatel Hero 2+ will ship with Cyanogen OS 11 (KitKat). According to Cyanogen, they are working hard with MediaTek to support Android 5.0 Lollipop. Plans are to release the OTA (over the air) update to Cyanogen OS 12 based on Lollipop in the May/June timeframe.

There is some information on Android 5.1 Lollipop, as Cyanogen claims that they will evaluate the change in the new version and will release them as part of a future OTA (over the air) upgrade after the initial Lollipop update.

Cyanogen OS
Image credits to Cyanogen

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Android 5.0 Lollipop for Sony Xperia C3 Gets Certified, Release Looks Imminent

Sony's Android 5.0 Lollipop saga continues with another reports that confirms the new firmware has been approved for the Xperia C, a smartphone that's not supposed to receive this upgrade.

According to XperiaBlog, Bluetooth SIG has just certified a new firmware version that's supposed to brings Xperia C3's operating system to Android 5.0 Lollipop. The listing details mention a major update named “Wukon To L,” which translates to “Xperia C3 to Android 5.0 Lollipop.” Wukong is the codename of the Xperia C3, so this update is clearly for this smartphone. Unfortunately, there's no telling when this update will hit Xperia C3 devices, but we reported earlier today that Sony will kick off the Android 5.0 Lollipop rollout sometime next week.

However, only Xperia Z devices have been confirmed to receive the Lollipop update, so we're expecting Sony to clarify the situation because for the time being everything seems so confusing. On one hand the Japanese company says that it will not offer Lollipop to non-Xperia devices, while on the other hand it tests Android 5.0 Lollipop for Xperia C3, which is a non-Xperia smartphones. Let's hope Sony will come forward with an official statement regarding the Android 5.0 Lollipop update sooner rather than later. Stay tuned for more on this one.

Lollipop update for Xperia C3 listing details
Image credits to Sony Mobile

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Sony Confirms Android 5.0 Lollipop Rollout Begins Next Week

Sony is one of the few handset makers that has yet to start delivering Android 5.0 Lollipop update for its smartphones. To make things worse, the Japanese company let it slip several days ago that it has no intention of upgrading its non-Xperia Z devices to Lollipop.

Since most customers prefer low- to mid-range smartphones, it's unusual for a major company such as Sony to ignore the vast majority of its fans. Obviously, there are many users who purchased Xperia Z phones, but they aren't the majority. Anyway, the fact that smartphones that have the required hardware specifications will not receive Android 5.0 Lollipop update from Sony doesn't bode well for the Japanese handset maker. A few days after it announced it won't offer Lollipop to non-Xperia Z devices, Sony backtracked on its initial statement and said that its has no comments on the matter for the moment.

That made us believe there's still chance for those who own non-Xperia Z smartphones. Apart from that, some Android 5.0 Lollipop screenshots taken on the Xperia C3 added to the hype. Until Sony eventually brings Lollipop to non-Xperia devices, there's still the matter of Android 5.0 arriving on Xperia Z smartphones and tablets, which is not yet available.

Xperia Z3 will be among the first to receive the update

Sony Mobile Indonesia confirmed a few days ago that Android 5.0 Lollipop will be released beginning next week, but at least three Xperia smartphones will be getting the update in India as well. Now Sony Mobile France confirmed the same information and stated that Xperia Z3 will receive Android 5.0 Lollipop update as early as next week. The Xperia Z3 won't be the only smartphone to receive Android 5.0 Lollipop next week, but the order in which these devices will be upgraded is unclear yet.

Sony Mobile has yet to come out with an official statement regarding Android 5.0 Lollipop for its devices, but we expect more details to leak in the coming days so stay tuned for more info on the matter.

@_JordanSch Si tout se passe bien le déploiement devrait débuter la semaine prochaine sur les Xperia Z3.
— Sony Xperia FR (@SonyXperiaFR) March 11, 2015

Android 5.0 Lollipop
Image credits to Google

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WhatsApp Voice Call Now Available for Select Users

The voice call feature for WhatsApp has been in the works for a long time. Many users have already been accepted into the beta program and have been able to test some of the new features added by WhatsApp developers.

One of these new features was voice calling, a new option that WhatsApp users will be given for free at some point. While WhatsApp developers have yet to roll out the voice calling new feature to everyone, there's a way that you can take advantage of it right away. In order to get access to voice calling you will need to be invited by a person who already has this new feature enabled in their WhatsApp application. Basically, if you you receive a voice call via WhatsApp from a person that has the new feature active, it will be available on your WhatsApp account as well.

You will then be able to provide the new feature to more people if you call them via WhatsApp. The invitation system has been enabled by WhatsApp developers, but it's unclear if the activation of voice calling to other accounts will only be available for a limited time. Keep in mind that you should not accept any messages from social networks asking you to enable the voice calling feature for WhatsApp because this is just malware.

WhatsApp Messenger
Image credits to WhatsApp

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