Moto G 2nd gen spotted running Android 5.1

It’s logical enough that Google is and has been for some time working on a release version of the next Android. It was speculated that this would be Android 5.1 Lollipop and we have now seen what might be a pre-release version of this new Android version. Now, a second generation Motorola Moto G has been spotted running Lollipop 5.1 (not the device showing above, which is a Moto X). It’s interesting that it is being tested on a Moto G rather than a Nexus device, which might suggest that Google’s testing has progressed to providing the manufacturers with the code.

What could be included in Android 5.1 Lollipop? The most important features are likely going to be resolutions to existing conditions and problems. One is the memory leak problem present in all versions of Android 5.0.x; this is what causes our devices to decelerate in use after a day or so, then we start to see applications crash-closing by themselves and other words behaviour. Another big to be crushed is the WiFi battery drain that impacts a number of users, most notably Nexus 5 customers. We’ve also reports of video playback problems on the second generation Nexus 7 and whereby an application that calls upon the standard built-in Android video player, such as YouTube, either fails to play the video or glitches in use. And let us not forget how silent mode has been removed from some smartphones running Lollipop!

I’m sure that Google won’t simply fix outstanding issues in a new point release of Android, but instead will take this advantage to improve one or another aspect of functionality. As to what this might be… we simply don’t know at this stage. Perhaps they have decided to improve upon Project Volta’s battery life changes, as for many people, Android Lollipop has similar battery life to Android KitKat despite the improvements. Worse, perhaps, is that we don’t know when we’ll see the new version of Android 5.1 arriving. That it was spotted on a Moto G is interesting by itself, because Google and Motorola never released a Google Play Edition of the second generation version of this handset. Perhaps we won’t have too long to wait.