After watching the first batch of Lollipop releases for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition, Sammy are releasing the Android 5.0 Lollipop software update for the Samsung Gear Live. That means the smartphone and smartwatch will come with further compatibility for consumers and developers. The new build number for the firmware is LWX84P and it’s a jump up from the earlier KNX01Q.
Sammy didn’t release an official change-log to go along with the news. However, we know that six watches under the Android Wear name are all getting a similar 5.0 Lollipop update. Out of the six it appears as though Motorola were the most considerate when it comes to information about the release. According to the official Motorola release notes, their update comes with third-party watch faces, bug fixes, Android 5.0 Lollipop, Quick Settings, user interface improvements and battery and storage stats.
Consumers now have a Quick Settings menu that appears by swiping your finger down the display from the top of the watch. Here you will find access to some of the most common features you’ll likely use more than the others. The idea is in the name: allowing you to get access to the essentials quicker than browsing through the traditional layout where you would find those settings available. Those of you who are using iOS 7, iOS 8 or Android Lollipop via a smartphone will know all about the menu. Furthermore, users can hit up the Google Play store and choose from various public watch faces available by developers. There’s also a UI change where users can easily undo dismissals of notification cards that happened by accident, a new battery feature where you can view advanced stats about what apps are using the power and several bug fixes making the overall OS outshine the last.
As you likely know already, the OTA’s roll-out to devices in phases, meaning you could be waiting several more days until the system alert arrives to your notification panel. You can skip the waiting and side-load the official OTA file from this link if you are game. Just because the file is readily available doesn’t mean it’s easy to flash. The Moto 360 OTA file is out and it can’t connect to a computer! You must use the side-loading feature via a computer if you are planning on giving the flashing a try. You can view a similar guide from this page for the flashing process.