All variants of Samsung's premium handsets devices released in 2014, the Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4, and Galaxy Note Edge, are expected to receive the current Android 5.1.1 Lollipop operating system this year. However, there are reports that the upcoming Android 6.0 Marshmallow will come to several recent Samsung devices except for 2014's Galaxy S5 flagship.
The international version of the Galaxy Note 4 phablet is currently receiving a new Android 5.1.1 firmware upgrade in Europe. According to a Samsung-focused tech site called SamMobile.com, the OS has been seen first in Sweden, Austria and Italy but is now rolling out to other countries in the region via Samsung KIES. The firmware's European build version is "N910FXXU1COH4."
The Android 5.1.1 Lollipop upgrade will bring along various fixes including one that will address the dangerous StageFright Android bug. For Galaxy Note 4 owners in the U.S., this OS version is already available for Sprint subscribers.
The Note 4's curved edge sibling, the Galaxy Note Edge, is also forecasted to get an Android 5.1.1 update in the U.S. shortly after the long awaited Marshmallow OS gets released in the third quarter of 2014. Major carriers in the country like AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon have already confirmed that the firmware upgrade will indeed come but an exact release date has not been shared.
Meanwhile, Note Edge owners in Canada were among the first to receive Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Some users have shared screenshots of their devices being installed with the said OS saying that the update has been made over-the-air (OTA).
Both the Note 4 and Note Edge are reportedly included in the list of Samsung devices confirmed to receive the upcoming Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. A post by YouMobile.org claims that the following models will be treated with the new OS by the end of the year.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
- Samsung Galaxy S6
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Duos
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Duos
- Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
- Samsung Galaxy ALPHA
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A
It is worth mentioning that one of the device maker's recent models, the Samsung Galaxy S5, is left out. The rumored exclusion of the Galaxy S5 is taken as strange by some tech observers, given that the device had been the company's flagship until April this year when it is replaced by the Galaxy S6. However, Tech Times reported that the move to exclude the S5 is only temporary as Samsung may just be planning to roll out Android 6.0 to its most recent devices first.
While waiting for the upcoming Marshmallow upgrade, the official Android 5.1.1 Lollipop OTA release for Galaxy S5 devices is currently being sent out in stages for users on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. To see if the update is already available, users can head to Settings > About Phone > Software Update.
