Google has been releasing a major update to the Android operating system each year and since the Jelly Bean update there has been plenty of talk of the next version reportedly called Key Lime Pie. The fifth major release of the Android software has been a part of rumors here and there with smartphone users adding to the list of features they would like to see when it comes along. Last year the Jelly Bean 4.1 release came along with the new Nexus devices, but when the Nexus branded devices were updated this year it was with Jelly Bean 4.3, leaving the major update yet to arrive.
When 4.1 showed up, there was a host of new features, improvements and enhancements and those keeping an eye on version 5.0 are expecting to see the same thing. Resizable widgets were added, expanded notifications and Google Now also showed up last year and there are many videos documenting the changes. Now that 2013 is more than half way over and Google did not talk much about software at the I/O conference earlier this year, the Android Key Lime Pie 5.0 is still a mystery.
The release date for the major update is expected to be coming with the newest Nexus 5 smartphone and that could be sometime in the month of October, but it could come as late as December, according to reports. Even though few of the features have been discussed in the mobile world, one that was reported by the Wall Street Journal included optimization for the software so that it did not require large amount of RAM or a very fast processor to work. This would add the number of smartphones that can run the new software, spreading the overall reach of the Android operating system.
The Key Lime Pie name has been thrown around for a while now and seems likely that Google is going to stick with it since it was also seen in some developer code. Android 5.0 updates are going to hit the Nexus branded devices first per Google’s announcement last year, but there is not exact timeline for that to happen once the software is released. If the software is optimized for slower smartphones, than older models like the Galaxy Nexus might one in line for the update, which adds appeal to having older Android powered devices.
