So you thought Google Android 5.0.1 was all new and stuff? Meet Android 5.0.2.
Google just released a new factory image for the 2012 WiFi-only Nexus 7 tablet, and it’s based on Android 5.0.2.
The LRX22G firmware is available for download from Google’s Nexus factory images website. There are also new binaries available, with updated software for the graphics, camera, touch panel, wireless chips, and more.
Google hasn’t said what’s new in Android 5.0.2, but it’s likely that the update is mostly designed to fix bugs found in earlier versions of Android 5.0 Lollipop and later. In fact, Google never got around to releasing Android 5.0.1 for the 2012 Nexus 7 at all. The company went straight from version 5.0 to 5.0.2.
Note that installing a factory image will wipe all data from your device (unless you take some special precautions which might do more harm than good in some situations). So if you’re looking for an easy, relatively safe way to update, you’ll probably want to wait until Google releases an over-the-air update. But the factory image will let you update right now if you really must… and it’s the first bit of evidence that Android 5.0.2 is even a thing.
There’s no word on whether we’ll start to see Android 5.0.2 updates for other Nexus devices anytime soon, but the 5.0.1 update certainly didn’t squash all the bugs introduced with Lollipop.
Update: Android 5.0.2 has also been submitted to the Android Open Source Project.
via /r/Android and Droid Life
I can’t stress enough how much doing a factory reset on my 2012 Google Nexus has improved the performance.
I too was suffering from horrendous lag on my tablet with Lollipop. I tried the Dalvik cache wiping procedure without any success (in performance enhancements). Doing the factory reset made it feel like a whole new tablet.
I haven’t tried this latest update, but now that it’s running faster than ever (lately), I’m not inclined to mess with it right now.
After running CyanogenMod 11 on my 2012 N7 for ages, I was interested to see how Lollipop looked, and I was as horrified as everyone else by how the 5.0 “update” struggled. It really shows up how polished and usable CM11 is. I’ve gone back, and I don’t think my N7 will ever see Lollipop again.
what you’re going to do once CM 11 isn’t supported anymore? You have to move on at some point, it’s not wise to run a OS that’s outdated and unsupported.
This is good news for my Mom. I allowed the 5.0 update to run on her 2012 N7, and the results were less than good, and she struggles with it every day. I was offered 5.0.1 on my 2013 N7, but waited — and eventually the offer was taken away. Who would have thought that upgrading would be so risky? :/
It’s one of the reasons I don’t mind having a non-Nexus device for my primary business phone. Although problems occur even after all the time and testing the carriers do on updates, but waiting isn’t all bad.
Hopefully this will make it usable again. The initial update to 5 left my 2012 N7 a lethargic dragging mess. Useless is overstating it perhaps – but not by much. ‘So slow that you’d rather spend time sticking splinters in your legs than bother to use the tablet for anything’ would perhaps be more accurate.
I have elected not to update the N72 so far for fear it would be a similar problem – even though the hardware there is a generation newer of course.
Well I just picked up the N7 2012 for the first time in a week to check for this update. I was not remembering things clearly when I commented above. ‘Unusable’ is an extremely accurate description of what the Android 5 update did to that tablet.
All I did was spend the last few minutes checking to see if an update was available on it (because it took that long to do) and I’m pretty sure my heart rate has tripled from stress. I need to go stare at the fish tank now.
So do I have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get Android 5 for my Nexus 7? I am still at 4.4.4. Or are they offering this update via the “check for updates” under “about”?
Neither… just wait a little while for Google to roll out an over-the-air update. You’ll get a notification on your device and you can just follow the instructions.
I probably should have mentioned that… in fact, I’ll go ahead and update the article.
The factory images would provide a shortcut, allowing you to update immediately. But doing that would essentially perform a factory reset on your device, wiping all of your data. So if you’ve never installed a factory image before (or don’t feel like reading up a bit on the process), you might not want to go that route.
Well, I have installed 5.0.2 and it made my N7 2012 useful again. It’s fast – well not as fast as my Tab S, and it makes for a perfect bedside unit. Bravo.