Google outs the Android 5.1 update

The update comes with an interesting new security feature

With bug fixes and some new features on board, the Android 5.1 has officially been launched by Google. Prior to this official release, the 5.1 had been made open for the entry-level Android One devices in developing markets but now the update has been launched for all.

The much needed bug fixes have been made and the updated software now brings support for multiple SIM cards, HD Voice, Device Protection. There is also a slight twist in the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings. There are however no details on the bugs which had to be fixed and Google’s official announcement only said that the update will “improve stability and performance.”

Those who had been using Lollipop 5.0.2 have listed certain issues with the software including inconsistent battery performance, problems with quick settings and Wi-Fi connection, the absence of a silent mode and some other performance issues relating to the user interface and the animation lag.

Apart from the things which needed to be fixed, the updated version has a new interesting security feature known as the “Device Protection” which somehow works like the Activation Lock on Apple devices. In case the smartphone is lost or stolen, this security feature will lock your phone and will not open unless you log in from your Google account. Even resetting it to the factory settings won’t help in unlocking it. This new feature comes out of the box with Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices which are shipped with the 5.1.

When the Lolipop was announced last year in October, Google had announced a feature called “Factory Reset Protection” but users later complained that it didn’t make it to their devices. As it turned out, the feature had been announced but it was never fully materialized. Not it has returned with the Lollipop update and is called Device Protection.