Android 5.0 Release Date Announced for the Fall of This Year

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Android 5.0 release date will be in the fall of this year and the new software will be unveiled during Google I/O.

Google's Sundar Pichai recently sat down with BusinessWeek to discuss the future of the platform where he revealed that the public will be introduced to it first at I/O 2014 alongside a formal unveil of Android Wear. He also stated that it will not be available for smartphones and tablets until the fall.

Pichai describes Google's change in strategy for the software roll out as a shift towards greater transparency.

"I want the world to understand what we are doing sooner," he said.

This new version of Android known as the L version is expected to include extended Google Now support and dozens of other changes. It is unclear whether it will be numbered 4.5 or 5.0 at this time.

The formal introduction for the new Android platform at this year's I/O will pave the way for the next-gen Nexus devices to launch properly in the fall. This line will include the rumored HTC 9 or 8.9 tablet.

The name and specifications for the slate were finally confirmed in a new report. Android Police spotted it under its codename Volantis and discovered that it will feature some pretty high-end specs with an aluminum body. It also stated that Volantis is referred to as the Nexus 9 inside of Google.

Specs on the tablet include a 8.9-inch display with 2048 x 1440 resolution at 281 ppi, a Nvidia Tegra K1 64-bit processor, 2GB RAM, 16/32GB of storage, a rear 8-megapixel camera, a front 3-megapixel camera, front facing stereo speakers, and an aluminum exterior.

Android Police believes the device will launch alongside the L release of Android during Q4 2014 and will start at $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version, and $499 for the 32GB Wi-Fi model. The LTE versions will be slightly more expensive.