The Android 5.0 Lollipop update hasn't been entirely smooth sailing. While for some (myself included), it has been a buttery, svelte, velvetish fairy tale of lovely animations, smooth scrolling and Material Design Google apps, there are a few gremlins lurking beneath the bright colors. So if you've been experiencing some Android 5.0 issues, here's the solutions to the bugs we've heard about so far. We'll add more as more issues come up, so stay tuned as we tell you how to fix Android 5.0 problems.

Android 5.0 problems and solutions: Lollipop brings some sweetness along with a bitter after taste.

Apps restart in background

One of the newest problems discovered in Android 5.0 is a bug which which makes apps restart in the background. Though recent apps should remain running in the background for when you return to them later, even those apps with persistent notifications are being affected. This eventually hurts device performance the longer it is up and running. So far, the only known solution to this issue is, somewhat ironically, restarting your device. Google will likely patch this up soon, however.  

Background apps are currently causing memory issues in Android 5.0. 

Missing system.img error

The Lollipop issues can begin even before it is on your device. Some Nexus 5 owners flashing the factory image are experiencing problems even with the installation of Android 5.0 itself. During the procedure, they are informed of a missing system.img error. It's actually not such a big deal, so if this happens to you, simply flash the img files manually one by one instead of by using the flash-all.bat file. If you want a walkthrough, here's how to install Android 5.0 on the Nexus 5.

Wi-Fi issues seem to be a staple of Android updates. 

• 
  

Android 5.0 Wi-Fi connectivity

Nexus 5 owners running Android 5.0 are suffering from the Wi-Fi connectivity issue once again: the good old undead update bug that just keeps on coming back. There's the usual range of solutions: toggle airplane mode on and off, forget and reconnect to the network, reboot your phone, restart your router or switch between the Wi-Fi frequency bands. As you can probably tell, this is the ''clutching at straws'' list of solutions, so you may be waiting for a patch from Google for the permanent solution.

Despite Battery Saver on Lollipop, battery drain issues persist. © ANDROIDPIT

• Everything you need to know about Android 5.0 battery life
• How to enable battery saving mode on Android 5.0 Lollipop

Android 5.0 battery bug

As always, every new installation of Android firmware results in some battery drain for some users. This is almost always because the update was applied over the top of existing firmware rather than installed ''clean.'' As you can imagine, there's a few things that could go wrong when everything is set up one way on your phone and then the world shifts beneath its feet. So now may be the time to bite the bullet, do a full backup and do a factory reset. You can do this via the Settings > Backup & Reset section or manually with the hardware buttons. Just search the site for your particular device and ''factory reset.''

YouTube and other video playback apps are broken following the Android 5.0 update. 

• 
  

Android 5.0 video playback bug

Nexus 7 (2013) owners are reporting some bugs with video playback following the update to Lollipop. The issue doesn't seem to be restricted to any particular app, but YouTube is, of course, at the center of the furore. Any app using the default Android video player suffers though. If YouTube is the issue for you, hit Settings > Apps and find the entry for YouTube. Clear the cache and try again or do a reboot for a temporary fix. You can always try uninstalling and re-installing the app if problems persist. Some users are reporting that this has solved the problem, while others continue to suffer. If you have a better fix let us know in the comments below. Worst case scenario: backup all your data and do a factory reset and clear the cache partition.

The quick fix update for the Nexus 9 brought its own issues. 

• Android 5.0 OTA update error message

Nexus 9 owners that got the update patch immediately following the public rollout of the Android 5.0 update have been experiencing some issues with installing the OTA update. Basically, everything hangs up and then reverts back to the previous version without installing the update. If you know what you're doing, it's a simple procedure to flash the latest factory image for the Nexus 9 yourself, otherwise you're going to just have to wait until Google issues another bug fix to fix the bug fix. Sound familiar?

Fancy that...a camera-related bug after an update on the Nexus 5. 

• 
  

Android 5.0 flashlight bug

If you leave the flashlight on for a while, like if you're struggling to find your keys in the dark and it automatically times out, then both the flashlight and camera will be busted until you do a reboot. Pretty weird stuff but something that occurred in the developer previews too. Funny Google didn't bother to iron this one out as it's a pretty well known issue on the Nexus 5 already.

With silent mode gone from Android 5.0 Lollipop, your phone may start to disturb you! © Motorola

No silent mode, status bar ticker or Power button menu

Sadly, these are ''improvements'' rather than problems. You can't simply volume down to silent mode (only to vibrate), there's no options other than Power Off when you long press the Power button, and the status bar ticker – that little scrolling preview of notifications – has been killed with fire in the latest version of Android. We expect the masses to rise up shortly and some changes to be made, or at least some workarounds figured out if you're willing to tweak your phone a little. 

If you've rooted or otherwise modified your phone, OTA updates may not work. 

Android 5.0 OTA broken on modified devices

This probably shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, but Google doesn't necessarily want your rooting or otherwise modifying your device or firmware. So if you've modded your Android a bit you may not be able to install the OTA update. Fortunately the reasons for this and the solution are pretty straightforward: simply flash a stock image again and OTA will be hunky dory once again. Check our article on broken OTA updates for Android 5.0 Lollipop for more info.

After closing out of apps on Android Lollipop, the Package installer app will appear. 

Android 5.0 Recent apps switcher

The recent apps card stack is a nifty new addition to multitasking in Lollipop. But not everyone is a fan. Some users are claiming the more apps they have stacked the slower their performance becomes, while others are noticing that even when a card has been removed from the stack it mysteriously returns. Even after a reboot your recent apps list will persist, so the only way to fix this one is to simply keep on swiping. Forever.

On the left we see various Chrome tabs mixed between other apps. Why couldn't we just have tabs like in the old version? (Right) 

Chrome tabs

Chrome Browser on Lollipop is set by default to store new tabs in the recent apps list, but for many this represents one of the biggest Lollipop fails of all. Fortunately, all you need to do is head to your Chrome settings and disable ''merge tabs and apps'' to return to the more familiar ''number in a box in the URL bar'' that brings up your tab list as it always has.

What other Android 5.0 problems have you found? Got any solutions we missed?

The battle for mobile's soul is raging and there are only two heavyweight platform contenders. Google's Android and Apple's iOS are getting better (and more similar) with every passing year.
 Let's take a look at how they compare and work out whether Apple and Google are treading their own paths or starting to converge.


Design:  IOS 8 isn't as dramatic as IOS 7: it’s a refinement rather than a revolution, and it introduces some features you might find familiar: auto-suggested words when you reply to texts, the ability to use third party keyboards, Google Drive-style file sharing and the ability for apps to send data to one another.
Android went flat too, but the flat design of KitKat is being supplanted with Google’s new Material Design Language.Like IOS it’s very bright and colorful, but it’s a little warmer than Apple’s UI, which can occasionally be eye-poppingly white.

Performance:  IOS 8 is a 64-bit operating system running on 64-bit hardware.While apple devices are tend to be considered less powerful than android , apple now controls the both Os and hardware means it often outperforms the more powerful android devices.
    With Android L, which fully supports 64-bit processors and uses a whole new runtime: the Dalvik compiler has been dropped in favour of ART, which uses “ahead of time” rather than “just in time” compilation to improve app performance.

Customization:  Android remains far ahead in this field.Apple still provides unremovable stock apps such as Stocks, and it still limits customization to ringtones and wallpaper.

Battery Life:   Android L uses Project Volta's battery saving technology,which delivers around 1/3 longer battery life than kitkat.
     We’re told iOS 8 is more efficient than before, but the presence of fairly hefty batteries in the iPhone 6 suggests that iOS is still fairly power hungry. It’s too early to tell what effect the iOS 8 upgrade will have on existing devices.

Gaming:  Apple has Metal, a new API for games developers; Android L has OpenGL ES 3.1 and the Android Extension Pack for games developers. Both promise console-quality gaming on mobile devices.

Updates:  Apple’s updates are made available to all iOS users instantly, something Android users may have felt envious about as they waited for manufacturers to roll out Android updates for their devices. That’s changed now, with Google Play Services handling the updates every six weeks to prevent devices from waiting too long for essential updates.

App store:  The Google Play Store is all too often a hive of villainy, and while Apple may be a bit heavy-handed on the censorship front there’s no need for a big “Here Be Dragons” sign above the iTunes app store. The ongoing battle between Google and the baddies is the price you pay for a more open app store.

Health:  Both OSes are designed to work with health hardware, both in smartphones and in external devices such as smart-watches - although unless we've missed an announcement only Apple has prohibited app developers from sharing health data with third parties.

Apple’s approach is its Health App, which it’s been working on with big names in healthcare such as the Mayo Clinic and which it’s punting to healthcare providers as a safe and secure way to store patient data as well as a useful way for customers to track their fitness. There’s an API for third party developers called Health Kit.

Android L’s equivalent is Google Fit, and it sounds rather similar. Partners include Adidas, Asus, Withings, Runkeeper and Polar, and Nike Fuelbands will be part of the Google Fit club too. There isn’t a direct equivalent of Apple’s Health app: Google’s leaving that to the manufacturers.

Apple pay vs Google Wallet:  Apple started their new payment system called Apple Pay, which takes advantage of the arrival of NFC on the iPhone. This way payments can be done right from the smartphone. A lot of partners are already getting on board here, though it is only available in the USA for now. The system uses finger prints of course, seeing as both the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have a sensor on board. Google Wallet, a Google service, also lets you pay for things via NFC in certain stores.

Ecosystems:  Mobile OSes have evolved. Both iOS (formerly iPhone OS) and Android started off as mobile phone operating systems, expanded to take in tablets - belatedly, in Android’s case - and now have their sights set on the wider world. Both platforms are interested in three major kinds of accessories: home automation, health monitoring and in-car systems. As ever the approach is different, with Apple providing a one-stop shop and Google concentrating more on providing the platform for others to work with.

What do you think? Is there anything in iOS 8 you’d like to see in Android L ? or Viceversa.?