A visual tour of Android 5 Lollipop and Material Design

Finally, our review device got the Android 5 Lollipop update and I got to have a go at the latest version of Google’s OS firsthand. I was sure I would like the new Material design from the first time it was announced, and I must say that I have not been disappointed.

Simply put, I love the flat design, the cards, and the general implementation of the new UI. Here are screenshots from the Nexus 5 running Android 5.0.1. PS: Note that nexus 7 tablets are receiving version 5.0.2.

Locked screen with notifications:

Locked screen:

Android Lollipop Desktop:

The new drop-down menu:

This is what the Settings menu looks like now:

About Phone under Settings:

The new app drawer:

I honestly do not like the white layer. Interestingly, on the Nexus 7 running Android 5.0.2, that white layer isn’t there and it looks much better, in my opinion. This is what it looks like on the Nexus 7:

The Gmail app inbox:

The Gmail app menu:

The Calculator app looks like this now:

And the Calendar app has significant changes. Here is the Schedule view, listing all your upcoming appointments in one view:

Here’s the default view when you launch the phone app – a listing of your speed dials:

In the Phone app, here is what the Dialer looks like:

And Google’s Hangout:

Finally, Gallery app is done away with and replaced with the Photos app:

Transitions through menus are smooth and nice. I particularly love the new Gmail app. I will likely do a proper review later, but one thing is sure: Lollipop is a much better version of Android OS. The new user interface is really good and is in my opinion also the best stock Android UI ever. It is good to see a stock Android UI and not long for something like Sense UI from HTC to hide it away.