Different brand models of smartphones now hold the latest Android 5.1 Lollipop.

Galaxy Note 4

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is one of those gadgets who now possess the latest Lollipop upgrade. According to International Business Times, the update, which was made possible by Team Emotroid and recognised contributors from XDA Developers, came via the Android Ice Cold Project (AICP) ROM aka Emotion Revolution ROMs.

Emotroid ROM or AICP ROM is based on Android Open Source Project (AOSP), a software that "excels at increasing the performance and stability over stock Android-based devices released by OEMs and vendors," IBT noted.

The Android 5.1 AICP ROM makes use of the Nadia kernels, "which is a modified aftermarket firmware for Galaxy Note 2, Note 4 and HTC M8," the news outlet wrote. For the list of upgraded features included in the new Android 5.1 AICP ROM, refer to the IBT report.

Galaxy S3

Samsung's Galaxy S3 also received the new Lollipop treatment. A separate report from International Business Times wrote that a new CyanogenMod Android 5.1 Lollipop CM12.1 series custom ROM is now offered in the Samsung's 2012 flagship smartphone Galaxy S3 (GT-I9300) 3G model.

The firmware is based on AOSP 5.1 Lollipop and is 224 MB in size, the news outlet noted. However, the update is still in an unstable CM12 build. Reminders before installing Custom (ROM) are indicated in the IBT report.

Motorola Handsets

Newer handsets of the tech company have already been given the Android 5.0 treatment, but some of the brand's other devices are still not carrying the Lollipop. The good news is Motorola has decided to bypass the Android 5.0 and went directly to the over-the-air update to Android 5.1, GSM Arena reports.

Some of the tech company's smartphones that will get the 5.1 are the Moto X, Moto E, and Moto G 4G, GSM Arena wrote. David Schuster, Motorola's senior director of software product management, announced that the update will be "on the absolute latest iteration of Google's mobile operating system."

Android 5.1 Lollipop Update: What to Expect

So what's with these buzz about the Android 5.1 Lollipop, anyway? Android Pit has provided a list detailing the most significant changes in the new firmware. One of these updates focuses on the Android phone's priority settings, particularly in the interruptions, priority, and silent mode options.

Screen pinning, which allows the owner to keep a phone secure while somebody else is using it, is also included in the 5.1 Lollipop. According to Android Pit, "Screen pinning locks the device into an app or folder so that, when sharing your phone, the person using it isn't able to exit that app without the corresponding PIN code."

The Android 5.1 Lollipop also carries a new device lock feature called the "Device Protection," which enables the device to be unusable after a factory reset "unless the user has your Google account login details." Aside from these, the update has an improved quick settings-menu, dual-SIM support, and an HD voice quality, the news outlet noted.