14 DAY TRIAL // In case you haven't heard by now, Motorola started a soak test of Android 5.1 Lollipop for Verizon Moto X (1st Generation) a few days ago.
Well, it looks like the soak test was successful, since Verizon has just confirmed that the update is now available for download to all Moto X (1st Generation) owners.
The carrier already published the official changelog of the update and announced that, for the time being, users can only download Android 5.1 Lollipop manually.
This means that you will have to head over to Settings / About phone, and hope the update shows up on your original Moto X smartphone, otherwise you will have to try again later.
Lots of important changes have been implemented
The Big Red mentions the update is arriving as software version 222.21.39, so make sure this is the update you're downloading.
So, among the most important changes included in the update, Verizon confirms Android security patches, which are likely to address the Stagefright exploit, as well as many UI improvements.
For example, a volume settings panel icon has been added to match icons in the status bar. Also, users will now be able to quickly select different Wi-Fi accessories or Bluetooth devices with the added pull-down controls.
Another UI improvement implemented via Android 5.1 Lollipop is the increase of the minimum swipe distance in order to reduce accidental interactions if Ambient Display is enabled.
New interruption controls have also been added, so you will now be able to use them to prevent missed alarms. Users will now be able to change notification volume while media is playing by selecting new bell icon to show notification volume controls.
Last but not least, the new factory reset protection feature is now available to Moto X (1st Generation) users. This means that lost or stolen devices will remain unlocked until the Google account on the phone is signed into, even if reset to factory settings.
According to Google, the new security feature should reduce smartphone theft by preventing unauthorized reactivation of stolen devices.