Samsung Galaxy S4: Changes and New Features in Android 5.0.1 Lollipop

Samsung Galaxy S4 supports Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. I myself updated my Samsung Galaxy S4 to this latest Android version a week ago. As same as other updates, this update brings some changes (new looks and features) and also eliminates some old features.

New looks
Some visual changes have been brought by this update to provide a new look and improve your experience while using your Samsung Galaxy S4. Here's the list:

1. The notifications panel is now more interactive.
   The notifications panel gets the following changes to make it more useful and interactive for users:
• Transparent background.
• New S Finder and Quick connect apps. S Finder app can be used to find contents on your phone or search more in the search engine with more easily and fast. While, Quick connect app can be used to search for nearby devices automatically to connect to them quickly and easily.
• Brighter colour is used for the background of the quick setting buttons section.
• Separated sections. Each section in the notifications panel (e.g: notifications, recommended apps, quick settings buttons, etc) is now separated in a different row. It's also applied for notifications in lock screen.
• Expandable notifications. When you have a lot of unread notifications, you can slide down or up the screen to expand them. It's also applied for notifications in lock screen.
• A new Clear button to quickly clear all notifications. This button will not be available if you don't have any notification.
2. The settings menu and other pre-installed apps (e,g: Phone app, Messaging app, Contacts app, etc) are now using white and other bright colours for background.
3. Some new icons.
   Now, you have some circle icons (contacts icon, icons in settings menu, etc) and some floating icons in some pre-installed apps (e.g: create a new text message icon in Messaging app, create a new event icon in S Planner app, etc).
4. Neat animation when you tap buttons or icons, as well as when you scroll the screen up or down.
5. A new card-style UI when viewing recent apps.
6. Widgets list is no longer in the apps menu. You can simply access the list by single pressing the Menu key while you're in home screen.

New features and options
Some new features and options have also been brought by this update to improve functionality, performance and your experience while using your Samsung Galaxy S4. Here's the list:

1. Interruptions
   It's an improved blocking mode feature. You can use this feature to set up your interruptions settings. You can either set your phone to always interrupt or only allow priority interruptions when calls and notifications arrive.
2. While locked
   This feature lets you to show all content, hide sensitive content or even don't show any notification when your phone is locked.
3. Switch access
   This feature lets you control your phone using configurable key combinations.
4. New Easter egg animations
   Easter egg animations in Android 5.0.1 Lollipop contains with an animation game that is similar with a popular game named Flappy Bird. You can play this game and make score as high as possible.

Missing features and options
For whatever reason, the following features and options are no longer available in Samsung Galaxy S4 with Android 5.0.1 Lollipop:

1. Smart scroll feature
   The feature that can be used to scroll down or up the webpages or email messages by tilting your head or the device is now no longer available.
2. Air browse feature (in the stock Internet app)
   The feature that can be used to move between pages by moving your hand to the left or to the right above the sensor in now no longer available in the stock Internet app.
3. Air jump feature
   The feature that can be used to scroll through the webpages and the body of emails by moving your hand up or down above the sensor is now no longer available.
4. No settings icons for installed keyboards.
   Now, you can access detailed settings menu for each installed keyboard simply by tapping the keyboard name in the Language and input setting.

Well, this is a short resume for Samsung Galaxy S4 with Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. If you find any new change or feature that has not been listed in this post, feel free to share with us through the comment section below. I'll really appreciate it :)