Google has released the latest and most advanced Android version - the Android 5.1 Lollipop, for the Google-branded smartphones, including the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10.

According to Latin Post, the California-based tech titan has made the Android 5.1 factory images available for download for owners of the above-mentioned Nexus devices. In fact, the owners of the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, 2012 Wi-Fi Nexus 7, and the Nexus 10 are the first to receive the latest firmware. While Google has not begun extending the Android 5.1 Lollipop over the air yet, it has given access to the factory images to people, who are familiar with sideloading a new Android version, for download on its developer site.

However, standard operating procedures are applicable for downloading the latest firmware. Users not having any experience of sideloading a new Android factory image onto their device are advised to wait for some more time till Google commences over-the-air-rollout. Here is a word of caution: inappropriate flashing may result in a bricked device.

The report further states that users ought to bear in mind that it's not always advisable to grab a new Android update immediately after its release. For instance, when the original Android 5.0 Lollipop was rolled out the firmware was plagued by several bugs leading some users to complain that the new firmware had made their device useless. The roll out of subsequent patches helped, but then it proves that waiting for some time means the user can at least use their device, even if it is not running the most recent Android.

Meanwhile, as expected, the Nexus devices have been the first to receive the latest Android update. However, it is still not clear when other manufacturers will also roll out the Android 5.1 Lollipop update for their devices. As of now, many of them are in the process of updating their smartphones and tablets to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Nevertheless, it may be expected that a number of tech manufacturers like Motorola will have an Android 5.1 Lollipop update ready before others, as they already have devices running near-stock Android, which will make the conversion process somewhat easier.

All said and done, the release of the Android 5.1 Lollipop update will be somewhat wobbly for different devices. OEMs like Samsung and HTC and Sony will require customizing the latest operating system in order to function with their in-house interfaces like TouchWiz (Samsung) or Sense (HTC). Any such move will take weeks to the release of a new Android after Google has rolled it out. Moreover, for devices tied to different carriers, it will take even longer, as the carrier will require going through as well as optimize the firmware further.