Android Marshmallow, or Android 6.0 as it’s also known, is the latest version of Android and while the overall look remains much the same it brings a whole bunch of new features with it.
We’ve covered the key ones below so you know what to look forward to and below that there’s information on which handsets will be getting Marshmallow and when.
Perhaps the biggest new feature of Android Marshmallow is Now on Tap. This provides the information you need, when you need it, without interrupting what you’re doing.
It works by bringing up information relevant to the screen you’re on if you press and hold the home button. So if for example you’re in a music app listening to a song it will bring up information on that artist. Or if you’re messaging someone and they mention a movie or a restaurant Now on Tap might bring up reviews of it.
Android Marshmallow promises better battery life, with the help of App Standby, which limits the impact of seldom used apps on your battery life and with Doze, which puts your device into a sleep state when it hasn’t been interacted with for an extended period. This cuts down on battery drain but still allows alarms and priority notifications to go off.
Google has also brought native support for USB Type-C with Android Marshmallow, meaning new phones are more likely to come with a USB Type-C connector, allowing you to plug the charger in either way up and also meaning phones will charge faster.
Android Marshmallow gives you full control over what permissions each app has, so you can install an app without having to agree to all the permissions is wants and you can turn individual permissions on and off as and when you want.
You don’t need Android Marshmallow to use Android Pay, but it is better with Marshmallow, thanks to native support for fingerprint scanners and the ability to automatically sync loyalty cards.
Android Marshmallow also allows for improved voice controls, letting developers add voice controls to their apps, so beyond just launching an app with your voice you could also have full voice control of it and even have it speak back.
There’s quite a lot to look forward to in Android Marshmallow, but some phones will be waiting a lot longer than others for it and some won’t get it at all. We don’t know the exact rollout schedule yet, but some manufacturers have provided hints.
The new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P are launching with Android Marshmallow, so they’ll be among the first devices to get it. Other nexus devices will be getting the update any day now too, including the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus 7 (2013).
HTC should be fairly quick to update its phones as well, as the company has revealed that it will be bringing Marshmallow to the HTC One M9 and HTC One M8 before the end of the year.
Then after that it will roll the update out to the HTC One M9+, HTC One E9+, HTC One E9, HTC One ME, HTC One E8, HTC One M8 Eye, HTC Butterfly 3, HTC Desire 826, HTC Desire 820 and HTC Desire 816. The notable absence there is the HTC One M7, which seemingly may not get the update.
LG has confirmed that Android Marshmallow will be coming to the LG G4 and LG G3, though not said when. We’d also expect to see it on the new LG V10 at some point.
Motorola lists the Moto X Pure, Moto X Style, Moto X Play, Moto G (Gen 2 and 3), Moto X (2014), Moto Turbo, Moto Maxx, Droid Turbo and Droid Maxx as getting the update, though again hasn’t said when, but the company is usually pretty speedy with updates, so expect it within the next few months.
Samsung is keeping tight-lipped so far, but a leak suggests the Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ and possibly the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Samsung Galaxy Alpha will be getting the update by early next year, which could leave the Samsung Galaxy S5 high and dry.
Sony hasn’t laid out its plans either, but we’d expect the Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3+, Xperia Z5 and possibly the Xperia Z2 will get Android Marshmallow, along with the Compact and Premium handsets Sony has launched under those names.
Huawei has stated that the P8 will be the first of its handsets to get Marshmallow but hasn’t said when. We wouldn’t be surprised if few other Huawei phones get the update at all, given that the company often fails to update its handsets.
As for OnePlus, we expect the OnePlus 2 will get upgraded to Marshmallow at some point and even the OnePlus One might, but there’s no concrete news.
