Plans for updating Samsung to Android 6. Video on Samsung Galaxy Alpha firmware

The next update to Google's mobile operating system is called Android 6.0 Marshmallow and has already become available for many devices around the world.

By tradition, the Nexus series devices were the first to receive the update, with Android 6.0 Marshmallow pre-installed on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.

But what should all other Android device users expect? Increasingly, people are typing queries into search engines: when will I get Android 6.0 Marshmallow? Who will get Android 6.0 first? I tried to collect all the known information that I could find on the Internet so that you can find out whether you are getting a new update from Google or not.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow release date

On October 5, 2015, the update to Android 6.0 was officially released for Nexus devices. And on December 7, 2015, version 6.0.1 appeared. From that moment on, devices from other manufacturers began to be updated.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow on Nexus

Android Marshmallow (Android 6.0) became available on Nexus 5, 6, 7 and 9 on October 5, 2015, initially to US users. The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P smartphones originally came with Android 6.0 already installed.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow on BlackBerry

Yes, BlackBerry devices can indeed receive the updated system. And although the company has not confirmed this information, there are rumors that BlackBerry will receive an update in early 2016.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow on HTC

HTC has confirmed that the HTC ONE M9 and ONE M8 will receive the update at the end of 2015. According to HTC management manager Mo Versi, ONE M9 and A9 will be updated in December.

Other HTC devices will also receive the update to Google's new operating system.

According to him, the following smartphone models will be updated in the future:

• HTC One M9+
• HTC One E9+
• HTC One M8
• HTC One E9
• HTC One ME
• HTC One E8
• HTC One M8 Eye
• HTC Butterfly 3
• HTC Desire 826
• HTC Desire 820
• HTC Desire 816

Android 6.0 Marshmallow on Huawei

Huawei has shared information about which models will receive an update to Android 6.0 (with its own Emotion UI interface).

Up to six will be updated:

• Huawei P8
• Huawei P8 Youth Edition
• Huawei P8 Max
• Huawei Maimang 4 (Chinese version of G8)
• Huawei G7
• Huawei G7 Plus
• Huawei Mate 7
• Huawei Mate S
• Huawei Honor 7
• Huawei Honor 7i
• Huawei Honor 6 Plus
• Huawei Honor 6
• Huawei X2
• Huawei 4X
• Huawei Play 4C

Android 6.0 Marshmallow on LG

LG has announced that LG G4 owners will begin receiving the update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow starting October 19, 2015, but... only in Poland. Europe, Asia, South America, USA and UK will update later.

There's no further word on timing, but the update is expected to release in January or February 2016.

It is also likely that the LG G3 will also receive Android 6.0, but the company has not yet published an official release schedule.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow on Samsung

According to Samsung, the update schedule is as follows:

The first stage of the update is scheduled for December 2015. Models that are planning to update:

• Samsung Galaxy Note 5
• Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE+

In January 2016:

• Samsung Galaxy S6
• Samsung Galaxy S6

Following the top smartphones, the update will receive the update in February 2016:

• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Updates are planned for the following devices, but the timing has not yet been confirmed:

• Samsung Galaxy Alpha
• Samsung Galaxy S5

And there is a second phase of the update, which includes the following devices:

• Samsung Galaxy A8
• Samsung Galaxy A7
• Samsung Galaxy A5
• Samsung Galaxy A3
• Samsung Galaxy E7
• Samsung Galaxy E5

Android 6.0 Marshmallow on Sony Xperia

• Xperia Z5
• Xperia Z5 Compact
• Xperia Z5 Premium
• Xperia Tablet Z4
• Xperia Z3+
• Xperia Z3
• Xperia Z3 Compact
• Xperia Tablet Z3 Compact
• Xperia Z2
• Xperia Tablet Z2
• Xperia S5 Ultra
• Xperia M4 Aqua
• Xperia C4

And although there is already a list approved by Sony, the company does not say anything about the timing. Let's hope the update won't take long.

If you have already received Android 6.0 Marshmallow on your device, please share your happiness in the comments.

Android 6 Marshmallow is not the best or latest version of the operating system today. The laurels of championship were captured by the seventh version of the OS - Android Nougat.

While some flagship devices have taken care of this in advance, there are many smartphones that have not yet embraced the new Android Marshmallow.

So, the marshmallow Android update is already available. What did you work on in it? Improved battery life, app permission controls, standardized support for fingerprint scanners, more granular volume controls, USB-C support, and an updated Google Now are all on the agenda. This smoothie promises a tasty upgrade for its users. Can your phone receive it?

The Android update process is more complex than Apple's iOS updates. But just because an update has been released, it doesn't necessarily mean that all devices will have access to it.

Although at the moment the sixth version of the OS accounts for about a quarter of all devices with the Android system installed.

As for the update itself, manufacturers spend quite a lot of time with new software before releasing it to their devices, improving and tinkering literally as they go. But this happened at a time when Google had already released Android Nougat.

If you are the owner of a device from the Nexus line, then you are in luck, since all Google software and system updates first reach native Google devices. Although smartphones from companies such as Motorola also receive updates quite quickly. As for other manufacturers, the process here is less predictable.

To lift the veil of secrecy over the latest Android update, we are publishing approximate information about when it will become available on various devices. Deadlines may vary slightly.

Google and Nexus

Google has updated its range of Nexus products, which will come with Android Marshmallow pre-installed. The company is offering the update for the following devices: Nexus 5, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C and the entire line of Android One devices.

Looking back at the previous list, Marshmallow will not be available for the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 (2012) and Nexus 10.

Samsung

Samsung at one time did a good job of getting Android Lollipop for its smartphones almost at lightning speed, but for some reason it didn’t work out with the Marshmallow version. However, almost all major phones have the latest software versions.

A little later, the update will reach the 2014 model Moto X Pure Edition, as well as the Droid Turbo.

Huawei

Both Huawei P9 and Huawei P9 Plus have marshmallow Android by default.

The company has also confirmed that the Huawei P8, Huawei P8 Max, Mate S, Ascend Mate 7, P8 Youth Edition, G7 Plus, X2, 4X and Play 4C will also receive Android 6.0 at some point, but there's no word on anything official yet. release.

OnePlus

The OnePlus One has received its own version of Android 6 in the form of Cyanogen OS 13, while the OnePlus 2 model will also receive it as part of the Oxygen OS 3.0.2 software update. Plus OnePlus X will now update to Oxygen OS 3.1.3.

OnePlus 3 has a version of Android Marshmallow on board from the start.

BlackBerry

The BlackBerry DTEK50 is already launching with Android 6, while the BlackBerry Priv - the Canadian manufacturer's first phone to support the Android operating system - will also receive its share of marshmallow updates.

Asus

Asus is another company that often can't boast of being particularly quick with updates. She released a new version of the OS for ZenFone 2, ZenFone 2 Deluxe, ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition and ZenFone 2 Laser. But the ZenFone Selfie and ZenFone Zoom models will also be updated.

Asus has also confirmed that the ZenFone Max update is all set, so hopefully it will be launched soon.

Honor

Honor has provided its update schedule for Android Marshmallow, and they won't be long in coming. The update is already available for Honor 7, while Honor 6 and Honor 5X currently only have this feature locally in some countries.

It is expected that Honor 6 Plus and Honor 4X will receive the update soon, but there are no specifics on these two models yet.

ZTE

ZTE doesn't always bother to update its phones to new versions of the OS, so if you own a ZTE smartphone, you may have to make do without Android 6.0. An update will be available for the ZTE Axon Pro, but that seems to be where the track record ends.

Nvidia

For three tablet models from Nvidia - the original Shield tablet, Nvidia Shield Tablet ATV and Shield Tablet K1 - updates are already available.

Other manufacturers

Nextbit currently has one smartphone in its ranks - Nextbit Robin. It was released in February this year with Android Lollipop OS and now has the honor of getting its share of Android Marshmallow.

Features of Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS

While we eagerly await the updates of our devices to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, we became curious about the features and details that await us in the new version of the OS. Here are some updated and exciting new features.

Compared to the Lollipop version, Android 6 will not really surprise us with a fundamentally new design. It remained practically untouched, because more attention was paid to new features and corrections of previous errors.

Android Pay

Technically, you can use Android Pay without the Marshmallow software, but with an updated version of the OS it will certainly be much easier.

Upgrading to Marshmallow brings with it enhanced fingerprint scanner functionality, so you don't even need to open the app—you can simply unlock your phone with your finger and place it on the contactless payment terminal.

Third-party apps are also supported as part of OS version 6, making online shopping directly from your smartphone much easier.

Be that as it may, Android Pay is currently available only in some countries where it is actively used. But there are no clear plans yet as to when this feature will become relevant for the rest of the world.

Fingerprint scanner in Android Marshmallow

Some smartphone manufacturers are known to already include hardware fingerprint scanners in their devices, but with Android Marshmallow, Google is standardizing support for them across the platform.

You can use the fingerprint scanner to unlock your device and pay for media products from the Google Play Store, and the use of fingerprint scanner technology is also open to app developers. This means that developers can take it into account or embed it into their applications, which will allow the user to log into them without a password, as well as pay for goods using Android Pay.

Voice control in Android Marshmallow

Android 6.0 paves the way for enhanced voice control features with a new Voice Interaction API that will allow app developers to embed voice control directly into their apps.

This means that owners of devices with Android version 6 will soon be able to talk to their applications, and those, in turn, will also be able to communicate in this way.

Google gave one example of such feedback with the TuneIn application. The user can say, “OK Google, listen to music on TuneIn,” and the TuneIn app will not only launch, but will also be able to specify “What genre of music would you like to listen to?”

After this, the user can name his favorite genre. It's a natural way to communicate with our smartphone and apps. This capability could revolutionize human-machine interaction.

Google released a video to demonstrate the potential of the API's voice interaction, which can be viewed below.

Battery consumption on Marshmallow OS

Google has done a significant job in improving battery life and power consumption in Android 6.0. This news is truly a balm for the soul for many users.

Google first developed the sleep mode feature (Doze). The device will use motion sensors to understand how long it has been unused and switch to a deeper sleep mode that consumes much less power.

The device won't completely and soundly sleep in this mode, Doze will still allow alarms to go off and display key notifications.

Google shared the results of the following experiment with us. We took two identical Nexus 9 tablets, one running Lollipop and the other Marshmallow, loaded both with the same apps and settings, and then tested the reserve power consumption on two test subjects.

Based on the data, the Nexus 9 running Android Marshmallow lasted up to two times longer than its counterpart running the Lollipop version. Sounds impressive and we hope it will result in significantly longer battery life on our devices.

Now on Tap assistant in Android 6.0.

Android Marshmallow takes assistant functionality to a new level of intelligence called Now on Tap. Enhanced from Google Now, Now on Tap allows users to access information from anywhere on their smartphone, no matter what they're doing or what apps they have open.

The user can simply press and hold the Home button to make a request without leaving the application or website they are currently in. If, for example, a friend emailed you about a movie they watched, Now on Tap can give you information about the movie's ratings, suggest you watch a trailer, or even order movie tickets.

Now on Tap is not only useful for finding basic information. It can also be used for voice search for more specific queries. For example, find out who performs a particular song and the like.

Permissions in Android Marshmallow

App permissions are more intuitive in the new version of the OS, giving users the ability to allow or deny specific usable features within an app, rather than having to grant permission to everything at once.

On the Lollipop version, the user must give permission when downloading the application, but with the marshmallow version, the user will not be prompted to grant access to various functions (camera, contacts, photo folders, etc.) until the user needs to use them in application.

This means that, for example, you can give WhatsApp access to the camera but not the microphone, if necessary. You can even deny access to a specific permission if you accidentally confirmed it by digging around in the settings a little.

Other new features on Android 6.0.

Google has once again made it easier to control volume with the new version of Android. You now have more granular control over various audio settings on your device, from ringtones and alarms to music playback and voice calls.

Word selection and text highlighting have also been simplified. Selecting text is now more intuitive, and the floating menu puts text controls (cut, copy, paste) right at your fingertips rather than in a toolbar at the top of the display.

When using the Chrome web browser on Android Marshmallow, a handy feature is Chrome Custom Tabs, which allows sites to customize Chrome's toolbar and tab menu to provide custom buttons and options.

An example shown on stage during Google IO was the popular Pinterest, which could add a "Pin" button to the toolbar on certain pages.

App tethering has also been greatly improved. With Google's new, smarter software, you now have the choice to open the link in a browser or some other compatible application. This means that pop-ups and blinking windows like “Open with” will no longer get in the way of your screen.

Now all you have to do is sit and wait to get all these new goodies along with Android Marshmallow on your device.

The official update for Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) is not yet available for the Samsung Galaxy Alpha. However, if you want to install the latest version of the system, you can do so using one of the unofficial ROMs.

Thanks to unofficial ROMs, you can update to a newer version of those smartphones for which the manufacturer has not yet released an update. Typically, unofficial ROMs like CyanogenMod run on a newer version than the current official update. Nothing is different (for now) in the case of the Galaxy Alpha - Samsung hasn't released an update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow yet, but there are unofficial ROMs like CyanogenMod 13 or Resurrection Remix that run the latest version of the green robotic system. How to install them?

Attention! To install a ROM, you must first install TWRP Recovery on your phone, a custom recovery mode that allows you to install unofficial Android packages ( see how to install TWRP on Galaxy Alpha). It's also a good idea to back up your most important data.

What are the Galaxy Alpha ROMs and what do I need?

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha, like many other smartphones, is available in several places depending on the region. We must first make sure what exact versions of the phone we have. To do this, go to Settings > About Phone on your phone and check your model.

If we have Galaxy Alpha G850F, the following versions are available based on Android 6.0:

• CyanogenMod 13 for G850F
• Resurrection Remix for G850F

Other models ( G850FQ and G850M) now only Resurrection Remix:

• Resurrection Remix for G850FQ
• Resurrection Remix for G850M

We download one of the listed ROMs depending on the phone model. Additionally, we need to download the GAPPS package with Google apps (Play Store, Google Play Services, etc.). It is universal for all devices.

• Download GAPPS for Android 6.0

We will then copy the downloaded “.zip” files with the selected ROM and GAPPS to the internal memory (SDCard folder) or external memory (external SD card) of the phone.

Installing CyanogenMod 13 or Resurrection Remix on Galaxy Alpha

Once we have copied the ".zip" file of the selected ROM for our phone, we must now install it using TWRP Recovery. To do this, turn off your phone completely using the Power button and then restart it using the following key combination:

Volume Up + Main + Power(Volume Up button + Home button + Power button)

We hold the three buttons until the Samsung logo appears on the screen and then release them. After some time, the TWRP screen will appear on the screen, in which we can perform all the operations.

If we want to protect ourselves, then we can do what is called Nandroid Backup, which is a backup of the current system. However, you should remember that it requires a large enough amount of free space on your phone or external SD card so that all the data (system and personal data) can fit. To make a Nandroid backup, go to the Backup tab and then move your finger to the Swipe field.

The next step is to wipe your phone using Factory Reset. To do this, go to the "Wipe" tab and swipe the "Swipe to factory reset" box. Cleaning removes the Data, Cache and Dalvik folders from your computer - our private data folder (internal storage) and the copied file from CyanogenModem or Resurrection Remix will be intact.

The last step is to install the ROM and Google Apps (GAPPS). To do this, go to the Installation tab and then point to the .zip file from the ROM (CyanogenMod or Resurrection Remix). We confirm the installation by scrolling the "Swipe" field. Once the installation is complete, go to the Install tab again, and this time select and install the Google app package in the same way.

Finally, go to the main menu of TWRP and select the Reboot option to reboot your phone. The phone will restart and the latest version of Android will be displayed on the screen.