The official consumer release of the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS is not slated to come until later this year, but it looks like Samsung has already confirmed the arrival of certain features to a handful of their new devices.
Google is expected to send out the official Android 6.0 M update to the public before 2015 ends. However, as many Android users have learned, device makers and carriers may take a while before they're able to distribute new firmware versions.
In Samsung's case, the previous Android 5.0 Lollipop was rolled out to the Galaxy S5, the device maker's latest model at the time, roughly one month after the official release by Google. It was then pushed out to other older devices shortly afterwards.
Now, some tech observers are claiming that the latest Android OS version will come not only to the current flagships but also to some older handsets. It is no surprise that Samsung intends to treat their new Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, and Galaxy Note Edge with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It's even more sensible for the South Korean company to update the newly-launched Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+.
However, a site called YouMobile also predicts that the latest Android OS will also be rolled out to relatively older Samsung devices such as the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 4 Duos, Galaxy Alpha and the Galaxy Tab A; all of these models are expected to receive the update at this year's last quarter.
It was only yesterday that Android 6.0 has been revealed by Google. Thanks to the tech behemoth's I/O event earlier this year, we already know a little about what it will offer. We even got more information recently when the Google released the final Android 6.0 Developer Preview for the Nexus 5, 6, and 9.
Meanwhile, for those who aren't updated, Samsung has also posted a handy infographic confirming the major improvements that Android M will bring to its handsets. The photo reveals that the following features will definitely be integrated to Samsung devices once Android 6.0 Marshmallow is released:
- App Permissions: This feature allows users to choose which functions they want to give to certain mobile applications. For example, if they only want to let the app access their device's gallery but not their location, they may do so once Android M is installed.
- Track Memory: Android 6.0 on Samsung comes with a new Memory Tab where users can quickly see and monitor which apps are taking up much of their device's memory.
- Quick Finger Print Access: With this, users of models with built-in fingerprint scanner will be able to unlock their phone and log in to Google Play Store without having to type in their passwords every time.
- Auto Backup: This feature will automatically back up settings and app user data into the user's Google Drive account where each app is allocated with 25MB worth of storage.
Power Saving: Android Marshmallow will be better than the Android Lollipop in the battery management department as it will introduce the "Doze" mode. This new mode will detect if the device has not been used for a long time and will consequently reduce background processes to lessen battery consumption.
