Google released Android 6.0 Marshmallow last year as part of its yearly trend of releasing a new Android version. However, the currently latest OS is one of a kind.
The OS comes in with new features as well as a bunch of improvements in performance and user experience. However, there’ll always be those who are hesitant about updating to the new version of OS on their devices due to various reasons. If you are one of them, here are 10 awesome Android 6.0 Marshmallow features to make you change your mind now.
Doze
Android M comes with a feature known as Doze. Using this mode, you will no longer suffer from battery drains unnecessarily. The Doze feature will make use of motion sensors installed on your device to detect any motion of the device. In case of none, the feature sends the phone into sleep mode. In the end, your phone will still be on but all non-essential tasks will be stopped until the feature detects movement. In short, you will have longer battery life with a device running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow as compared to previous versions.
Android Pay
Mobile or tap and pay transactions are the way to go and Google knows this more than anyone else. Apple has its own and Samsung has it too. To make sure that it reaches everyone sooner than later, Google developed Android Pay as part of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Using Android Pay, you can purchase anything and pay for it as long as the retailer accepts NFC payments.
Adoptive storage
Android devices are best known for their support for microSD cards. While previous operating systems have been treating removable and internal storage as separate entities, the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow brings adoptive storage. This feature treats external storage as internal storage and sees it as permanent storage of the device. This feature favors those working on devices with smaller onboard capacities such as 8GB or 16GB for that matter.
Google Now on Tap
The introduction of Google Now on Tap is actually one of the major highlights of this Marshmallow update. To some it may look pretty much the same, however, the new version has been baked into every page you visit on your device, with the focus having shifted to context. What this means is that the new Now on Tap will be able to get a clear picture of where you are and what you need to know at that particular moment or place.
USB Type C support
USB Type C is definitely here to stay. Even though Samsung dropped the support for this in its recent releases of Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, quite a number of flagship models this year have integrated this technology into their handsets. In a few years’ time, this will be the standard way of connecting to Android devices thanks to its faster-charging capabilities.
Google pre-built USB Type C support with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and as long as the handset supports this module, the OS will be quick at taking full advantage of it.
Customizable lock screen
There is no doubt that Android 6.0 Marshmallow is a stable OS. However, Google has stretched its limits to include customization into this software. There is a new textbox appearing under the lock screen time where you can easily personalize your phone. You can also fill this place with quotes, reminders and so on.
Better at productivity
Google tried to improve the productivity of last year’s Android OS by making it easier to copy and paste information when compared to older versions. Older versions require that users highlight the info, moves to the top of the screen to cut or copy the information before going ahead and pasting it where necessary. With Marshmallow, just hover above the highlighted text and that’s it!
Enhanced app permission system
Marshmallow has overhauled the permissions systems used for installing apps and their updates on Android devices. On previous versions, users had no control over what permissions to grant the apps they installed, however, the new Android Marshmallow version has gotten better at this.
With Marshmallow, you will only give an app access to certain permissions when you need to use them. The OS further displays clearer details to users where they can easily see the apps accessing location, photos, messages, calls, camera, and so on.
Better, smoother app experience
On previous versions, clicking a link from inside an app would present users with an “Open With” dialog box. However, this is no more with Android Marshmallow as the OS has become smarter to know which app is needed to open each specific link. In short, clicking on a Twitter link when inside a WhatsApp conversation will directly open the conversation in the Twitter app without asking any questions.
Fingerprint sensors
With security becoming a major concern among smartphone users, the need to integrate tighter measures grew. As a result, Google rolled out an OS that supports fingerprint scanners. This is not the first time this functionality is coming to Android, but it is the first time it is actually working seamlessly.
The feature will no longer be used for unlocking and locking your device only, but it also works with other third party apps such as Samsung Pay with respect to authorizing payments as well as logging into others such as Evernote.
Refreshed app drawer
Google refreshed the app drawer with the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, coming in with a brand new layout that makes searching for apps a lot easier than before.
There is no more scrolling sideways and instead, you will be scrolling vertically. There is even room for you to search for an installed app at the top of the screen by entering the first few letters.