On May 28, 2015, at the Google I / O conference, the search giant announced Android M, which became available for download just a few hours after the presentation. And less than three months later, on August 17, 2015, the system was renamed to Android 6.0 Marshmallow (Marshmallow).
I wonder if Google has decided to move to a new versioning cycle. The search giant could follow Apple's example of churning out one major version of iOS a year. We do not see much point in this - the number of innovations will not increase in any way, only the approach to assigning an index will change. In other words, in 2016 we can see Android 7.0. But come on, let's see what the new Android 6.0 has to offer:
Android 6.0 - what's new?
So Android 6.0. There is decently new here, although not as much as it was in. There are more than 50 changes in total, but only a few of them are the main ones. Let's go through them.
App permissions
We believe that many of us remember that when installing an application on our smartphone (yes, with Android on board), a message first appears, usually the size of the entire screen, where there are several icons, a lot of inscriptions, and at the bottom right there is a button "Accept » (Accept). Do you know what it is? This is a list of permissions that the application requires in order to work. If you refuse to give them to him, then the program simply does not install.
Security is security, but you also need to work, right? Presumably, this is how Google reasoned when adding new functionality to Android 6.0. Now there will be no list of permissions during installation - instead, messages about individual permissions will appear when they are requested. For example, if the application wants to access GPS for the first time, or wants to use the microphone, camera, and so on. The selected option will be remembered and you will no longer be bombarded with messages, however, permissions can be changed in the settings.
The most interesting thing is that such a thing was made back in . It was called App Ops - this is a special permission manager. It was hidden from users, but a way to enable it was found and described in detail. And then Google simply removed it from the system so that there would be no unnecessary claims.
After all, if you figure it out, how does such a blocking of permissions work? In Android 4.3, if something is blocked, the application, when trying to access the “forbidden fruit”, will not only be “surprised”, but, to put it mildly, will be “stunned”. In other words, an incorrect application termination will occur with a possible loss of operational data.
This issue was resolved in Android 6.0. Now, if a program, for example, "knocks" on the Internet, but it is forbidden to do so, then for it everything will be arranged in such a way that there is no connection. Or if the camera, GPS, Bluetooth, etc. not available at the moment. This will show the appropriate error message, but not throw a system exception.
In addition, developers will be able to take into account the new function of the system. That is, they will know if the problem is in the denial of permissions or if something really “fell off and does not work”. This means that if you have blocked something, the application will tell you this: I can’t work, you banned me! And in the case of App Ops and Android 4.3, it was impossible to find out why something was not working - that's why the manager was removed.
In any case, the new feature of Android 6.0 provides even more control over applications, greater system security.
Support for fingerprint scanners
A few days before Google I / O 2015, information began to appear that Android 6.0 would include support for fingerprint scanners. This thing is not new at all - in 2013 Motorola and Apple mastered it, then HTC, Samsung and other companies pulled themselves up. However, all the functionality of the fingerprint sensor was programmed by manufacturers, while at the system level it was done only by Apple, although how could it be otherwise?
Now, a special API that allows you to control the fingerprint scanner is built into Android. This means universality for everyone - developers will be able to use fingerprints for authorization in their applications and they will not have to take into account the peculiarities of individual manufacturers - everything will be the same for everyone. After all, if you look, for the same Samsung, the fingerprint scanner works to unlock the device and authorize in several branded applications. Third-party programs simply do not use it. And Xiaomi generally stated that while Android does not have built-in support for fingerprinting, it does not intend to embed a scanner in its smartphones.
In general, now everything will change. True, the funniest thing in the current situation is that there is an API for fingerprint scanners, but the scanners themselves are nowhere to be found. Looking ahead, we will inform you that Android 6.0 is only available on Nexus 5, 6 and 9, and they are deprived of this component. So all this works in theory, and it will be possible to try the new “gadget” in practice no earlier than the release of the new Nexus with a fingerprint scanner.
Doze mode - energy optimization
Do you know that Android 5.0 has solved all the problems with power consumption? Do you know? But now Google is not sure about it. But this feature was presented as one of the main ones: here you have a new one, which launches and executes applications more efficiently, and saves battery power in such a way that it never even dreamed of. In reality, everything was not as good as on paper. And now the second half of 2015 is in the yard, and we are offered a new panacea for the rapid depletion of the battery.
Doze mode will provide energy savings at such a level that wow! In theory, of course. And this theory sounds something like this: the more a smartphone or tablet is in sleep mode, the better. This time, Google intends to put them to sleep even more often. At the same time, so that the user does not miss notifications or calls, the devices will do this when there is no person nearby.
Recall that the Terminator and the Matrix are just around the corner, that is, there are so many sensors in a modern phone that it knows where it is, whether it is moving or not, and whether there are people nearby. Actually, this is the whole idea - if there are no people nearby, then you can “sleep”, or, in other words, all background processes will be turned off, leaving only the most necessary minimum for work.
That is, Doze is activated if you leave your mobile device and go somewhere, or just go to sleep - in this case, the discharge rate will be noticeably reduced. Let's see how it will work in practice, but the idea does not look stupid in any case.
USB Type-C support
The USB Type-C standard or simply USB-C is gradually gaining popularity. Let us briefly recall that it appeared along with the USB 3.1 specification, one of the main features of which was the doubling of the interface bandwidth to 10 Gb / s relative to USB 3.0. Well, USB Type-C is a connection type that involves a new connector that can be the same on all devices.
Of course, the ability to connect the cable to either side is not the main feature of USB Type-C. In addition, it adds many additional features, including advanced charging capabilities, according to the USB Power Delivery 2.0 specification. In particular, we are talking about a current strength of 1.5 and 3.0 A at a voltage of 5 V.
Android 6.0, you guessed it, supports USB Type-C, and with it, advanced charging modes. No, we're not only talking about increased current, which gives an increase in charging speed, but also about things like recharging other devices. We are talking about the fact that it will be possible to charge phones, smartphones and tablets from each other: a phone from a tablet, a smartphone from a tablet, and even a tablet from a smartphone, as well as other “perverted” options. It is unlikely that this function will be in demand everywhere and by everyone, but in certain situations it will be useful.
In addition, MIDI keyboards can be connected to devices running Android 6.0 and with a USB Type-C connector. This will further expand the multimedia component of Android.
Google Now search in apps
This feature is actually called "Google Now on Tap" and is called when you hold down the Home button for a long time. Once launched, Google Now will "scan" what's on the screen and offer a card with additional information.
The idea is the following. Let's say you are discussing with someone a movie or a new music album, a place, and so on. The context from your message screen is obvious and Google Now can understand it. Holding the Home button for a long time will cause this same context to be recognized and, according to it, a card with information will be offered: information about the movie from the IMDb database, information about the country, information about the album, and so on.
Moreover, the possibilities of Google Now on Tap are much wider - information can be drawn not only from Google search, but also from installed applications. The main thing here is that their developers implement the appropriate functionality - they provide the ability to index data within programs.
In other words, Google Now on Tap is a kind of intelligent assistant that works in any application and gives useful tips if they are needed. Theoretically, nothing should interfere with its functioning, unless the developer makes a completely atypical application interface.
Chrome Custom Tabs
Any developer can embed a browser in their Android app. For this, a corresponding component has been created that provides the operation of the web page rendering engine inside your application. But there is one unpleasant moment - all this has nothing to do with the main system browser. That is, your entered passwords, search history, saved cookies, and so on are not available there.
Now this problem can be solved by embedding a "chunk" of the Chrome browser into your application. In fact, the functionality will remain the same, but you won’t have to re-enter passwords, and sites will remember you.
At the same time, another interesting feature has been added - opening links in applications. Let's say you click on a link to a page on Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte, and the like, and then you will be prompted to open it in the appropriate client, if you have it installed.
New clipboard panel
Using the clipboard, thus "copy-paste", in Android is not always easy. If anyone remembers, then, having selected a piece of text, a panel appears on top with options to copy, paste, cut, select all, and the like. Everything would be fine, but realizing that you need to look up the screen, especially on a large display, does not always work right away.
In Android 6.0, the corresponding panel will now be displayed next to the selected text. This is already implemented in iOS and, surprise surprise, Windows Phone. Google has now caught up with the competition, although the new panel is not working very well so far.
Simplified volume control
Android 5.0 is so clever with the volume control, wow! If before it, bringing the volume to a minimum, the sound was first turned off, and vibration was turned off with another press of the button, then in the “five” there was no completely “quiet” mode. Instead, it was proposed to choose one of three options: leave vibration for all notifications, for priority ones, or still be silent until other orders.
Android 6.0 brings back the previous functionality - you can “mute” your smartphone or tablet by pressing the volume down button. But, if necessary, you can configure which events and notifications will be heard.
Updated application list
The list of applications in Android 5 has become so light, with a white background. A lot of people didn't like it, by the way. Think Android 6.0 has gone dark? Not at all, but new opportunities have appeared here.
First of all, the old way of rewinding applications has returned - vertical paging, instead of horizontal. Moreover, the letters of the alphabet are now displayed on the left for a more visual grouping. We do not rule out that this is not the final version of the design.
A search field for applications appeared at the very top, and right below it - the four most frequently used programs. At first glance, it looks comfortable.
Save backups to Google Drive
One of the nicest features of the iPhone and iPad is the ability to back up all your data to the iCloud cloud. This operation allows you to protect all information, settings and personal data from loss, and at the same time allows you to quickly and painlessly restore everything. Both on the original device and on the other.
And now something like this will appear in Android 6.0. Restoring contacts and apps through a Google account has been possible for a long time, but now we are talking about a full backup of device data. Well, almost completely. Temporary "heavy" application files necessary for their operation will not be saved - why not litter your servers with such garbage! And so the developers will even be able to indicate what needs to be saved, and what is of no use for recovery.
All this is recorded in Google Drive. And, best of all, such a “backup” will not affect the final available capacity of your cloud storage in any way - everything will be placed in a separate hidden folder.
Multi-window mode on tablets
This has been talked about for a long time. Google is clearly not indifferent to the Multi Window mode introduced by Samsung on the Galaxy Note II in 2012. In Android 6.0, the first sprouts of this functionality began to be seen at the system level, and not from the manufacturer of smartphones and tablets. True, there it is hidden very deeply and is activated by adding the latest version of TWRP to the firmware. Also, this only works on the Nexus 9 tablet.
Google's version splits the screen into quadrants - you can download from 1 to 4 applications at once. With one, everything is clear. Two pieces are located next to each other, dividing the desktop vertically or horizontally. When opening three programs, the screen is divided in half: one application is loaded in one half, and the other two in the second half. Well, with the four, everything is already clear - each application is allocated its own "square".
Opening occurs including from the task manager. All this is still working poorly and terribly buggy, so we do not exclude the possibility of this feature not being available in the final version of Android 6.0.
Offline Google Maps and YouTube
This change affects more the Google Maps and YouTube apps themselves than Android 6.0, but still. So, once again, Google maps will get an offline mode. However, this time it will be truly real! In other words, it will be possible to search for a saved map fragment, all layers will work on it, and so on - before that, such a map could only be viewed and that's it.
With YouTube, the situation is also interesting. Clips can be saved to your device and viewed later. True, the viewing time is fixed for 48 hours - after they will be deleted.
We highlighted Android Pay as a subsection of a higher-level article for a reason. Formally, this payment system was introduced along with Android 6.0, but it will work on all devices equipped with NFC chips and with. The main thing here is that developers and stores support the Google initiative.
However, the company has already started negotiating with financial institutions, shops, and so on - work has been promised in at least 700,000 points. True, all of them are still located mainly in the United States, however, the future belongs to such contactless payments, so "there will be a holiday on our street."
I must say that Android Pay is not the first Google payment system. Previously, Google Wallet (“Google Wallet”) was already introduced, but it did not become particularly popular. And no, the new implementation is not just a rename. Android Pay is made on the same principle as Apple Pay. In particular, by linking a bank card to a payment system, its data will not be transferred to the person to whom you pay for the purchase of goods or services. Google, as they say, will settle all the formalities for payment with the bank and the store.
However, Google Wallet is not closed yet. For a while, the old system will work, although we believe that sooner or later the search giant will “pull” everyone to Android Pay.
By the way, the isolation of Android Pay from Android 6.0 is also confirmed by the fact that the payment system has been operating since the summer of 2015, and the new version of the OS will appear no earlier than autumn.
How to install Android 6.0
Android 6.0 became available almost immediately after the presentation for Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. Other "current nexuses", in particular the Nexus 4, Nexus 10 and Nexus 7, can also get a new system, but only in the final version. That is, you can only test it on the latest Nexus devices.
In connection with this circumstance, the question arises, how to install Android 6.0 on these Nexus? In principle, it is not very difficult. We have prepared a short guide for this.
- Download Android 6.0 for Nexus 5, Nexus 6 or Nexus 9 from the corresponding page.
- Enable USB Debugging Mode in Settings: Tap About seven times, confirm that you want to enable Developer Mode, and in the new Settings section, enable USB Debugging.
- At the command prompt, in the folder with the ADB driver, type the following command: adb reboot bootloader .
- After confirming the operation, run the following line: fastboot oem unlock .
- Next, enter a few more commands:
fastboot flash system system.img
fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
fastboot flash cache cache.img
After flashing, the phone or tablet will reboot and the new version of Android will be available for use.
And the best part is that Android 6.0 will be released for the Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 Duos, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 4 Duos, Galaxy Note edge, Galaxy Alpha and Galaxy Tab A. Samsung has already announced that.
Android 6.0 release date
We have announced the release date of Android 6.0 above more than once - the fall of 2015. Presumably, it will happen exactly one year after the release of Android 5, that is, somewhere in October.
As mentioned earlier, Android 6.0 will initially be released for Nexus 5, 6, 9 and Player. Later, it is possible that Nexus 4, 7 and 10 will join them. In any case, I would like to believe in it. Well, as for the rest of smartphones and tablets, everything will be as usual here. And usually things are so that Samsung updates first of all the flagships, and only after that some of the cheaper devices. Updates are often released for top-end handsets from HTC, LG, Sony and other A-brands. Well, the rest, less famous companies, are often delayed even with the release of new devices with the current version of the OS.
Conclusion
The new features of Android 6.0 look useful and necessary. Once again, power consumption has been optimized, normal control over application permissions has finally appeared, a multi-window mode can potentially appear, and so on.
However, all this does not draw on the major version of Android 6.0. The level of change is about the same as between Android 4.0 and 4.1. In other words, we were waiting for the release of Android 5.2, but Google decided otherwise. The question is, what's next - is Android 7.0 really going to be next? What do you think? Express your opinion in the comments. Also, tell me if you like Android 6.0?
Marshmallow Interface
The Material Design presented at Google I/O 2014 is also present in the new Android, of course, there are no special changes. Google has added a very interesting feature to change the theme of the settings menu to dark. Unfortunately, this is not included in the release. Another significant change is the application menu. It's still white, but the programs are now scrolled down and sorted alphabetically. Not to say that this is the right decision, but you can get used to it. The four most used apps are always displayed at the top.
Loxrin has also changed a bit. Previously, you could quickly get into the dialer or camera, now there is a voice search and the same camera. This fact confirms that Google focused on Google Now, but more on that later. To be honest, there is a real lack of quick access to the "Phone", since you do not often use voice search, but you have to call all the time.
By the way, the dialer has been somewhat redesigned, now the call history is displayed in the style of cards. The window for adding a contact has also changed slightly in design. Settings have become much more convenient than on Android Lollipop.
There are a few minor innovations in Marshmallow that make the device easier to use. So, for example, a flexibly customizable Do Not Disturb mode appeared in the notification shade.
The application menu in the settings looks a little different - the tabs have been removed horizontally, but by clicking on the settings icon at the top, you can access additional functions: "Default applications", "Links", "Permissions" and others.
In the "Memory" item, you can now see which program, for what period of time and in what amount used memory.
Finally, Google made a normal backup of data - not just restoring programs from the Play Market, but a complete restoration of the device with all its data and settings.
The Battery section hasn't changed much, but fans will definitely like the fact that it displays the amount of mAh consumed by each process. Previously, this functionality could only be achieved using .
It's 2015 and Google has finally implemented showing battery percentages in the status bar. True, so far it is only available through the settings for developers. To enable them, you need to tap on the build number several times, after which the “For Developers” item will appear in the settings, where you need to activate. Also, this mode can be activated by long pressing the settings icon in the notification shade.
In addition to displaying percentages, here you can configure both the status bar and the notification curtain, and enable a demo mode, with which it is very convenient to take screenshots.
Overall, Android 6.0 Marshmallow's interface has changed for the better, and the minor cosmetic changes are a step in the right direction. You will have to get used to some innovations, but the impressions from the appearance so far are only positive.
An unexpected feature was the built-in file manager, which can be opened in the "Storage and USB" item using the "Open" button.
The star of the show was the Google Now service, which has wised up and acquired the Now On Tap function. The point is that when you press the Home button, the system tries to find places, artists, people, music or movies in the application you are using and opens the information. On paper, it doesn’t impress at all, but in real life it’s really useful and convenient.
For example, if someone sent you a place on Hangouts, you can immediately open information about it, but if it's a cafe or restaurant, you can book a table. It can work not only with Google Maps, but also with YouTube, Google Play Music, etc. Keep in mind that Now On Tap is not magic, so you can't get information from absolutely everything on the screen. The more apps you have installed on your device, the better Now On Tap works.
For residents of Russian-speaking countries, there is unpleasant news - the function does not work in Russian, so you will have to switch the system language to English.
iOS has had a similar feature for a long time, but with the release of Marshmallow, it also migrated to Android. The essence is very simple - the user himself decides which applications have access to what. Moreover, immediately at the first start, the system asks what data to provide access to. At any time, you can change the decision, as already noted above.
Android 6.0 is officially out with API Level 23, which gives you the ability to customize app permissions. All programs on the device must be updated to support this feature.
Not many people know that Android 5 Lollipop introduced an in-app lock feature. Now it's been tweaked a bit. The point is that when you turn on this feature, the system pins the application on the screen, and you can’t just exit it. Very useful for those times when someone picks up your phone.
First you need to activate the function in the settings.
After that, the "Pin" icon will appear in the multitasking menu.
In order to exit, you must simultaneously press the "Back" and "Browse" buttons.
In this mode, only the pinned application is available. Can't even open the notification shade.
Performance and autonomy
At the Google I / O 2015 conference, the company introduced a very interesting mode - Android Doze, which helps save battery power when the device is in standby mode.
Another feature - App Standby - also allows you to save battery when the device is not in use. This mode is configured through the application menu. The user himself chooses which programs should work "at full", and which ones should save charge.
Google has said that Android 6.0 will save up to 30% of battery life, and the life of the Nexus 5 will increase by almost two times. To be honest, the difference is not actually felt.
As for performance, here the gadget really came to life. For all the time of use, there was not a single bug, switching between applications is carried out without delay, the system itself works flawlessly. This may be due to improvements in the ART runtime.
In this article, we will look at the main settings of the device, review Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and take a closer look at the innovations and smart features below. And at the end of the article we will tell you how to deal with intrusive notifications from applications and games.
The Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system was released back in October 2015 and began to gain momentum. To date, 30% of all users of android devices use it.
At the summer conference, Google announced the 7th version of the Nougat system - one of the latest builds was released on August 22, 2016. As of January 2017, less than 1% of users own this version. More detailed data are presented in the table and in the diagram below.
Versions of Android and their shares in the world
Since today most users use the version and modifications of android 6.0, we will talk about its settings and useful functions.
Overview of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. How to set up android 6.0
You can get into the Settings by lowering the curtain and clicking on the gear icon or by opening the application menu and finding this item there. The main smartphone settings are divided into 4 general points, we will briefly talk about each of them:
- Wireless networks — Set up Wi-Fi, hotspots, and mobile data networks and Bluetooth.
There is a wonderful Wi-Fi Direct option here - turning it on will activate a technology that will find nearby devices that support this function and allow you to connect to them without using a router; - Device - collected settings for the screen, display, fonts, sleep mode, sounds and ringtones, application configuration, battery, memory;
- Personal data - accounts, access to them, device security settings. Many people will find the Smart Lock function (smart lock) useful - you can find it in the Security item in the « Personal data « . Activating this mode will automatically unlock under certain conditions. For example, when the smartphone is with you, recognizes your face, is in a certain place (home, work) or connected to your personal Bluetooth device;
- System - information about the version of the operating system, software update, device status, battery usage, kernel and firmware version, all technical points are described in detail in this paragraph;
There are a lot of settings for every taste, they are divided into 22 sections. Many users who have been using Android for more than a year are boldly guided in all the subtleties, and innovations do not cause any particular difficulties for phone owners.
With the settings, everything is relatively clear and often the configuration does not cause any particular difficulties, but not all users know about the new features and features.
Consider tips for setting up android 6.0 and innovations in android 6+
Now on Tap in android
Now on Tap built-in application - Google's virtual assistant. It can be called at any time by holding the Home button on the device. The main feature is the display of tips on the smartphone screen, depending on the information you are viewing. It can be activated even while conducting a dialogue in a contact.
For example, if you activate the function when watching a trailer for a new movie or its announcement, information will be displayed on the screen in which cinemas and what time there will be screenings, reviews and ratings. When viewing various goods and services, we will see information where they can be purchased. Comfortable? Undoubtedly.
Google Now On Tap
How to disable Google Now on Tap in Android
Like all innovations, Now on Tap will be repeatedly tested and updated, it will take time for the application to become familiar to users, for those who want to do without innovations, we will tell. In order to disable the function, open the Settings, look for the item « Google Settings « then "Search and hints", click on the switch "Now on Tap" and you're done. Now holding the Home button will open Google Now, as it was in previous versions of Android. The function is enabled in the same way.
Quick Settings Panel in Android 6.0
When the curtain is lowered, we see a quick settings window with icons for accessing the most frequently used functions and applications. By default, there are icons and access to Wi-Fi, a flashlight, turning on flight mode, Bluetooth services, setting alarms, and more. The menu can be customized to your taste. To do this, lower the curtain down, or swipe twice from the notification panel to the bottom. In the window that appears, hold down the gear and you will be taken to the control panel System UI Tuner.
Add frequently used functions to get the fastest access to them. For particularly demanding users of the Android OS, all phone settings may seem small. Even more flexible and in-depth customization is possible with a third-party application such as Custom Quick Settings. The program's features include setting up system components, display panels, and more.
Install and use third-party applications to work with the system only at your own risk, it is recommended only for knowledgeable users.
How to adjust volume, volume control in android 6
In the Marshmallow system, the volume control module has been perfectly finalized. The adjustment works smartly and changes depending on the currently running application, when listening to music - music, when setting the alarm - the volume of the alarm. By clicking on the volume button - a pop-up window with a slider will open, click on the arrow on the right - a window with other controls will open. On them, you can separately adjust the volume of the call, alarm clock, notifications, music.
Volume in Android 6
Setting Quiet Mode and Silence
In life, situations often arise when it is necessary to drown out absolutely all sounds, even vibration, because in a quiet room even it is perfectly audible. In Android 6, the Do Not Disturb mode has been improved, and when you need absolute silence, turn on this mode in the quick settings panel.
The second way to turn on the mode is as follows: press the volume buttons down, or hold it down until the Vibrate mode turns on. Then remove your finger and press again. Only the alarm clock will have access to the sound.
You can go deeper into customizing the Do Not Disturb mode and leave sounds for individual applications, such as a messenger or email client. Separately, the automatic activation of the mode is configured, it will be useful to everyone who has “quiet operation” - adjust the time for turning on and off all sounds yourself.
Setting and configuring priorities
In addition to the previous paragraph, the priority mode is configured separately, perhaps you are waiting for an important message or call. Or you want to always stay in touch with parents or children, work colleagues. In the Do Not Disturb setting, there is an option "Only Important". There, a list of notifications is edited that can “disturb” you at any time, even with active silent mode.
Installing and configuring notifications, configuring applications
The problem with most Android apps and games is constantly popping up notifications with news, ads, updates, and other distracting and unnecessary information. In new firmware versions, starting from version 4 of the system, it became possible to disable intrusive notifications. To do this, in the "Settings" section, select Sounds and notifications, Application notifications. Choose from a list of annoying apps and turn off notifications. Conversely, notifications can be made important, then they will be displayed even when Do Not Disturb is turned on.
Delving into the topic of application control and configuration, you can find out in detail what access rights a particular program has. By opening the "Applications" section in the settings and selecting the utility of interest, you can view detailed information: battery usage, processor, RAM, access to personal data and data networks.
Working with text data and text in Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Text selection and further work with it has become even more convenient and easier. In addition, the work can interact with well-known third-party programs such as translators (eg Google Translate) and Wikipedia, they already interact with new features of the operating system. Select the text inside the application, a window will appear with a translation or brief information from the encyclopedia.
We hope this article helped you figure out how to set up android 6.0 Marshmallow, adjust sound modes and customize applications for yourself.
We invite you to read and view a detailed review of Android 6.0 Marshmallow:
We decided to find out what features Google has added to the new version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Most of the novelties were deeply hidden in the operating system.
The lock screen is cleaner
Over the years, Google has tried many different things with the lock screen. There were good ideas, but more often for some reason they were bad. Fortunately, the developers settled on the fact that the lock screen should be simple and useful.
Marshmallow's screen lock system is just that: the clock is bigger, so you don't have to strain to know the time when you glance at the device. The notification panel has been improved with a quick settings drop-down menu. The dialer shortcut at the bottom left has been replaced with Google Now so you can now start a voice search without even unlocking your device. And if you set up protection with a password or a graphic code, the system will offer you a convenient panic button, which can be useful if you find yourself in an emergency.
We've never been thrilled with widgets and other things that clutter up the screen during lockdown, so we're glad Marshmallow no longer has them.
Copy and paste - easier
Android was one of the first mobile operating systems to implement copy and paste capabilities - and now Google is jumping on its head again.
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With Marshmallow, Google uses a copy and paste feature that's simpler and more convenient than what we've seen so far. Latched clicks now work faster and you don't have to wait for the action selection window to appear. In addition, Google got rid of the awkward editing menu, replacing it with more obvious options that appear right next to the selected text. And if you have installed Google Translate, the copy and paste settings will allow you to instantly translate the text. This feature alone makes life easier.
Settings menu - more informative
Each new version of Android features a slightly more user-friendly settings menu. Unfortunately, for now, this can only be considered a sign that Google is still defining how Android should be built.
For example, if you scroll down the settings menu to the "About phone" tab, you will find a section there that tells you when you last received system security updates. It's nice that such transparency of the operating system is becoming generally accepted. However, the developers also pursued their own goals, in particular, trying to dispel the myths from the series “Android is insecure!”
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Gone is the rather odd Google Settings app. Instead, a menu item appeared in the Settings. It seems that this decision was obvious before, but better late than never. You can also go to the new memory management menu to see how much RAM your device is using and if it's running normally.
Now on Tap is now following you. And it's not that bad
If you've always wondered why you're being asked to give Google access to your information, you'll find the answer in Google Now on Tap. Not only is this one of Marshmallow's best features, but it's also a reminder that Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana are still not up to the task.
The Now on Tap API learns everything you see on the screen and suggests relevant search results. Hold down the Home button to turn on Now on Tap and the feature will do its best to get to know you better.
For example, in the news about the Marshmallow update, Now on Tap was able to ignore mentions of numerous Android models from OEM partners, recognizing that the context of the article was about when the update would be released for these devices. The function also provided us with links to additional materials.
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Now on Tap also works with third-party apps. For example, on Instagram, you need to tap the screen 2-3 times to open Google Maps and continue the route to the place where your friends checked in. But now, with Now on Tap, all you need to do is hold down the Home button when a photo is shown on the screen, and you'll get a quick link to view the street where it was taken. If you select this option, Google will show you a real photo of the place you are interested in. It's much easier.
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But what we enjoyed the most was using Now on Tap along with a reminder service, where Google Now just doesn't work. For example, many girls like to take care of themselves on the weekends, but often forget when hair coloring is scheduled and when they need to go for a manicure. Now, right in the mail app, you can hold down the Home button and quickly add an event reminder to your calendar. All it takes is two clicks!
Now on Tap works from the moment you enable this option, just like Google Now - from the first moment you sign in to your device. The idea here is this: if you use a Google phone, the Google search engine will provide you with more contextual information. And it seems to make life a lot easier because of this - no more copying words and other things to just paste them into other applications.
Applications can be controlled
App permissions have been one of the hottest topics for years. In Android 4.3, to help users know which apps were taking on too much, Google introduced the App Ops feature, but it was quickly forgotten because it was useless. Today, if you don't like that an app has access to an important part of your OS, the only option you have is to not install it.
Marshmallow really helps solve the app permission dilemma. Play Store will no longer prompt you to approve all permissions before installing an app all at once. Instead, the app will ask you for permission when it needs to access some part of your device, such as the camera. And now only you will decide whether to allow it or not. If you deny the application, its features that depend on this permission will not be active - but everything else will work.
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Control over your personal Android operating system is no longer an illusion. Granting permissions to applications is a very important point, because they voice in what context they need something. In addition, these permissions create a new level of confidence for those users who would otherwise refuse to use Android due to recent security concerns.
Data is correctly backed up
Android has been a really bad operating system for those who change devices frequently. This was true before the advent of Tap & Go in Lollipop - before the transition from one test device to another was a real pain in the ass.
However, fortunately, the Tap & Go feature made it easy to transfer your applications to a new device, but, alas, the data, alas, did not move with them. And while Android had a backup solution, it hasn't worked properly since Froyo.
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Marshmallow offers an Auto Backup feature and it seems to work. Here's how the solution works: Marshmallow uploads all application data to Google Drive, including user-created items such as accounts and settings. The system stores all your call protocols and Wi-Fi passwords, and this data is not taken into account and may exceed the storage quota. By default, an automatic backup will be created every 24 hours when the phone is idle and connected to Wi-Fi. You can check if you have a backup through the Google Drive app, but you can't control what data gets backed up and which apps get backed up.
Backups can only work on Marshmallow devices at this time - which is strange as Google will be updating this API via Google Play Services. However, it looks like this feature is not finished yet, and we will look at it again in a while.
Battery power is used more efficiently
Even though the name Doze is reminiscent of cough syrup, this is a new and really impressive Marshmallow battery-saving feature. When you leave your phone or tablet on the table in the kitchen or somewhere else, the device goes into hibernation mode. That is, in fact, the same battery charge is saved as at the moment when you left the device. Network access services and background processes are combined and run intermittently - only high-priority tasks run normally. As soon as you turn on the display of the device, all notifications will “pounce” on you at the same time, as if your device was discharged and just turned on. This is an amazing feature, and we were really impressed with how little power the Nexus 6 used when it was on all night. With Wi-Fi enabled, it used only 2% of the energy, and with LTE enabled, the system ate only 10%.
Doze uses the accelerometer to detect when you're asleep, so the feature won't turn on if you're walking or driving. To activate it, you need the device to be at one point for a certain time. High priority messages, such as those from apps like Google Hangouts, will still arrive and keep your device from sleeping until you disable notifications. Google has given developers the power to decide if their app's notifications can make their way through Doze mode. But we hope that messages like bonus coin offers in Pokemon Shuffle won't show up on the device when it should be "resting".
You can disable autorun preinstalled software
Tired of preinstalled apps popping up on your device after every reboot? Marshmallow has an App Standby feature that will help you turn them off. In the Marshmallow developer options, you can simply deactivate apps you don't need and they won't run anymore. We wouldn't recommend this feature if you're unsure of what you're doing, but it can be really helpful for those who are seriously affected by "left" apps on Android phones from third parties.
There are other options in this section that will help you configure how applications work on your device. Marshmallow is able to terminate an application a minute after you switch to another one, as well as determine how many background processes can run at the same time. We're thrilled that users have the ability to work with these Android settings, but at the same time, we're curious how it will work on third-party Android devices when software updates come to them.
Fingerprinting for all the money
Fingerprint scanners on Android devices are nothing new. Samsung, HTC, Huawei and even Motorola have had them for a long time. But it's been a long time since Android introduced its own fingerprint API library, and now developers can easily embed these features into their applications, such as mobile payments.
Currently, only the Nexus 6P and 5X support built-in Marshmallow fingerprinting, and we'll be sure to share how this library works as soon as these devices get our hands on it. In addition, it is very interesting whether players such as LG, HTC and others will use the new API or continue to work with their own.
In the spring, at Google I/O 2015, a new version of Android was announced, and from October 5, the stable version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow became available for the first devices, which included Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 2013, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. Today we will talk in detail about the new operating system using the Google Nexus 5 smartphone as an example.
Interface
After updating the operating system, the first thing that catches your eye is the new smartphone boot animation using the updated Google logo.
The initial setup of the smartphone has not changed. Everything is the same as on Lollipop.
Before getting acquainted with the interface, one point should be clarified. The shell is Google Start. Yes, it's still the same application that we remember from previous versions of Android. Therefore, many will have a healthy question, why should I wait (want) to upgrade to 6.0 if I have the same interface on my old Nexus 4 as on new devices. It just so happened that most of the changes are hidden inside and they are not noticeable at first glance. We will talk about this in the article.
Let's start with changes in unlocking the device. Now the lower left icon is responsible for launching Google Now, and not the “dialers” as in the previous version of the operating system. Yes, and now you need to pull the icons literally from the corner, it's not as convenient as before. The font of the clock widget has changed, but if you do not look closely, the changes are almost invisible.
The desktop remained completely unchanged. The new Google logo and colored microphone are brought along with the new version of Google Start. The only innovation is the ability to remove applications from the desktop, and not just a shortcut as before.
Changing the scrolling orientation in the apps menu also applies to Google Start. If earlier we scrolled through application tables from right to left, now from bottom to top. At the top, there will always be an application search bar, under which there will be four most frequently launched applications. The order of the application is simple - first those applications that start with numbers, and then everything in alphabetical order. The first language will be the system language, and then English. If you click on the scroll slider located on the left side, then the letters and the first applications for each of them will be highlighted.
By the way, Google showed us vertical scrolling in the application menu during Android 1.X - 2.X. But it has nothing to do with the current version.
Searching for apps is literally lightning fast. This is suitable for those who have a lot of programs and games stored in the device. Now you do not need to scroll through and carefully look for the application, but just enter the first letters, and it has already been found.
There have been changes in the animation. Now after clicking on the screen, the application opens as if from it. When you hide an app, it slides down. When you switch to an application from the task manager, it opens up. All animations are very smooth even on Nexus 5.
Separate volume for multimedia, alarm and call returned, as well as the normal Do Not Disturb mode.
The "copy and paste" function has been slightly redesigned. It contains a translator that can replace the text with the translated one, of course, if Google Translate is installed. Now, when the cursor moves to the right, the whole words are selected, and if it is necessary to select part of the word, then for this you need to move the cursor to the left. Thanks to this, it became easier and more convenient to select text.
Google Now on Tap
Thanks to the Google Now on Tap feature, search in a specific application has become possible. In practice, this is a very useful thing.
Now you can search for information directly on the web page, music player, twitter, messages, mail and many other applications. To do this, you need to hold down the home key for a few seconds and Google Now on Tap will analyze the contents of the screen. It is important to remember that only the information that is in the active area of the screen is analyzed. The analysis itself is very fast, although it depends on the speed of the Internet connection.
Let's look at the example of searching Google Now on Tap while listening to music in a smartphone player. In the summary, we will get a link to the song on YouTube, Google search, pictures, as well as links to the artist on YouTube and popular social networks. As a result, this is a very handy feature. A fly in the ointment will be its inaccessibility if Russian is selected on the phone. But with the English language everything works fine, even the Cyrillic alphabet is perfectly recognized. We hope that other languages will be supported soon.
Settings
The standard Android interface had only the most necessary settings. Now the situation has changed a bit. We'll talk about the new settings below.
If you click on the gear in the “Applications” settings item, then we will get to the “Set up applications” menu. Here we will find a lot of interesting things. The most interesting items are “Application Permissions” and “Links in Applications”.
Let's start with "Application Permissions". In this paragraph, we determine which application to give access to SMS, calendar, camera, contacts, location, microphone, body sensors, memory, phone and other functions. Now, when installing an application from Google Play, you do not need to agree to all the terms in one fell swoop. Everything will happen gradually. At the first attempt to access data on the device, a request will be made and then you can either allow or deny.
If you return to the main settings table, then another interesting item appeared there - “Storage and USB storage”. In this paragraph, you can see the use of internal and external drives, whether it is a microSD memory card or a USB flash drive connected via OTG. Finally, Google has added a built-in file manager, yes, it can only move, delete and share files, but this is at least something.
Changes have also been made to the "Battery" section.
The usage statistics from the moment of a full charge not only shows the operating time, but also the estimated consumption in mAh.
Now you can configure applications so that they save battery. The so-called Doze mode. At the moment, by default, almost all applications are set to save, except for Google Play services, it is impossible to force them to save battery. Doze mode is necessary to increase the battery life of the phone in sleep mode. This is what many people lack, because it often happens that up to 20% of the charge goes away overnight. Now the Nexus 5 easily fits into a 1-2% discharge per night. You do not need to turn off Wi-Fi or even turn on airplane mode. Magic, and nothing more.
RAM now has its own menu item - "Memory". It added an estimate of available memory, total memory, average usage (in percent), free memory, and an analysis of memory usage by applications.
Usage analysis is displayed for the last 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours and 1 day. Applications are sorted by average memory used. When switching to the application, we get additional information about the frequency of using the application, the maximum amount of RAM used, as well as about the system processes behind which the application is hidden.
There are also hidden settings - "System UI Tuner". To activate them, you need to hold the gear in the blind for a couple of seconds. As the welcome says, “System UI Tuner will allow you to customize Android devices to your liking. This experimental feature may change, stop working, or disappear in the future.” Well, interesting. The first menu item is called "Quick Settings". It changes the location of the labels in the curtain. In the next item "Status bar" you can activate or deactivate notifications from the shown applications. And, perhaps, one of the most necessary items is “Show battery level as a percentage”.
Speaking of hardware changes, Android 6.0 Marshmallow now supports USB 3.1 Type-C, transfer speeds of which can reach 10 Gb / s, as well as a fingerprint scanner. But the new camera interface is currently only available on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.
conclusions
Android 6.0 Marshmallow is a real bug fix. Despite the fact that outwardly practically nothing has changed, everything has become much better. The smoothness of the interface has become simply unsurpassed, the same Nexus 5 on Lollipop and Marshmallow feels like two different phones. Autonomy has also increased, especially in sleep mode. There were goodies in the form of Google Now on Tap, which you get used to very quickly, as well as memory usage statistics and the ability to configure application permissions. Yes, not without a fly in the ointment. This time it was battery-consuming Wi-Fi. But, despite this, even the old Nexus 5 can safely work a day with 4 hours of active screen, and this is a significant increase in autonomy. So it turned out that there are a minimum of external differences, but in fact, the new operating system is simply a “must have”.
