With its new features targeting to improve user experience, phone performance, functionality, and security, Android 6.0 Marshmallow will push aside the Android 5.0 Lollipop on Google's official software update release to be held in October. Such improvements that also answer the issues in Lollipop are the App Permissions update, app deep linking, Now on Tap, Android Pay, Doze, and much more.
Many users have reported experiencing bugs in the Android 5.0 software as per Neurogadget. These common problems include rapid battery consumption, unstable Wi-Fi connections, lagging and crashing of apps, and video and audio playback problems. Google hopefully seeks to iron out these issues in the upcoming Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
According to International Business Times, Google's enhancements to Android 6.0 Marshmallow focus to improve phone stability, user privacy, security, and performance. In its new App Permissions update, users are no longer required to grant one-time permission before app installation. Instead, the app only asks for authorization once needed, allowing users to customize app permissions for maximum privacy protection.
Another feature worth-noting is app deep linking, also present in iOS 9. Deep linking allows apps to be connected with a click of a button or link. When opening a link, it funnels the user to the appropriate app without asking. This means no more annoying user prompts when going to a specific link.
User experience gets revamped with Now on Tap, Google's virtual assistant that matches up to Apple's Siri. It can be used for searching information while doing other tasks. Now on Tap analyses in-app context and returns pertinent results. The user only needs to hold down the home button to activate the feature.
Functionality gets a boost with Android Pay, the Big G's very own mobile payment service system. It basically functions like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Google generates a virtual account based on the user's card information. Replacing Google Wallet, Android Pay makes use of Near Field Communication (NFC) and short-range wireless communication.
To address battery issues in Android 5.0 Lollipop, the Doze feature dealing with power management has been integrated in Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It works by making use of the phone's built-in motion sensors to determine if the device is being used. It cancels out unneeded apps that trigger the phone's wake-up mode. In a report by Cheat Sheet, a Nexus 9 device running on Android Marshmallow with Doze lasts twice longer than one running on Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow also comes with auto backup and restore feature as a fix to crashing apps in Android 5.0 Lollipop. This improvement prevents app data loss by providing scheduled automatic back-ups on Google Drive. Allotted space for back-up storage per app is 25 MB.
Like Apple's Touch ID, Google also created its own native fingerprint support scanner to strengthen user security. It is believed to be standardized on Android Marshmallow because of its many applications such as phone unlocking, purchasing, and making payments.
Great improvements on user experience and phone performance are expected from Android 6.0 Marshmallow with the new features it offers. As a result, many are looking forward to its official release in October. Android 6.0 Marshmallow will come in the brand new upcoming Nexus phones and will be trickled down to supported Android devices.
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