WHAT YOU DIDNT KNOW ABOUT ANDROID 6.0 MARSHMALLOW

 

Android 6.0 Marshmallow features

When Google VP of Engineering David Burke first showed off Android M at Google I/O in May 2015, he outlined six major features that would be at the core of the updated operating system. On September 29 Google's Android Marshmallow website went live, Burke provided a few extra details of Android 6.0.
So let's start with those six key areas that Google has focused on for Marshmallow:

1. App permissions 

First up, app permissions. As previously speculated, app permissions have been overhauled in Android M, and you can now choose to accept or deny individual permissions as you see fit. Permissions have also been simplified, and will now be requested the first time you try to use a feature, not at the point of installation.
"You don't have to agree to permissions that don't make sense to you," Burke said, and used WhatsApp to give an example of how this works. If you want to record a voice message, WhatsApp will prompt you with a one-time request for permission to use your mic: if you still wish to give it access and record the message, you can, but you don't have to. In this way, Android M is giving you greater control of the information apps can access, a step forward for the OS.
You can modify the permissions granted to apps at a later date in your Settings, or you can view permissions by type and see which apps have that permission granted. It's all about giving you much more control over your Android device.

App permissions are simplified and reversible in Android M. / © ANDROIDPIT

2. Web experience

Google has been exploring trends in the way web content is consumed to provide a better user experience when interacting with websites and apps. "Chrome Custom Tabs is a new feature that gives developers a way to harness all of Chrome's capabilities, while still keeping control of the look and feel of the experience," said Burke.
Chrome Custom Tabs will allow apps to open a customized Chrome window on top of the active app, instead of launching the Chrome app separately. It's claimed that  this provides a faster and more intuitive user-experience when navigating between apps and the web.
Chrome Custom Tabs supports automatic sign-in, saved passwords, autofill, and multi-process security to assist the integration of the app and web experience. So, for example, a Pinterest custom tab will have a Pinterest share button embedded in it, can include custom overflow menu options, and doesn't require the Pinterest developers to build their own web browser.

3. Fingerprint support

Google will "standardize support" for fingerprint scanners on phones running Android Marshmallow. The new functionality will allow fingerprint scanners to be used not only to unlock phones, but to make purchases when shopping in real-life or within Play Store apps.
Of course, your device will need a hardware fingerprint scanner to begin with, but with Google's full support, expect to see these appear on many more devices in the future.

Android M will introduce standardized fingerprint support. / © ANDROIDPIT

4. Mobile payments

Android Pay is Google's new mobile payments system, designed to make the checkout process easier and faster. Google is aiming to provide "simplicity, security, and choice" with Android Pay, allowing you to use your existing credit cards to pay for products in more than 700,000 stores in the US.
Compatible with any device featuring NFC capabilities (and running 4.4 KitKat or above), the Android Pay platform is being supported by American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, as well as carriers such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Google's response to Apple Pay is here.

5. App links 

"When a user selects a weblink from somewhere, Android doesn't know whether to show it in a web browser, or some other app that claims support for the link." This was the problem facing the Google developers before Android Marshmallow.
You may be familiar with the 'Open with' dialogue box which appears when you try to open a link within an app on Android. You might be asked if you want to open a link with YouTube, or with Chrome, for example.
App links are being changed in Android 6.0, so that Android has a greater awareness of which apps can open content directly. If you tap a Twitter link in an email, for example, the Twitter app will open automatically instead of prompting you to ask if you want to use Twitter to view it.
This is almost a blink-and-you'll-miss-it improvement, but it's representative of Google's attention to detail: Android M is probably going to feel more usable without many people even realising why.

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6. Power and charging

We all hate running out of battery and Android Marshmallow wants to ease our pain through a new function called Doze to improve device standby time. By using motion detectors, Android will recognize when a device hasn’t been interacted with for a while, such as when a person is asleep or a phone has been left on a table, and reduce background processes.
Burke said that Google tested two Nexus 9 devices, one running Lollipop and one running the Android M preview, and learned that Android M will provide up to twice as much standby time. Even in Doze mode, though, Android can still start alarms or notify you of priority notifications.
Android Marshmallow also supports USB Type-C, which provides faster charging, and lets users charge other devices with their phone.

Doze is going to double a device's standby time compared to Android Lollipop. / © Google

7. Improved cut, copy and paste

When you select text on a current Android device, a series of confusing icons appears at the top of the screen, and figuring out what they all do takes trial-and-error. In Android Marshmallow, the words 'cut', 'copy' and 'paste' will simply float above selected text, making the process much simpler.
It might seem a minor change, but these new cut, copy and paste options are an overdue update to one of the most commonly used features. 

What else is new in Android Marshmallow?

Let's dive a bit deeper into Android 6.0 to see what awaits us when we get it.

Auto Backup and Restore for Apps

Possibly the most interesting aspect of Android Marshmallow not discussed in Google’s I/O keynote speech was Android Auto Backup and Restore for Apps. This feature will be used in conjunction with Google Drive to automatically backup app data and settings with a file size of 25 MB or less.
These backups occur no more than once a day, and run only when the device is idle and connected to Wi-Fi and power. The uploaded data does not count towards your Google Drive storage quota, and is encrypted.
If you lose your device or delete the app, your previous progress will be restored the next time you install it, and it even works with apps which are side-loaded or accessed through a third-party app store.