Google Android 6.0 Marshmallow: 5 of the BEST new features

Here are FIVE of the best features new in Android Marshmallow

GOOGLE has started rolling out its latest version of the Android operating system, Marshmallow. Here are FIVE features you really need to know.

 

Google has started to roll out Android 6.0 Marshmallow – but there is a catch.

Unfortunately the latest version of the hugely popular Android operating system is currently only available to those running Nexus devices.

NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com has provided a quick guide on how to upgrade your handset, here.

If you are lucky enough to be running Marshmallow – here are FIVE new features and tweaks you should know about.

 

Better Battery Life

Android 6.0 Marshmallow promises to bring a BIG bump to your battery life.

A new feature – called Doze – uses a clever combination of hardware and software sensors to learn when your device is idle.

When Marshmallow thinks you have left your smartphone alone, it will start to disable app updates, background processes and other battery-draining features.

Doze should be able to eek out extra battery life from your existing Android hardware

This should starve off any battery drain while you're not using the device.

If you're worried about missing a text message or Facebook post – don't panic. Your Android Marshmallow device will still keep you updated with all the latest notifications.

 

In-App Information

Now On Tap summons up information relevant to whatever you are looking at on-screen [GOOGLE]

Google Now is one of the best features included with the Android operating system. And now it's everywhere.

Now On Tap summons up information relevant to whatever you are looking at on-screen [GOOGLE]

Marshmallow brings a major update to the service – and allows users to draw information from Google Now from anywhere within the Android operating system.

Dubbed Google Now On Tap, the US search firm is able to analyse and provide relevant information to accompany your current app or webpage.

For example, hold down the Home Button while you are looking at a text message asking whether you wanted to go to a burger bar for dinner and Now On Tap will summon a Google Maps card with the location of the restaurant, a link to some reviews, or a preview of the event in your Google calendar. 

It removes the need to constantly open-and-close apps as and when you need them – making a number of common tasks much faster and slicker.

Some might be unnerved by Google analysing what you are viewing on your display, but this is the sort of pre-emptive learning which makes Google's mobile OS smarter than the competition.

Proper Back-Up on Android

Moving between Android phones can be a painful experience.

Fortunately all that is about to change with 6.0 Marshmallow.

Like Apple's iOS devices, Android smartphones and tablets will quietly back-up your app data and settings to Google Drive whenever you're connected to wifi.

This means users will be able to sleep easy – while their Marshmallow smartphone is backing up their precious data to the cloud, on the bedside cabinet next to them.

If you switch to a new Android device or decide to wipe the data on your phone, you will be able to quickly restore the handset to its previous state without breaking a sweat.

Unlock with a Touch

Fingerprint sensors are now fully supported by Google's Android operating system.

Google has baked dedicated code for fingerprint scanners into Marshmallow, which means handset manufacturers do not have to do any coding if they decided to add biometric security to your smartphone.

 

Both new Nexus smartphones, the Nexus 6P and 5X, have fingerprint scanners

As a result – expect to see a slew of new smartphones with fingerprint scanners over the next year.

Fingerprint scanners can currently be used to unlock your smartphone, make Android Pay contactless payments and log-in to apps and services.

Control Your Apps

One of the most useful improvements in Android Marshmallow is the way the Google operating system handles app permissions.

Prior to Marshmallow, app permissions on Android were a simple case of all-or-nothing.

An app would request access to a long list of features – location, microphone, photos, etc – and the user would have to accept to be able to download the software.

   

Users can now toggle app permissions after install

That's all changed in Marshmallow and users are now able to toggle individual data points after the app has installed.

Like iOS, users can navigate to their smartphone's settings and decide to disable Facebook's access to your location data, or WhatsApp's access to your microphone.

Sadly app developers will have to enable the new permissions, so toggling individual access during the first weeks of Marshmallow's release could break some of your apps.