Nexus 5 May Receive Android Marshmallow Update Next Month
Tired of using Android 5.0 Lollipop on your Nexus 5 handset? Well, you may soon have the option to update your OS to a new version of Android.
Sources claim that Google is planning to release Android 6.0 Marshmallow — the successor to Android Lollipop — later this month. The cell carrier Telus recently posted a message on its update schedule page, in which it revealed that both the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 (original versions) would be the first to receive the update. While the message has since been taking down, it said the update would be pushed to the Motorola-manufactured smartphones on October 6.
Of course, it only makes sense for Google to release its new version of Android on the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 devices first. Being that the Nexus brand is owned and operated by Google, it’s usually the first line of smartphones to receive new Android updates. The Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 are often viewed as “vanilla” versions of Android, meaning they don’t contain any unnecessary fluff or modifications that are commonly found in other handsets. Instead, the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 run the purest version of Google’s Android operating system, allowing users to experience the full effects of this OS.
While Google has yet to confirm that it will in fact release Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 on October 6, the timing is perfect for a few different reasons. For starters, Google normally releases a new version of Android once a year. Android 5.0 Lollipop was released last year around this same time. Another reason why October is the perfect time for a new version of Android is because Google is releasing two new handsets as well. Rumors indicate that Google is preparing to launch a Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P later this year, both of which are expected to run the Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system. The two new handsets aim to appease the same consumers who tout the original Nexus 5 as being one of the market’s leading smartphones.
Android Marshmallow has actually been out for a couple of months now, although users have been limited to the developer preview mode for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6. And in order to install a developer preview version of Android on your device, you must unlock the bootloader and wipe your data, which is something that many owners would prefer not to do. Android Marshmallow (the public release version) will introduce several new features, including a new permissions setting, NFC payments app Android Pay, new voicemail interface, and various improvements
In any case, we’ll likely see Android Marshmallow released to the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, and possibly even the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P next month. After Marshmallow rolls out to these devices, Google will continue by expanding the OS to other smartphones. When these follow-up updates occur, however, remains to be seen.
Are you looking forward to the launch of Android 6.0 Marshmallow? Let us know in the comments section below!
Image attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/katerha
