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Hello Android users,
With Marshmallow now officially out in the wild in the form of new hardware (see the Nexus 5X and soon-to-be-launched Nexus 6P), official software updates will start pushing out to existing handsets in the coming months. Not every Android handset will see an upgrade for Marshmallow (more on that later...) but we'll keep you posted on this along the way.
What's the process from O2's end?
We understand the wait for new updates can be frustrating and we'll do all we can to minimise this so you get it as soon as possible, once we're confident the update delivers a positive user experience. So you've got a bit more insight into what to expect, here's what will typically happen:
- Manufacturers will analyse and decide on which devices will be updated to Marshmallow
- We may be sent this list as a heads up - We do not typically get any ETA's until days/weeks prior to us being sent the update for testing & approval
- We stay on standby and wait to receive updates from vendors (Microsoft, Sony, LG, Samsung etc)
- Once received, our device team will test the update in-house. Testing typically lasts 1-2 weeks.
- If there are any issues found that are not network/O2 related, we will notify the vendor of this who may recall the update and re-issue with a fix in place (which may need re-tested)
- If there are no issues found, the team will approve this and send it back to the vendor who will schedule this for release
- Once sent back, it typically takes 1-2+ weeks to be scheduled and released to the end-user
NOTE: If you have an unlocked/SIM free handset not purchased via O2 directly, you will not be on the 'O2 update channel' and so your experience will be different. Due to your update coming direct from the vendor, due to various factors, you may see the update arrive sooner or later than O2 customers - this varies from handset to handset, update to update.
I have 'Phone X' - Will it be updated to Marshmallow?
As mentioned prior, not every handset will be updated to Marshmallow - this may depend on the device specifications, device popularity, vendor resources. Typically speaking, flagship devices are usually the first to be updated, followed by older flagship devices, followed by the rest.
We'll use this thread as a central HUB to keep everyone updated on Android Marshmallow in general. As and when we're notified from vendors around what handsets they intend to update, we'll add a section on it below - this way you can stay up to speed.
Google
With Nexus devices being close to Googles heart, these are usually the first to be updated. The following devices are already receiving updates to Android Marshmallow:
- Nexus 5
- Nexus 6
- Nexus 7
- Nexus 9
Sony
Sony have released a statement that they will update the following devices to Marshmallow
- Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact & Z5 Premium
- Xperia Z4 Tablet
- Xperia Z3+, Z3, Z3 Compact, Z3 Tablet Compact
- Xperia Z2, Z2 Tablet
- Xperia M5, C5 Ultra, M4 Aqua and C4
Sony released a statement via their blog here
SONY UPDATE @ 18th February
We're hoping to receive updates for the Z5, Z3+ and Z4 Tablet before end of the month to begin testing. If all goes well, we hope to see the update released in the coming weeks.
SONY UPDATE @ 4th March
We approved the Marshmallow update for the Z3+, Z5 Compact, Z5, Z5 Premium and Z4 Tablet on Friday 4th March and sent these to Sony for scheduling. We typically expect the updates to become live within a week or two at most, at this stage. Software version will be 32.1.A.1.163.
SONY UPDATE @ 4th May
We're currently testing the Marshmallow update for the Z2/Z3 device families and hope to have more info in the coming week or so
SONY UPDATE @ 24th May
Marshmallow is now live under the guise of software update version '23.5.A.0.575' for Z2 and Z3 family of devices. This includes: Z3, Z3 Compact, Z3 Tablet, Z2 and Z2 Tablet
HTC
HTC recently tweeted that they'd be updating the following devices to Marshmallow:
- HTC One M9 & M8 (beginning end of 2015)
- HTC One M9+, E9+, E9, ME, E8, M8 EYE
- Butterfly 3
- Desire 826, 820, 816
HTC UPDATE @ 20th January
- Marshmallow is now being rolled out to the HTC One M8 (see here)
HTC UPDATE @ 26th January
- Marshmallow now rolling out to HTC One M9's
HTC UPDATE @ 17th February
- Marshmallow 6.0.1 soon rolling out to HTC A9 (see here for more info)
HTC UPDATE @ 29th February
- Marshmallow is now rolling out to the HTC A5 (Desire 816) - The update for this is in two parts - the 1st one to prepare the device for the 6.0 update, the 2nd to actually do the update. Due to the size, this may take up to 60min or more.
HTC UPDATE @ 3rd May
- Marsmallow now available for the HTC Desire 820
HTC UPDATE @ 12th May
- Marshmallow has been approved for the HTC One M8s and we hope will be available to you in the coming week or so
Motorola
Motorola have announced that they will update the following devices to Marshmallow:
- 2015 Moto X Pure Edition (3rd gen)
- 2015 Moto X Style (3rd gen)
- 2015 Moto X Play
- 2015 Moto G (3rd gen)
- 2014 Moto X Pure Edition in the US (2nd gen)
- 2014 Moto X in Latin America, Europe and Asia2 (2nd gen)
- 2014 Moto G and Moto G with 4G LTE2 (2nd gen)
- DROID Turbo
- 2014 Moto MAXX
- 2014 Moto Turbo
- Nexus 6
Motorolas official announcement can be found here
Note: Many of the devices above were not sold by O2 or within the UK market. If you have such devices, you should receive your update directly from Motorola - O2 will not receive these for testing/approval/release (eg, devices like the Turbo, MAXX, X Pure etc)
LG
LG have confirmed that they are working on Marshmallow for the G4. We don't currently have any estimates for when this update will be released.
LG UPDATE @ 20th January
- We're awaiting the software from LG for the G4 and will begin testing once we have it - no ETA currently available.
- The G3 update should follow shortly after the G4 has been updated
LG UPDATE @ 12th February
- We approved the G4 update a few days ago and it should be in LG's systems now. Eyes peeled over the coming days as it's likely to become available to you any day now.
LG UPDATE @ 5th May
- We've tested & approved the LG G3 update and this will be released by LG imminently
Others
At present we don't currently have any confirmed roadmaps from other vendors but we will work with them and will update this as and when more confirmations arrive.
SAMSUNG UPDATE @ 10th February
- We're currently testing marshmallow on the S6. No further info or ETA yet but we'll let you know more over the coming days/weeks.
SAMSUNG UPDATE @ 3rd March
- Marshmallow has been approved for the Samsung S6 and S6 Edge on Thu 3rd March. S6 Edge+ not yet approved but team are hoping to approve within next week. No ETA for S6/Edge but we typically expect this within a week or two at most.
SAMSUNG UPDATE @ 10th March
- Marshmallow update approved for the S6 Edge+ and returned to Samsung for schedule/release. Typically we expect these to push out within a week or two, though is sometimes sooner than this.
SAMSUNG UPDATE @ 11th March
- Marshmallow 6.0.1 has been approved for the S5 and Note 4 - We hope to see it released to customers within the next week or two
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@gmarkj wrote:No doubt there will be unofficial ways of obtaining it before the actual release, but given the problems I have had with cooked ROMs before I think I'll leave it until it actually happens.
Good decision, I can never understand the haste to update before reading the reviews of early adopters....
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As people have started to get it since november in the EU.
How long does it take to test it?
There is also an MM ROM out for the LG G4 to have 6.0 but because you have locked the bootloader we cant upgade it manulaly.
We should not need to wait any longer than 3/4 months for it to come to our phones. as its already out in some places.
Hey there. Unfortunately updates are a bit trickier than that, and not as straight forward.
Though the update may well have been available in some EU locations for a few weeks, Android updates don't typically roll out worldwide at once - it's a staggered release and we need to wait our 'turn' - LG will have their own schedule and depending on where the UK is on that list, we may be ahead/behind other countries by days/weeks.
As far as testing goes, typically this can take anywhere from a few days up to a week or so - but can take longer if there are any potential issues found. If issues are found, we would alert the vendor and they may in some instances choose to halt the update in that country to fix it. If it's a network centric issue only, it may mean a wait for that network while the issue is worked on.
As for the wait... I'm afraid that's part of the Android ecosystem - some countries will get the update weeks/months before/after others and unfortunately there's very little the networks can do about that.
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@gmarkj wrote:
quick question for you @Chris_K (and anyone else that might know) - given that nexus devices have stock android on them, are there any network apps/modifications made or do the updates come centrally from google?
Updates for Nexus devices will come directly from Google, but we still test these updates for stability on our network and that it works with our systems - if we find issues we'd alert Google to this but it would need to be something major for them to delay or stop the Update. Generally speaking, Nexus updates are as close as you'll get to the Apple/iOS update system for the Android ecosystem so you'll typically be at the forefront for updates.
So, Marshmallow folks...
Got an HTC One M8? Great news, this is now rolling out! Don't be worried if it's not available to you right now as Android updates can take a week or two to fully roll out. Feel free to do a manual check for updates though if you've not had any automatic notifications.
Got an HTC One M9? Good news, we're in the process of testing Marshmallow for this and hope to see this begin rolling out before end of the month.
Got an LG G4 or G3? We know you want it, and we'll do all we can to get it to you ASAP. Although LG have begun rolling it out in certain locations in Europe, we're still awaiting the new software from them. Right now we're hoping to have this in the next week or two to begin testing. Marshmallow will hit the G4 first, followed with the G3 - no timing details yet known, however.
