Android Marshmallow update roundup: Huawei Honor range updating Feb 2016

Google just loves confectionery and after the slow adoption rate of Android Lollipop, Google will hope that the softer Android Marshmallow will filter through devices more efficiently.

Although many smartphones haven’t even received Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, there’s already talk from other manufacturers about their move to the latest, bleeding edge version of Android.

So, with that said, when will your device receive its Android Marshmallow update? Marshmallow will be officially released in September, so we should expect some degree of chatter about it fairly soon.

We’ll be updating this piece regularly as more information per manufacturer is made available, so stay tuned and check back often to see when and if your smartphone will receive the update.

Asus

According to IBT, the Asus ZenFone Laser, ZenFone 2 Deluxe and the ZenFone Selfie will likely get the Android Marshmallow treatment first ahead of the likes of the numbered Zenfone range: the 4, 5 and 6.

HTC

Confirmed for update: One M9, One M8

Update (28 Sep): Less than a day before the release of Marshmallow, LlabTooFer is at it again. This time, he has published an extensive list on Twitter of HTC devices that will be getting the Marshmallow update alongside its Sense 7 UI.

List of devices that get Android M + Sense 7 Desire EYE, 816,820,826 HTC One M8,M8s, M8 EYE,E8 HTC One M9, M9+, ME, E9, E9+ Butterfly 2, 3

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) September 26, 2015

Update (14 Sep): A Twitter leak has emerged suggesting that the yet-to-be-launched HTC A9 Aero — the company’s upcoming flagship — will be one of the first devices to launch with Android Marshmallow. The leak comes courtesy of LlabTooFer, an Android developer who usually sheds light on upcoming Android OS news. But HTC has yet to announce the phone, so take this latest batch of news with a pinch of salt.

Hima_Aero will run Android 6.0 and Sense 7 GP on the launch… — LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) September 14, 2015

Update (03 Sep): Confirming the tweet below, a new report from Geek Snack suggests that HTC One M8 users could have the update as early as November, which should mean the same for HTC One M9 owners. The HTC One M7 is unfortunately left out in the cold.

Luckily, it seems that all HTC devices launched this year will receive the Android Marshmallow update. These devices include the HTC One M9, HTC E9 and the HTC E9 Plus. We could definitely see the HTC One Mini range receive a spritz of new code too.

Read more: HTC One M9 review-in-brief: the same, but better

What’s more impressive is the confirmation that the HTC One M8 will receive an Android Marshmallow update too. This was confirmed on Twitter by HTC US’s Mo Versi back in June.

@sonsonnetwork@HTCUSA Thanks Pierrette! Appreciate your support. Yes, the M8 will receive the M OS update.
— Mo Versi (@moversi) June 30, 2015

Huawei

Confirmed: Huawei Honor 7, Honor 6 Plus, Honor 6, Honor 4C, Honor 4X

We haven’t heard much from the biggest selling Chinese phone manufacturer regarding Marshmallow, but Huawei’s Honor sub-brand has given us some insight into its update plans. Honor India recently tweeted that its phones will be receiving Android Marshmallow in February 2016, which is a fair old wait.

Coming soon! Starting February 2016, we will be rolling out Android M to honor phones. pic.twitter.com/BN3gwPqs6g

— Honor India (@HiHonorIndia) November 1, 2015

The Huawei Honor 7 will be first in line, followed by other devices.

LG

Confirmed: LG G4

Update (15 Oct): According to its parent company, the LG G4 will be the first non-Nexus device to receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

LG has published a newsletter, picked up by Android Central, suggesting that those LG G4 users in Poland will have the honour, with the OS following suit in major markets thereafter.

Owners of LG Electronics’ (LG) G4 smartphone will be the first in the world to receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. LG G4 owners in Poland will begin receiving their M upgrade beginning next week with other markets in Europe, Asia and the Americas to follow.

Read more: LG G4 review: old world charm, new world chic

Update (28 Aug): New information gathered by Neurogadget suggests that while the LG G Flex (LG’s first curved smartphone) will get the Marshmallow treatment, the LG G3 is poised to miss it entirely.

“Unfortunately, for the LG G3 owners, it’s not sure yet if this device will receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow,” notes the publication. “However, the device was released back in May 2014 and it’s still within the “boundaries” of the 2 year lifespan.”

The LG G4 Pro (rumored for future release) will likely run Android Marshmallow out-the-box, and it’s also looking highly unlikely that the LG G2 will get the update too.

Rumours suggest that the LG G2, LG G3 and LG G4 will skip the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update and instead move directly to the Android 6.0 Marshmallow release, at least according to Neurogadget.

The site also suggests that users will be “lucky” if the LG G2 receives the update at all. The piece reads:

Unfortunately, there are some rumors which say that the LG G2 smartphone will certainly not even receive the Android M version. The Android M version is already available for the developers as a preview version and it will most likely get released sometime in October 2015.

If these rumours are indeed true, we’re looking at a release date at the latter end of 2015 or the first few months of 2016.

These reports are as yet unconfirmed by LG, but the fact that LG did skip Android 4.4.4 KitKat does lend credence to the theory.

Motorola

Confirmed for update: 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, and the Nexus 6.

Update (05 Oct): Motorola is now among the device manufacturers to issue a full list of the devices due to receive Android Marshmallow. Although the company hasn’t stuck a date on the proposed updates, it has revealed a rather long list of phones in the works.

“As for timing, we have high standards, so we’ll work fast but we won’t push the upgrades out until we know they’re ready,” notes Bjorn Kilburn, Motorola’s VP software management.

“Look for more news on timing in the coming weeks.”

For now, it seems that the first-gen Moto G, second-gen Moto E and first-gen Moto X are not included, which will undoubtedly upset more than a few Motorola fans. The company has however promised an Android Lollipop update for the device mentioned. The full list of confirmed devices are listed above.

Update (28 Sep): New rumours suggest that the Moto G series (including the G, G2 and G3) will be receiving the update, but no date is suggested as yet. However, Neurogadget suggests that the “Moto G2 device will most likely get the update sometime in January-February 2016,” with the G following on later.

Good news Motorola fans.

Although the brand isn’t back in South Africa just yet, it seems that a slew of its devices will be receiving Android Marshmallow, including the Moto X Pure Edition (which is yet to be released, but will retail for around US$400), the Moto X Play and the Moto X 2014 Edition.

Although the latter runs on Android KitKat, it is expected to receive the Android Marshmallow update early 2016.

Nexus

Confirmed: Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 9 and Nexus Player (and obviously the Android One devices too)

Image: Maurizio Pesce via Flickr

Update (06 Oct): Google has announced on its Android blog that Android Marshmallow will begin rolling out to Nexus devices today.

“Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 9 and Nexus Player will get an over the air software update to Android 6.0,” Google notes, but ensures to note that these updates depend largely on the carrier.

Update (28 Sep): It seems that the gaggle of Nexus devices, including the Nexus 5, 6, 7 and 9, will receive the Android Marshmallow update come 5 October, about a week after the OS’ official launch, reports Android Police.

New reports suggest the Nexus 5 will likely get an Android Marshmallow update, and rather interestingly, it looks like the new OS practically doubles the device’s battery life.

The OS is also available to test on the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 at the moment too.

We should definitely expect the new Nexus devices to kick off the Android Marshmallow parade, but will these phones come from LG and Huawei as expected?

Samsung

Confirmed for update: Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Tab A

Samsung users are in luck, because the Korean manufacturer is definitely looking to roll out Android Marshmallow updates as early as 2016. This is at least according to an “insider” in conversation with YouMobile.

The company will first complete its Android 5.1.1. Lollipop rollout before addressing the squishier update, which will initially include all Samsung Galaxy S6 models and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Following the flagship devices, the update will filter through to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S6 review: rightful leader of the Android army?

Samsung has yet to confirm any of these suggestions, but it has posted a little infographic highlighting Marshmallow’s features on its blog.

Another update courtesy of Slashgear, suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S5 won’t be getting the Android Marshmallow treatment. Among the list of confirmed devices (above), the Samsung Galaxy Tab A will also make the cut.

Sony

The Japanese company is usually pretty efficient when it comes to matching pace with Android releases, and it seems that a vast majority of its flagship phones from the Xperia Z range will receive the update.

The Gospel Herald suggests that the Sony Xperia Z2, all the way through to the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet will receive Android Marshmallow. Although this does seem highly likely, Sony has yet to announce the devices on its update roster.

Xiaomi

IBT has mentioned in its latest report that Xiaomi will release Android Marshmallow in two distinct batches, with the first release covering the Xiaomi Mi 4, Mi 4i, Mi Note, Mi Note Pro, Redmi Note 2, Redmi 2 Prime, and the Redmi 2.

The second rollout will include the older 2014 Redmi Note and the Redmi 1S.