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| Android 6.0 Marshmallow | |
|---|---|
| Name | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Developer | |
| First release | October 5, 2015 |
| Latest release | 6.0.1 (various OEM builds) |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| License | Apache License 2.0 |
Android 6.0 Marshmallow Android 6.0 Marshmallow is a major release of the Android mobile operating system developed by Google. Announced at Google I/O and released in late 2015, it introduced platform-level features for power management, permissions, and biometric authentication that influenced subsequent releases from Samsung Electronics, HTC, LG Electronics, and other manufacturers. The update targeted devices from partners including Nexus and later reached carriers such as Verizon Communications, AT&T, and T-Mobile US.
Marshmallow followed Android Lollipop and preceded Android Nougat, representing a refinement focused on stability and core services rather than radical interface redesigns. Key platform components included enhancements to the Linux kernel, tighter integration with Google Play Services, and APIs for hardware features used by companies like Qualcomm and MediaTek. The release cycle tied closely to events like Google I/O 2015 and OEM roadmaps from Motorola Mobility, Sony, and Xiaomi.
Marshmallow introduced user-facing and developer-facing features such as an on-demand permissions model, power-saving technologies, and native fingerprint API support. The runtime permissions model altered app behavior understood by ecosystems including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Netflix. Doze mode provided background process limits similar to power strategies used by Intel Corporation and ARM-based SoCs from Samsung Electronics and Huawei. The Fingerprint API enabled biometric authentication adopted by devices from OnePlus, LG, and HTC, and tied into services like Google Pay and security frameworks used by Mastercard and Visa. Web and networking enhancements included updated WebView based on Chromium, support for USB Type-C seen in products from Apple and Dell, and improved support for Bluetooth Low Energy used by manufacturers like Fitbit and Garmin.
Development occurred within Google's internal teams and through collaboration with partners such as Android Open Source Project, Kernel.org, and chipset vendors like Qualcomm. Marshmallow was previewed at Google I/O 2015 and rolled out initially to the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P alongside updates to the Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. Carrier certifications from Sprint and Vodafone Group influenced staggered releases. OEMs such as Motorola, Sony Mobile, HTC, LG, Samsung, and Huawei Technologies produced custom builds incorporating skins like Sense UI, TouchWiz, and EMUI.
Official factory images and OTA updates were provided for Nexus devices, while legacy hardware from Samsung Galaxy lines, HTC One series, and LG G series received manufacturer-specific updates. Security patches originated from collaboration between Google Project Zero, Microsoft (responsible for some interop security research), and vendors on the Android Security Bulletin schedule. Carriers including Verizon Communications, AT&T, T-Mobile US, Sprint, Deutsche Telekom, and regional operators influenced timing of OTA deployment. Community projects like LineageOS (formerly CyanogenMod) extended Marshmallow availability to devices beyond official support from companies such as Asus and ZTE.
Contemporaneous reviews from outlets like The Verge, CNET, Wired, Ars Technica, and Android Police praised the permission model and battery improvements, while commentators from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal noted fragmentation challenges across OEMs. Adoption metrics reported by Google Play and analytics firms including StatCounter and NetMarketShare showed gradual uptake constrained by carrier and manufacturer update cadences. Developers at companies such as Uber, Spotify, and Twitter adapted apps to the new permission APIs and fingerprint authentication standards.
Marshmallow implemented runtime permissions replacing install-time privileges, aligning with research from Kaspersky Lab, Symantec, and McAfee on mobile threats. The inclusion of full-disk encryption options, the Fingerprint API, and improvements to SELinux policy enforcement was influenced by work from OpenSSL auditors and vulnerability disclosures tracked by CVE records. Google issued monthly Android Security Bulletins to address vulnerabilities reported by entities such as Google Project Zero, ZDI (Zero Day Initiative), and independent researchers.
Marshmallow's permission model and Doze power management set precedents adopted and evolved in Android Nougat, Android Oreo, and later releases, influencing mobile software practices at Google Play and across OEM ecosystems including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and OnePlus. The Fingerprint API accelerated broader biometric standards later advanced by organizations like the FIDO Alliance and adopted by financial services including American Express, Mastercard, and Visa. Community firmware projects such as LineageOS preserved Marshmallow-era devices, informing support policies by carriers like Verizon and shaping long-term maintenance discussions at companies including Google LLC and Alphabet Inc..
Category:Android (operating system) releases