It’s now 2016 and Samsung Galaxy smartphone and tablet owners are still waiting for the first public Android Marshmallow release.
In October, Google started rolling out its Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to Nexus smartphones and tablets. In the weeks since the start of the roll out, several Android manufacturers have released their own versions of Android 6.0 and, in some cases, Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
Samsung, the world’s largest Android manufacturer, has yet to roll out an Android 6.0 or Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update to the public. The company and its partners have confirmed Galaxy Android Marshmallow releases but updates are hard to come by as we push deeper into the year.
That said, we’ve seen tons of Galaxy Marshmallow update details emerge in recent weeks and today we want to take a look at everything we know so far about Samsung’s plans for current Galaxy smartphone and tablet users.
This also takes a look at some details regarding the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, two devices rumored for February.
This roundup is going to walk you through the important details about the Samsung Galaxy Marshmallow release and the updates themselves.
The company hasn’t confirmed every single Marshmallow update it plans to offer but the roundup includes information about the Galaxy S6 update, the Galaxy Note 5 update, the Galaxy Note 4 update, the rumored Samsung Galaxy S7, and more.
We’ll continue to update this as we, and others, receive more information.
Table of Contents
Security Updates
Samsung is starting to roll out January security updates to its Galaxy devices.
The company’s monthly upgrade will include several key patches and it will mirror the update that Google recently rolled out to its Nexus devices. For more information about the update’s content, take a look at Google’s Security Update Bulletin.
The January updates should be based on Android 5.1.1 though that still isn’t confirmed.
Galaxy Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Roll Out
Before you get Marshmallow, you might get Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.
Verizon’s Galaxy Note 4 finally got its Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update a few days ago and there are still a number of devices on a number of different carriers that are still waiting for Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and its features.
If you haven’t been bumped to Android 5.1.1 yet, be on the lookout for Lollipop in the near future. Samsung continues to make progress as we move deeper into January.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Marshmallow Update
Now that that is out of the way, let’s start with the basics.
Samsung’s confirmed Marshmallow updates for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge.The company recently asked owners of unlocked Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge models in the UK and South Korea if they wanted to take part in an Android Marshmallow beta program designed to test the software for bugs and problems ahead of the public release.
Want to be the first to get #AndroidMarshmallow on your #GS6? https://t.co/OTsb31YRg4 pic.twitter.com/Y4xzav7oSD— Samsung Mobile UK (@SamsungMobileUK) December 22, 2015
The Galaxy S6 Marshmallow beta confirms updates for these two devices though it doesn’t confirm a specific release date.
A leaked document points to a global release in February or March for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge though this hasn’t been confirmed by the company itself. Both updates have reportedly been approved. The Galaxy S6 Edge+ Marshmallow update will supposedly arrive next month.
Samsung hasn’t revealed when or where the Galaxy S6 Marshmallow update will land first. That said, it has confirmed the version of the Android 6.0 update.
Samsung’s rolled out a new Android Marshmallow update for Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge users who joined the beta program. The update? Android 6.0.1, the newest version of Marshmallow.
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow first started pushing out late last year and it appears that it should be the build that Samsung rolls out to the public.
According to SamMobile, the new Android 6.0.1 beta release for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge feature:
- Additional quick settings toggles for Private Mode in the status bar.
- New emoji characters (Android 6.0.1 brought more than 200 to Nexus users).
- Improved visibility of notification panel icons.
- If a fingerprint isn’t recognized, users will only get vibration feedback
- A new ‘Install overnight’ option that will install an update at night between 2 to 5 AM
- Changes to the Galaxy S6 Edge panel which can be seen in the video below
As for the release, in the United States, T-Mobile has confirmed a trio of Galaxy S6 Marshmallow updates and we expect rival carriers in the United States and carriers around the world to follow suit.
T-Mobile’s planning Android Marshmallow updates for the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and the Galaxy S6 Edge+. None of these updates have moved past the “Manufacturer Development” stage which means that they’re still in the lab at Samsung.
@thomas1235678 Hi Thomas. No news on the Marshmallow rollout yet. We’ll be sure to let you guys know as soon as there is! ^AS
— Samsung UK (@SamsungUK) January 20, 2016
Vocal carriers like Rogers (Canada), Vodafone (Australia), Optus (Australia), and Telstra (Australia) continue to remain silent about their plans for the Galaxy S6 and Marshmallow.
Marshmallow Features
Thanks to the beta, we have a pretty solid read on the Galaxy S6 Marshmallow update’s features. We’re not based in the United Kingdom or South Korea but SamMobile is and it recently posted a detailed review of the update’s contents.
As expected, Marshmallow brings changes to the update’s interface. The update replaces blue with white and it changes the look of several app icons.
The update also features the popular Google Now on Tap feature that allows you to quickly bring up information on whatever you’re looking at simply by holding down the home button. It’s one of our favorite Marshmallow features. The video above outlines the key features.
It also looks like Samsung has reduced the scrolling speed which should make things smoother for Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge users. The change can be seen in the video of the Galaxy S6 Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow beta below.
It’s shaping up to be a substantial update for Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 Edge+ users, who, should be among the first to receive the update.
Galaxy S5 Marshmallow Update
Samsung hasn’t rolled out a Galaxy S5 Marshmallow beta yet but the Galaxy S5 Marshmallow update is confirmed.
T-Mobile’s confirmed a Galaxy S5 Marshmallow release though like the Galaxy S6 Marshmallow update, it’s in the “Manufacturer Development” phase. Meaning, it still needs to go through T-Mobile testing before it can be released to the public.
The fact that T-Mobile is planning a Galaxy S5 Marshmallow update is a good sign for other Galaxy S5 users in the United States and around the world. Most carriers are silent about their plans but there’s a good chance this roll out will reach everyone.
A report from October backs up this assertion and suggests that development has begun on Galaxy S5, Galaxy S5 Neo and Galaxy S5 LTE-A Marshmallow updates around the world including here in the United States.
A leaked document suggests that the Galaxy S5 Android Marshmallow release date will take place in March or April of this year. A specific date hasn’t been confirmed.
Features
As for the update itself, it has reportedly leaked out a couple of times though we haven’t seen an extensive rundown of the software.
Galaxy Note 5 Marshmallow Update
Samsung’s current Galaxy Note flagship, the Galaxy Note 5, will get the Android Marshmallow update down the road. We know this because:
- The Galaxy Note 5 Marshmallow update has leaked.
- T-Mobile has confirmed the Galaxy Note 5 Marshmallow update.
- A SamMobile report from October suggests that work has already begun on updates for Note 5 models around the world.
What we don’t know is when the Galaxy Note 5 Marshmallow update will arrive for users in the United States and regions around the world. Given its status as a flagship smartphone model, we’d expect it to be among the first to get the update.
A document appears to backup that assertion with a supposed Galaxy Note 5 Marshmallow release date. The software is expected to land for the Note 5 in February.
Features
Thanks to the leak, we now have some idea about what to expect from the Galaxy Note 5 Marshmallow update and its features. The video below shows off the early software and it runs down many of the important changes.
For more on the Marshmallow leak, take a look at this full rundown from XDA-Developers. It reviews the update’s early performance.
Galaxy Note 4 Marshmallow Update
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Note Edge will both receive Marshmallow updates in the United States.
T-Mobile’s confirmed both updates though neither has budged since last year. They, like the carrier’s other Galaxy Marshmallow updates, remain in “Manufacturer Development” purgatory. This likely means that they’re weeks away at least.
A leaked document points to a Galaxy Note 4 Marshmallow release in March or April but this isn’t confirmed and could change. A Galaxy Note Edge Marshmallow release date is rumored for March or April as well.
Features
Thanks to a couple of leaks, we know what the Galaxy Note 4 Marshmallow update will probably look like when it arrives.
In addition to that leak, Napidroid claims to have received a Galaxy Note 4 Marshmallow build on one of their devices.
The early version of the update comes with the new Air Command menu that’s found on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5. and there are also some new icons for applications. Similar to the Galaxy S6 update.
It also reportedly comes with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 feature that allows you to take notes when the screen is off. Remember, this is early software and things could change during testing.
Others
In addition to these popular devices, Samsung will reportedly roll out Marshmallow to the Galaxy A7, Galaxy A8, Galaxy Alpha, and Galaxy Tab S2. T-Mobile’s confirmed a Galaxy Tab S2 Marshmallow update.
We’d expect most, if not all, of these devices to follow the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge and move to Android 6.0.1 when Marshmallow arrives.
Samsung Galaxy S7
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Samsung hasn’t confirmed any Galaxy Android Marshmallow update timing but we know that it’s making progress.
The company recently released an Android Marshmallow beta for select devices in select regions, a sign that it’s gearing up for a public release. But even with the beta, we still don’t know exactly when the Galaxy Marshmallow roll out will start.
One thing that we are pretty sure of though is that the Samsung Galaxy Marshmallow release is going to be a long drawn out process that extends well into 2016.
The company, and its carrier partners, will prioritize some updates over others. Expect some regions (Poland, Russia, Korea, and the United States are good bets) to get Marshmallow pretty quickly. Smaller markets typically get their updates several weeks (sometimes several months) after the start of the initial roll out.
Veteran Galaxy users know that this is par for the course but let this serve as a warning to those of you who recently switched to Android and a Galaxy smartphone or tablet. This is not iOS. This roll out is going to take time.
This leaked roadmap isn’t offcial but it will give you some idea about what to expect from Samsung and its timing.
