Bolder lock screen text
It’s Android 6.0
Android Marshmallow Easter Egg
Google typically buries an Easter Egg deep in its Android releases. For example, Lollipop comes with a hidden Flappy Bird clone. The Flappy Droid game lives on Android 6.0 but with a new Marshmallow theme. In case you missed it, Android Marshmallow is officially Android 6.0. Go to Settings > About phone and see for yourself.
Go to Settings > About phone, then tap the Android version repeatedly until a stylized M icon appears onscreen. Tap it again, and a marshmallow with Android antennae appears in place of the Marshmallow. Next, tap and hold the icon for a second or two. Then repeat this process until the Flappy Android game opens. Press the Play button to start a game. When you’re done, press the Home button to return to the home screen.
Google’s New Logo Makes its Android Debut
Google’s retooled logo appears all throughout Android Marshmallow. For example, you’ll spot it on the boot screen, search box, and various icons for supplied apps. The old logo isn’t completely dead yet, as it appears in a few spots in Marshmallow.
New lock screen notification panel behavior
Now Voice Search from the Lock Screen
Redesigned App Drawer
Quick Access to Frequently Used Apps
App Drawer Search Box
Uninstall Apps Without Leaving the Homescreen
New Android, New Wallpaper
Separate Volume Levels for Ringtones, Alarms, Media Playback
Retooled Share Menu
Uninstalling an app on Android Marshmallow no longer requires digging through Settings. Drag an app to the home screen, then to Uninstall. Similarly, you can view app info or remove an app from a folder. Pulling an app’s icon to the appropriate command. No new Android release would be complete without new wallpapers. Android Marshmallow is no exception. Visit Settings > Display > Wallpapers to check out the options. How often have you wanted to temporarily lower the ringtone notification volume but keep blaring your music at full blast? Android Marshmallow now comes with separate volume control sliders for media playback notifications. You used to have to set these individually in the Settings menu.
Account Settings are Now in One
Dark Mode, Now You See It.
Meet System UI Tuner
In the first Android Marshmallow developer build, a new setting is tucked away in the hidden developer options. Lets you switch from Lollipop’s generally light-colored theme to something less glaring. The dark interface theme disappeared in the second developer build, though it isn’t present in the final release. Here’s hoping we’ll see it in a future version of Android.
Customizable Quick Settings Drawer
Wear App Battery Saver Mode
To turn on System UI Tuner:
Slide open the notification panel, then swipe down again until the Quick Settings tray slides open. Press and hold the gear icon until it starts spinning. Confirm that you want to turn on System UI Tuner, then go to Settings > System UI Tuner to see what it can do.
Turn Off Heads-Up Notifications
Do Not Disturb
If you want all background tasks to continue for a given app, you can turn doze mode off per app. Go to Settings > Battery, then the Options menu, the three dots in the upper right, and tap Battery optimization. Tap the downward-pointing arrow, then tap All apps. Click an app’s name, then tap Don’t optimize. Tap Done when you’re all set.
Use Bluetooth to Improve GPS Accuracy
The quick settings drawer’s new Do Not Disturb item has a few tricks worth checking out. With it, you can now toggle Do Not Disturb on or off, set a duration. And specify which notifications you want to see.
Easily Toggle App Permissions
New Memory Manager
Set New Default Apps
New Text Selection Editing Interface
The gear icon in the app settings houses a few other advanced features. Such as whether an app can draw over other apps. That is, whether an app can display information atop another app or whether an app can modify system settings. As Android points out, it still needs to be clarified why these features are here, so we’ll have to wait to see.
Instantly Delete or Share Screenshots
Google Wallet is Out and Android Pay is In
The rebranded Wallet as Android Pay. While keeping the Wallet brand around as an app that makes it easy to send money to friends. Confused yet? If you used the old Wallet app to pay at stores, you’d want to use Android Pay with Android Marshmallow.
