Google Confirms Android Marshmallow Starts Rolling Out Next Week

As I put in my what to expect from the Google event post yesterday, the company announced today that Android Marshmallow will start being delivered to existing Nexus devices starting next Monday, October 5th.  This date was somewhat confirmed prior to the event thanks to leaked documents but with it being official from Google, we are set.

The devices that will be receiving the update OTA starting Monday will be the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 9 and the Nexus Player.  The Nexus 4 and the Nexus 7 (2012) will not be receiving the update as I posted yesterday which has caused some anger, particularly for the Nexus 4.

Big Improvements Coming To Google Photos

As part of the Google event today, the company spent a good amount of time explaining the new features that are coming to Google Photos.  The app, which was launched just a handful of months ago, already has 20 million users and more than 50 billion photos have been uploaded according to Google.  With all of those users, undoubtedly there have been further enhancements and improvements that have been requested and now it looks like Google has been listening.

The first big update coming is the ability to share and subscribe to albums on your Google Photos account.  If you have a photo album you want to share with friends and family, you can use the share function and send a link to that album.  In turn, users can add photos of their own to that album and can subscribe to that album so they can see any new photos added to it through a notification in the Google Photos app on their Android devices or iOS devices.

Pre-Order Your Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P

As expected, the Google Store has now been updated and you can pre-order your new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P today.  The new phones were announced today at the Google event (which you can watch here) and both will be shipping with Android Marshmallow.  Both phones are expected to ship later on this month.

Watch The Google Event on YouTube

Today was a big day for Google and users of their platforms & solutions.  As expected, Google announced the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, Android Marshmallow and two new Chromecast devices at the event held in San Francisco.  In addition, they also announced the Android Marshmallow based Pixel C which will be available later this year.

Google’s Not So Risky Move To Sell Nexus Online

If you are a fan of Google and have been reading the Interwebs today, you know it has been a busy day.  Loads of leaks and other details about the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P have been flowing like water and this is all the day before the actual Google event tomorrow in San Francisco.  Some of the news has been confirmation of what we already pretty much know like the specs of the 5X and the 6P but some of it has been new tidbits.  One of those new rumors is that Google plans to sell the new Nexus lineup online only through the Google Store.  Some have read this as a risky move by Google given that they will ultimately be bypassing the carriers who did sell the Nexus 6 and previous devices as well as other retailers.  In fact this decision to sell them online is the first time Google has done this since the original Nexus One back in 2007.

To me however, this is a smart move by Google.  It gives them the cleanest path to the consumer and it follows the trend that the market is dictating, namely people want to buy devices and not necessarily be tied into a carrier contract.  Yes they have to get it right and there are examples of how to get it wrong, including Google themselves, but this could be the way of the future for all manufactures.

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