Android 6 Marshmallow has arrived as an automatic update on Nexus devices and will hopefully arrive soon on other new generation smartphones such as Samsung and Moto G. As already noted, Android 6 seems more like a better version of Lollipop, with most of the changes not visible on the device interface.
To see what really changed in Android 6 Marshmellow it is therefore necessary to get our hands inside some settings menus and then discover some interesting new tricks to optimize the smartphone and a guide on the new functions and options of Android 6 compared to the previous version.
READ ALSO: 20-point guide to Android to get started with your mobile phone or tablet
1) Applications can be uninstalled from the home screen or from the list of apps
In Android Marshmallow it is now possible to uninstall an application simply by long pressing on its icon. At the top of the screen, the option to remove the app will appear so you only need to drag the icon on this option to uninstall it.
2) Turn on developer options
The developer options are not new, but have been enriched with some new settings. To access Developer Options, go to Settings -> About Phone and tap the build number seven times, until the " You are a developer " pop-up appears. Go back to settings to see the new Developer Options menu listed right above About phone .
From here you can activate USB debugging (to connect the phone to the PC and use it as a USB stick), to see the touch on the screen and to optimize the animations.
3) Application permission management
You can now individually manage the permissions that apps take on the system. Just to give a classic example, an app like Google Maps has the permission to geolocate the phone which is essential for it to work. However, some apps take permissions for no reason and can therefore spy on some activities. From the Settings -> App menu, when you open the list of installed applications, you can touch the gear button and then find the permissions option. By tapping on one of the categories, you can decide not to authorize a single app. From the app list under settings, you can also open the tab of an application and then tap on Permissions to disable the permissions granted.
4) Battery optimization for apps
When the phone or tablet has been idle for some time, Android Marshmallow automatically hibernates apps, while keeping alarms on priority notifications active. From the Settings -> App menu, pressing the gear button you can then tap on Battery optimization. Tap on "without optimization" to see all the apps that, by default, have active battery saver. if a particular application should malfunction or not at all, you can try disabling battery optimization for that app and see if it works. The same menu also appears in Settings -> Battery, by pressing the button with three dots at the top right.
5) Customize the shortcuts on the notification bar .
You can change the switches of the quick settings that appear by already pulling the notification bar from the secret menu of Android 6 which must be activated from the developer options.
If you don't find anything in the developer options, pull down the notification bar and hold the gear button (the one that takes you to the settings) for a few seconds until a popup appears warning you that you have activated the menu called " System User Interface Synthesizer " (the translation of System Tuner UI). Now open the settings and find this menu at the bottom of the list.
From here you can change the quick settings, i.e. the buttons on the notification bar.
6) Show the battery charge percentage .
From the same menu as in point 5, System User Interface Synthesizer, you can also activate the display of the battery percentage on the icon above. Nexus 5 didn't look like this on my phone, but it worked so I don't know if it's my problem or if it's limited to some devices.
7) Change the theme of the settings by putting it black instead of white
The option to change the theme is always found in the developer menu and only applies to Android settings that turn black.
In my case, on a Nexus 5, this option is in the Settings> Accessibility menu.
8) Which apps take up the most memory
In Android M one of the best additions is the RAM memory monitor, where you know which app takes up the most. Go to Settings -> Memory and then to Memory used by apps . It is possible to know which apps have taken up the most memory in the last three hours or the last day. The memory management section
9) Open Google Now anytime
To open Google Now, all you need to do is open any app, tap and hold the central button at the bottom, i.e. the circle.
See how to activate the Now Anywhere function on Android
10) Disable the preview of notifications for some apps
From Android 5 Lollipop you can preview the received message or the email from the notification bar.
You can disable this preview for privacy reasons, by going to Settings -> Audio and Notifications -> App Notifications and for the chosen apps, deselect the "Allow short display" option. In this same screen of options it is possible to make sure that the notifications of some apps have maximum priority and are active even if do not disturb is set.
11) Do not disturb more accessible and improved
The "Do not disturb" mode can now be activated from the quick menu of the buttons that appears by pulling down the notification bar. The phone can therefore be silenced for a certain period of time, completely, for everything except alarm clocks, for everything except priority applications.
13) Easter Egg
As in Lollipop, the hidden game Flappy Bird can also be opened in Android 6 Marshmellow.
To do this, go to Settings -> About phone and repeatedly tap on the version number.
Touch and swipe your finger over the letters M until a marshmellow appears and then again until the game opens.
