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Android-powered smartphones have long been a victim to fragmentation. It is no secret that the devices which usually get axed from the latest update cycle are the budget phones and those that are over two years old. Although users have the option of flashing custom ROMs to their phones, the unofficial ROMs usually contain bugs and are not easy to switch over to, requiring the user to unlock the bootloader and flash a custom recovery. That is why when Samsung recently announced a software update for their Galaxy A line-up, everyone was excited to be finally able to use Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
In a welcomed move, the almost two-year-old Samsung Galaxy A5 (first generation) is receiving the Marshmallow update along with its newer, upgraded siblings. The Galaxy A5 was launched with Android 4.4 KitKat and received the update to Android Lollipop around May 2015. Even though this is probably the last official software update from Samsung, and it comes eight months late to the launch of Android 6.0 by Google, users are happy to receive the update. The new update is rolling out in Europe and South Africa, among other regions, and contains the latest security patches from Google. The update file comes with build number A500FUXXU1CPG2.
Google’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow brings a lot of improvements on the table, one of the most notable being Now on Tap. This feature is activated by long pressing the home button and will scan the current screen for relevant information, displaying it as card-like snippets of information. Another under the hood improvement is Doze, which plays a significant role in how apps work when the screen of the device is off, and hence contributes to saving battery life. Also added to this is the ability to manage app permissions and access, giving the user more control over the data any app can access. In addition to this, Samsung has included the updated TouchWiz with improved designs, which has been appreciated by users for lower RAM usage, and ease of use. It marks the last update as Samsung promises a two-year update cycle for all devices, and the device will not be getting an official update to upcoming Android 7.0 Nougat.