For the second year in a row, LG is announcing a lightning-fast rollout for the new version of Android on its flagship phone. The LG G4 will start getting Marshmallow next week, but only if you live in Poland. That was also the first G3 Lollipop market last year. LG likes Poland, I guess. Other markets in Europe, Asia, and the Americas are to follow.
LG cites the improved permission system, do not disturb mode, and doze as the headlining features of the Marshmallow update. That’s all stuff you can currently only experience on a Nexus device. Not even Motorola (with its new Lenovo masters) has announced a Marshmallow soak test. This doesn’t mean LG is sending you Marshmallow personally, just that it is starting the long and arduous process of deploying the OTA.
LG will probably be monitoring for feedback on the Polish update before tweaking it for deployment in the rest of the world. US carriers are also likely to slow things down as they test and certify the OTA. The Lollipop update didn’t hit some variants of the G3 until late winter last time. Temper your expectations.
Press Release
LG BEGINS ANDROID 6.0 MARSHMALLOW
ROLLOUT STARTING WITH G4LG Customers in Poland to be World’s First to Receive Android Upgrade
SEOUL, Oct. 15, 2015 ― Owners of LG Electronics’ (LG) G4 smartphone will be the first in the world to receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. LG G4 owners in Poland will begin receiving their M upgrade beginning next week with other markets in Europe, Asia and the Americas to follow.
The latest update to the Android operating system offers a number of features designed to enhance the user experience, such as:
- Permissions have been simplified with greater control of the information applications can access, not only at the installation stage but any time
- Silent feature for sound and vibrate mode as well as a Do Not Disturb mode to block all sounds or only alarms and notifications
- Doze Mode which shuts down background processing of certain apps when the phone is not in use, to significantly prolong battery life
“By working closely with Google, LG has been able to bring Android 6.0 to the G4 ahead of any of our competitors,” said Chris Yie, vice president and head of marketing communications for LG Mobile Communications Company. “While speed alone isn’t an indicator of great service, it does go a long way toward giving consumers the confidence that LG is committed to its existing customers first.”
Details of the Android M upgrade schedule and affected models will be announced in individual markets.