Operating System: AndroidOS Version: 6.0, MarshmallowThe platform plays an essential role in all the smart devices, but in case of the Nexus series, it’s the star of the show. New Nexus smartphones bring a brand-new iteration of Android each year. In case of the Nexus 6P, the phablet runs the latest Android build version 6.0 codenamed after the gooey dessert Marshmallow. If you’re looking for some headlining features in the new version, then you’d be in for a disappointment. Instead what you get is an extremely refined and stable platform that carries forward with the Material Design ethos that kickstarted with v5.0 Lollipop along with new and interesting functionality.The lock screen lets you unlock the smartphone along with accessing the voice commands option or the camera directly. And, while we’re at the point of unlocking the Nexus 6P, it’s important to talk about a seamless way of doing it – by using your finger. The Nexus Imprint sensor, as it’s called, is available at the back and opens the 6P in the blink of an eye. The best part is that it’s a 360-degree fingerprint sensor, which means that you can unlock the phone irrespective of the way you’re holding it. With Google officially supporting the biometric authentication method in the Android 6.0, we think there will be more use cases for it apart from unlocking or buying apps and games on the Google Play Store. Sadly, as much as we appreciate the accuracy and speed of Nexus Imprint, you’ll need to input the PIN / Password in case you want to use the 6P when it’s lying flat on its back due to the rear placement of the scanner.The home screen is divided into two screens, with the main screen offering a few apps and the one on the left displaying Google Now updates. The app launcher displays a vertical grid of titles installed on the smartphone, along with a useful ability to search for them via a search bar at the top. There’s also one row at the top dedicated to showing recently-opened apps or games.Along with the latest build of Android, users also love the Spartan feel associated with the device since there’s no bloatware preinstalled. With the 6P, Google has gone a step further, as it hasn’t even preloaded its own apps. Instead users get the option to install Docs, Sheets, and Slides, among others, later.Google started the Now project just a couple of years ago, but has been perfecting it ever since. With Marshmallow, it has taken the biggest leap, as now it can detect what’s on the screen and provide contextual options. Dubbed as Google Now on Tap, this feature is accessible by double-tapping the home button. Google Now on Tap can be useful in variety of different situations. If you and your friends are planning to go for a movie, for instance, then Google Now on Tap will let you watch the trailer or book tickets. The feature works even if there are more than one such suggestions. The good thing is that you don’t need to exit the app you’re currently using or go anywhere else, and the info is presented right there, without requiring any input from your side.As much as we liked the concept, using it in real life was a hit-and-miss affair. There were several cases when the Google Now on Tap returned empty-handed, and others where we didn’t find what we were hoping for. Having said that, it certainly seems that the Google is taking the step in the right direction, and it could be game-changing in the coming years.Another feature which Google has borrowed from Motorola is the ability to detect voice commands even when the device is locked. However, the feature isn’t as rich as the one available on Moto X devices and it can only be activated by “Okay Google” hotword. Most commands work online, but there are a few commands that can work offline too. The Nexus devices have always missed out on a file manager, but with Marshmallow, it’s available to you when you hit the Explore option under storage in settings. Talking about storage, the latest version of Android also lets you use external microSD storage as an internal one for installation of apps and games. The feature would surely be handy in entry-level devices that offer just 8 or 16GB of storage on board and have a microSD card slot to offer.One of the biggest problems with Google’s mobile OS is that the apps have permissions to access things like call logs and location, even though they might not need that. With Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, Google did offer a hidden option called App ops, that lets the user control what apps can access, but the option was rolled back in the next update. Two major updates later, the much-needed option is now available in the form of App permissions. It’s baked right into the system, so you’ll get a relevant prompt whenever an app is trying to access something. Of course, you can also control what kind of permissions apps have by going to Apps under the settings menu. While Google might have followed Motorola’s footprints with the Ambient Display feature, it has made it more useful. Not only will the 6P show time and missed notifications when you take it out from your pocket or reach towards it when it’s kept on the table, but also when you nudge it slightly. This is possible due to the inclusion of the Android sensor hub, which has a cluster of low-power sensors that can detect movement.Marshmallow certainly offers several behind-the-scenes improvements, which are quite useful. However, we’d have loved to see Google adding some features which would harness the potential of a large screen at the users’ disposal with the Nexus 6P. A one-handed mode and split-screen view, for instance, would prove to be really nifty.
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