Google I/O 2015 is only a few weeks away and we’ve finally seen a rumored big announcement. Thanks to Google itself, we have a detail about an Android M update that could be the Android 6.0 version that replaces last year’s Android 5.0 Lollipop update.
At Google I/O 2014, the company took the stage to show developers a host of new products. One of those products was Android L, which was the first preview of the update to be Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Google released Android 5.0 Lollipop alongside the Nexus 9 and Nexus 6 in November. In the months since its initial launch, Google and its manufacturing partners have rolled out a ton of new updates and several different versions of Android 5.0, including Android. 5.0.1, Android 5.0.2, Android 5.1 and Android 5.1.1.
Google is currently rolling out Android 5.1.1 to Nexus devices, bringing feature enhancements and bug fixes to owners of Nexus 7, Nexus 10 and more. Before Google completes Android 5.1.1 rollout, Nexus users and others are likely to be faced with a brand new Android update.
Android 6.0
Google is known for trolling its users before major product launches. For example, we saw the company release Android 5.1.1 on April 1, a few days before its release. And if you want to go back even further, you’ll find the Nexus 5 edition, a post full of not-so-subtle tips.
Today, Google sticks to the same old tricks. Google recently released the picture Google I/O 2015 calendar. And buried deep in the calendar (now gone) was the Android M reference. Again, before Android 5.0 Lollipop was released, it was called Android L, which means Android M should be Google’s next major Android update.
We still don’t know the name of the software, but it’s possible that Android M will be compatible with last year’s Android L update. In other words, there may be an Android 6.0 version for Nexus devices and others.
It may also take its name from a dessert. Google always names Android updates after desserts, so expect something like Lemon Meringue Pie, Mamba, Mounds or Milky Way. Android 6.0 Lemon Meringue Pie, our current guess, is a tribute to Android 4.4 KitKat, originally called Key Lime Pie.
Android M Launch Date
Google isn’t talking about Android M yet, and all references to the update Cleared from the Google I/O calendar. That’s not to say we have no idea when Google’s Android M launch will happen.
Google I/O 2015 kicks off with a keynote on May 28. The keynote, which begins at 9:30 AM PST, is where Google usually makes all its big announcements. The company is able to stream its products to developers in the audience and to consumers watching the live stream from home or work.
If it doesn’t happen during the keynote, it could be during the company’s What’s New on Android event, which goes live at 13:30. Either way, we’ll see the update confirmed on the first day of Google I/O 2015 around 9:30am or 1:30pm PST. Set your alarms.
Android M Release Date
We haven’t heard any Android 6.0 release date rumors, and it’s possible that the Android M launch won’t give an exact Android M release date.
If you remember, last year Google couldn’t confirm a specific release date for the software. Instead, it dropped the update into a developer preview available to Nexus 7 and Nexus 5 users. This is similar to what Apple does with iOS updates:
Step 1: Announce the update on stage during the developer event.
Step 2: Confirm some features.
Step 3: Failing to disclose concrete release date details.
Step 4: Publish a beta.
Step 5: Announce software release date along with new hardware within the year.
Step 6: Rinse, repeat.
Android L went through a long beta process before being released alongside the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 in November of last year. However, its name was not Android L and it came with some features that Google did not show on stage during Google I/O 2014.
Android 6.0 M may be coming at Google I/O 2015, but the release date is likely to fall later this year. Set your expectations accordingly.
Android M Beta
As we mentioned, Android L came with a developer preview, which is a fancy term for “beta”. Google released the beta to two devices, the company’s flagship devices at the time, the Nexus 7 2013 and the Nexus 5.
If Google releases an Android M beta and knows it could come shortly after the announcement. It can also come for a chosen few. Our money is on the company’s current flagships, the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.
Of course, it’s Android we’re talking about here, so we expect developers to port the look and features of Android M to other devices like the Nexus 5.
Android M Features
Today’s leak suggests that at least some of Android M will target enterprise users. The Android M update was spotted on a list of Android for Work updates. The listing shows that Android M will “bring the power of Android to any workplace.”
It has “opened up huge new markets for hundreds of millions of devices to work in small businesses, deskless workers, logistics and warehousing; I am empowered by the adoption of Android devices at work.” While this is important, it’s probably part of what Android M has to offer Android users, manufacturers, and companies using Android products.
If there is an Android M developer preview, it will likely make many of Android M’s features available to Nexus users. However, it probably won’t reveal all of them.
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