Android 6 Marshmallow: App permission control and Auto-backup are two most important features

I have been using Android phones for a very long time- ever since T-Mobile myTouch 3G was released with Android 1.6. Yes, Android version 1.6. Since then, I have witnessed and experienced all the android changes and updates and have much appreciated them. Android has come a long way and is now really a matured OS. Android 6.0 Marshmallow is the latest version of Android mobile operating system from Google. It brings a lot of under the hood changes and user interface updates. It has a list of new features to its credit and a number of small but usable tweaks. However, two most important and useful features of all are Application permission control and Auto-backup.

I. App permission control

It’s my opinion that Application Permission Control is the single most important feature in the Android 6. Android finally includes comprehensive application permission control that is usable and user-friendly. You do not need to root anymore.

The play store will no longer ask you to agree on all the permissions before you can install an application. Before this, Android had only two choices for you either you agree to all permissions and install or do not agree and do not install! Apps will now ask you when it needs access to specific part of your device (location, camera, storage, etc.) and you can decide to let it use it or deny it. Although the features that rely on that permission might not work, you would be able to control it and the rest of the app will work.

To do this, in Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), Open the Settings app and tap “Apps” under the Device heading to get started. You will see a list of all the apps installed on your phone. Tap one of the apps in the list to view more information. On the App info screen, you’ll see a “Permissions” category that lists all the permissions that individual app has access to. Different categories of permissions each app has — for example, Location, Storage, Camera, Contacts etc. — will be displayed here. You can revoke any permission you want from Android 6 phone.

II. Auto-backup

It is difficult or complicated to switch android phones although few years’ back Android added auto-backup functionality to make it a bit easy by automatically installing apps that Google know that have been there in your old device. You still need to make a lot of changes and setting updates in your new phone that takes too much time sometimes it will take as much as a week to get back to normal after a phone change.

Android 6 has now a much improved auto-backup functionality. Android 6 (Marshmallow) will automatically backup and stores a lot more thing in your Google Drive. Every 24 hours, it takes all your apps data, including user preferences, and uploads it all into your Google Drive. It stores all your call logs and Wi-Fi passwords, too, and none of that data will count toward your Google Drive storage quota. The system decides what to backup- basically all the files in the data folder, and it works for most apps. Apps are limited to 25MB of backup data. Side-loaded apps and even apps installed from third party stores can also make use of the backup service, as it is not tied in directly with Google Play. A much-needed feature that will now ease phone switching for Android users.