Google has finally released the much awaited official version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. As usual, Google's line of Nexus phones and tablets are the first devices to receive Android's smartest, sweetest iteration yet.
While the recently unveiled Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P will come with Android 6.0 right out of the box, older Nexus devices are also eligible to receive the Marshmallow update. These include the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013) and the Nexus 9. Google's Android TV-based Nexus Player is also eligible for the update.
Google is expected to roll out the over-the-air updates to these devices in the next few days, but impatient Nexus owners who want to get Android 6.0 for their devices can already do so right now by flashing the factory images for their devices, which are now available through Google's Android Developer's blog.
If you own a Nexus 5, 6, 7 (2013), 9 or Nexus Player, you can download the factory images from the following links:
- Nexus 5 (hammerhead)
- Nexus 6 (shamu)
- Nexus 7 2013 Wi-Fi (razor)
- Nexus 7 2013 Mobile (razorg)
- Nexus 9 Wi-Fi (volantis)
- Nexus 9 LTE (volantisg)
- Nexus Player (fugu)
When flashing these factory images to your phone, be sure to download the appropriate files and create a backup of your phone's contents just in case something goes wrong. Take a look at the step-by-step instructions on how you can do that.
Alternatively, you can also use the OTA files that are now available courtesy of Android Central. The OTA files are the same files that get pushed out to Android devices, but OTA rollouts don't usually happen at the same time, making some users impatient to receive their update notification.
Usually, when rollouts happen, some enterprising users are almost always immediately able to trace the files back to their download path and find the .zip file that contains all files. Android Central has uncovered the OTA files for the Nexus 7 (2013) and the Nexus 9, but other devices don't have their links yet. If you're interested in downloading the OTA files for the said devices, you can find the links below. We'll update the others as their OTA links are found.
- Nexus 5 (hammerhead)
- Nexus 6 (shamu)
- Nexus 7 2013 Wi-Fi (razor)
- Nexus 7 2013 Mobile (razorg)
- Nexus 9 Wi-Fi (volantis)
- Nexus 9 LTE (volantisg)
- Nexus Player (fugu)
