Android M 6.0 Update Release Date: Download Now for Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact, Z3, & More with AOSP Binary
As Android 6.0 Marshmallow is currently rolling out OTA to Google's Nexus line of devices, Sony has made the full Android M update available for download right now for the through its open source binaries based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP).
On Monday, Sony made software binaries for AOSP Android 6.0 Marshmallow available for download on its developer tools page, along with an updated build guide to get Android 6.0 Marshmallow running on your unlocked Sony Xperia device.
Sony lists the software binaries on the Android M download page for the following devices: Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z3+, Xperia Z4 Tablet, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia E3, Xperia M2, Xperia T2 Ultra, and Xperia T3.
As Android Police noted, the binaries for the current flagships, the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact, aren't like the other devices listed. Rather than a version of the Android M preview, it's the final Android 6.0 Marshmallow binary. All the drivers you need to get the full Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade to work on the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact are included.
Of course, you should only try to build Android M out of the AOSP binaries if you're a developer with an unlocked device and a lot of experience, because it requires even more technical expertise than flashing a custom Android ROM onto an unlocked device. In fact, the AOSP was created in part for developers to build custom Android ROMs in the first place.
If you have no experience with coding, it's best to wait for the Android 6.0 Marshmallow OTA rollout. For those who are looking to download Android 6.0 Marshmallow on their Sony Xperia devices through the usual, official update route, take heart. As we previously reported, Sony has listed the following devices as on the OTA roll out schedule for the Android M update:
- Xperia Z5
- Xperia Z5 Compact
- Xperia Z5 Premium
- Xperia Z4 Tablet
- Xperia Z3+
- Xperia Z3
- Xperia Z3 Compact
- Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
- Xperia Z2
- Xperia Z2 Tablet
- Xperia M5
- Xperia C5 Ultra
- Xperia M4 Aqua
- Xperia C4
However, Sony noted that software rollouts are a phased process, and that timing and availability for the OTA Android M upgrades will vary by market and wireless carrier.
On its blog, Sony offered no specifics on when the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update will begin rolling out, only saying that it was "working hard to bring this major update to as many of our devices as possible, as quickly as we can."