Features in Android's new Marshmallow operating system you need to know

Google is finally rolling out the long awaited Marshmallow update and there's a lot to be excited about if you're looking to download the new operating system. While the refreshed menus and overall polish give the Android system a front-facing design update, it's what's under the hood that should get users talking.

Currently, it's only available for compatible Nexus devices, but stay tuned to find out when it's coming to your device, too. Here's a quick summary of what new and notable features you can take advantage of with Android 6.0.

Easy Copy and Paste

Using the copy and paste command in Android is a pain. Before Marshmallow, every time you highlighted a URL or some text, you would be greeted with a bunch of symbols which didn't easily distinguish between copy, paste or any of the other options available. Android 6.0 does away with the symbols in favour of text so there's no confusion if you want to copy, paste, share or do a web search for more information.

Selective App Permissions

Giving an app a whole bunch of permissions can be risky especially if you don't know what the app is doing with them. To install any app before the 6.0 update, you would have to agree to a long list of permissions all at once which gave some, if not all users, a lot of unease. Thankfully, with the Marshmallow update, you can now pick and choose what each app is and is not allowed access to. Don't want Twitter to have control over your camera? No problem. Don't want Facebook to use location services or GPS? It doesn't have to. You can now have peace of mind when installing any app.

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Doze

It seems that every time a new phone or operating system update gets released, battery life tends to rear its ugly head. To get more out of your phone, Google has introduced Doze, a new battery saving feature that works best when you're sound asleep - or just not actively using your phone. When you place your phone or tablet on a table, Doze kicks in and runs background processes infrequently which conserves battery life. Priority alerts will still get through and you can set apps to run as normal but you can leave your phone by your bedside table at night and not run the risk having a depleted battery in the morning.

Now on Tap

The biggest change that comes with Marshmallow is Google's Now on Tap feature. Now on Tap is basically your personal assistant that takes important information shown on screen and gives you options relevant to your interests. Let's say you've just sent a text message to your friend regarding “The Martian.” Holding down the home button will pull up Now on Tap which will bring up an IMDB page of the movie, movie theatre locations and times, YouTube trailers and other things associated with the movie. Did you mention something about having steak for dinner? Now on Tap will look up restaurants in the area with reviews, phone numbers and directions readily available for you on screen. Now on Tap also works with third party apps like Instagram so be sure to check it out with your most frequently used programs.

There's a host of other features that come with Marshmallow and you can read about them in depth over at Greenbot, Trusted Reviews, and Ars Technica. If you think we’ve missed any important updates, share your thoughts in the comments below!