Well, that didn’t take long. Right around two weeks after BlackBerry kicked off a public beta test of Android 6.0 for the Priv, the update is officially starting its rollout.
BlackBerry says that Priv models purchased through ShopBlackBerry.com will start getting Android 6.0 Marshmallow today, April 26. To check for the update, you can go into Settings > About > System update > Check for update. Because the update will likely be pretty large, you should connect to Wi-Fi before attempting to download it.
Carrier versions of the BlackBerry Priv should begin to see Android 6.0 starting May 3.
As for what’s included in the Priv’s Android 6.0 update, there are improved app permissions integrated with BlackBerry’s DTEK security feature, giving you the ability to control an app’s permissions and the info it has access to. There are also 200 new and update emoji and improved word prediction and cursor control. BlackBerry has also added the ability to swipe to enter text on both the physical and virtual keyboards. Meanwhile, BlackBerry Hub is gaining support for more apps, like Instagram, Skype, Slack, and Pinterest.
BlackBerry is also touting improved battery life thanks to Marshmallow’s Doze mode. Meanwhile, the Priv’s camera is gaining some new tricks, like support for capturing video at 24 frames per second at 4K, 1080p, and 720p resolutions. The camera can also record slow motion video at 120 fps.
Marshmallow is a big update for Android, and that’s true of the Android 6.0 update for the Priv. In addition to the standard Marshmallow goodies like Doze battery optimizations, BlackBerry has baked in some new Priv-specific features for owners to try, like swiping with the physical keyboard to enter text and some expanded video recording functionality. I’d say that you Priv owners are going to want to install this update as soon as you can get it, but you were going to do that, anyway.
Be sure to let us know when Marshmallow hits your Priv!
