Google's Android update: Code name Marshmallow

SAN FRANCISCO: Google on Monday named to its soon-to-be released operating system for Android mobile devices: Marshmallow.

The moniker for the version 6.0 of the dominant mobile computing system follows a tradition of using sugary treats for Android's nomenclature following from Lollipop (5.0), KitKat (4.4), Jellybean (4.1) and Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0), Honeycomb (3.2) Gingerbread (2.3), Froyo (2.2), Eclair (2.0), Doughnut (1.6), and Cupcake (1.5).

"Whether you like them straight out of the bag, roasted to a golden brown exterior with a molten center, or in fluff form, who doesn't like marshmallows?" product manager Jamal Eason asked in a post on the Android developer blog.

Eason said developers seeking to develop or update applications for Android can now download the software.

The latest version includes enhancements including fingerprint sensors and an updated power-saving mode.

Marshmallow also streamlines the "permissions" model for users to install and upgrade apps.

Users running certain apps will not need to grant any permissions when they install or upgrade, and the applications instead request permissions as it needs them, according to Google.

Android is used in nearly 80 per cent of smartphones worldwide, although many devices use older versions for which upgrades are not available. Android is also the leading platform for tablets, according to market surveys.