Android Marshmallow for BlackBerry PRIV now available in India!

Just after few days of availability in the west, the new Google software for the PRIV is available in India! Android Marshmallow 6.0 has so much to offer of its own while BlackBerry continues to add and enhance its own sauce in this update. The update is available now and can be downloaded over the air (Go to settings > About > Software Update to get it).

BlackBerry PRIV is one of the early Android M adopter as only 4.6% Android smartphones are running it to this date. There are tons of new and enhanced features to like about Marshmallow. Few of them are shared by BlackBerry’s own Michael Clewley.

More Privacy and Security

You get more ways to monitor and control your privacy and better protect PRIV from malware, hacks and data breaches with Marshmallow on PRIV.

• Customized Personal Data Permissions – Apps demand access to personal data, even when it’s not necessary for the app to function properly, but DTEK now gives you the power to control what to share and when. You can turn permissions off at any time and still continue to use the app.
• Clearer Notification Settings – You’ll only see notification controls for sensors that an app has specifically requested access to. For example, if an application doesn’t request microphone access, it will not appear in the list.
• S/MIME Support – The new S/MIME feature in BlackBerry Hub lets you digitally sign and encrypt your emails, adding another level of security to your communications.

Enhanced BlackBerry Keyboard

PRIV’s BlackBerry Keyboard has been updated to provide better predictive typing, accuracy and control with these new features.

• More Emoji – You’ll have access to over 200 new and updated emojis.
• New Keyboard Gestures – The new swipe capability allows you to drag your finger across the keys to enter words on the virtual and/or physical keyboard.
• Enhanced Word Prediction – The keyboard anticipates your next word based on where you place your fingers on keys. Also, predictive typing learns words with numbers and delivers better name suggestions based on your contacts.
• Better Cursor Control – Activate “Cursor Control” mode on the physical keyboard for easier positioning and control. You can accurately place the cursor on the screen by tapping a key on the physical keyboard.

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Better Notifications

With Android M on PRIV, you can better organize apps and manage productivity with a touch of a button.

• Mute Indicator – See the phone’s mute status at a glance via the floating phone indicator that appears when a call is active. You’ll see yellow when your call is muted and green when it isn’t.
• New Apps in BlackBerry Hub (right) – Now view notifications from even more of your favorite social media apps – including Instagram, Skype, Slack and Pinterest – directly in BlackBerry Hub to easily manage all your messages in one place.
• Updated BlackBerry Launcher – Better organize apps and widgets into Recent, Personal and Work sections, and you can set a default home screen, delete a home screen and remove apps with a flick.

More Battery Life & Storage

Get even more out of PRIV with battery performance and storage updates.

• Doze – When PRIV is at rest, Doze automatically puts your device into a sleep state to increase standby battery life.
• App Standby – This new feature keeps infrequently used apps from impacting your battery life.
• Media Card Encryption Support – You can safely and permanently increase your PRIV’s storage capacity by encrypting your media cards. If your PRIV is lost or stolen, prying eyes can’t take the media card out of your PRIV and view or copy it. This is a feature that many other Android phone makers do not support.

Camera Upgrades

• Engage your creative side with new tools that help you capture the perfect image with ease and flair.
• Capture Professional and Cinematic Quality Videos – Record videos at 24fps – the standard frame rate used in professional feature-length motion pictures – in 4k, 1080p or 720p for high-quality footage to share on social media.
• Slow-Motion Video – Capture smooth slow-motion video with the PRIV’s camera. Capture video at 120 fps and play it back smoothly at 30 fps. The slow-motion effect can be applied after taking the video, and it even can be applied to select specific sections of the video. (Audio is not enabled for slow-motion video at this time.)