Android 6.0 Marshmallow is officially out of the bag with SDK and final preview launch

Squishy and sweet new OS is heading your way

Google has revealed the name of version 6.0 of its mobile operating system Android - it's Marshmallow, and the SDK and final preview version have both launched today.

Product manager Jamal Eason took to the Android Developers Blog to break the news that the "final Android 6.0 SDK" is now available for download via the SDK Manager in Android Studio. This gives access to the final Android APIs and latest build tools in order for developers to target API 23, Marshmallow's new API standard which includes "specific features such as auto-backup and app permissions".

The Android Support Library is also now updated to v23, in line with API 23.

"The new Android Support library makes it easier to integrate many of the new platform APIs, such as permissions and fingerprint support, in a backwards-compatible manner," wrote Eason.

Developer preview images have also been updated for Google Nexus devices, specifying Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and the Nexus Player set-top box.

While this doesn't necessarily spell the end of the road for previous flagship devices, the Nexus 4 smartphone and Nexus 7 small tablet, it doesn't look good for the hardware, neither of which Google is selling anymore.

Security continues to be a headache Google, though, partly due to the platform's relative openness, sharing of hardware and idiosyncratic device manufacturer software builds, compared to the tight control exercised by Apple.

Just before Android Marshmallow was revealed, Google admitted that it won't fix the recently discovered Stagefright malware-as-MMS exploit until September, and even then only for Nexus devices which run the stock Android build.

The September fix date mooted could conceivably fit with the street release of Android Marshmallow.

"Security continues to be a top priority and monthly device updates are yet another tool to make and keep Android users safe," wrote Adrian Ludwig, lead engineer for Android security and Venkat Rapaka, director of Nexus product management, back in an August in another blog post.

The eyes of the Android community - and IT security administrators - will definitely be on Android Marshmallow to solve such basic glitches as Stagefright.