Samsung Launching Marshmallow Beta Testing Program

Samsung does a lot of things to be considered as an innovative OEM. The Koreans invest a lot of resources to provide the best design their devices had in recent years. They also focus on safety and overall performance of their devices.

According to reports, Samsung is looking to make the best software too, as the company is looking for beta testers for Android 6.0 Marshmallow and the new version of TouchWiz.

Android 6.0 is likely the first incarnation of Google’s mobile operating system that is officially tested on a wider group of users. Samsung will use two devices for tests – the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Don’t get super optimistic, as there is one requirement – you have to live in either the UK or South Korea and be a user of KT or LG U+ carriers. It’s uncertain if the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ will also be part of the beta testing program. They might be, but the hardware of these devices is quite similar to Galaxy S6’s, so Samsung might want to test only two aforementioned devices. Either way, we’ll likely see ports.

There are a few pros of using such approach. A wider group of users might provide lots of logs and suggestions. Samsung desperately needs them to catch and fix potential issues as soon as possible. Samsung faced some serious criticism after releasing the Lollipop update for devices like the Galaxy S5. The company is likely looking to avoid a similar situation hence the decision to launch the program.

Soak tests aren’t an entirely new idea. Some other OEMs like Motorola use such tests to get user input prior releases. From the XDA’s power user point of view, it’s a great thing, as it’s quite easy to capture such update. Developers should also benefit as we know how much harder rooting a Marshmallow ROMs is.

Samsung Netherlands confirms that there is no plan to release the soak test in other parts of Europe. South Korean and United Kingdom users can download the Galaxy Care app from Play Store to apply for the beta test. The whole program ends on January 18, so there is a fair assumption that the Marshmallow update shouldn’t go live until late January. If you are impatient and what to see what Marshmallow will look like on Galaxy phones, read our Note 5 Marshmallow leak hands-on.