14 DAY TRIAL // As expected, BlackBerry PRIV has been officially confirmed for an Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade, which is supposed to arrive by the end of May.
Until then, the Canadian company has kicked off a beta program for those who wish to test the Marshmallow build before it goes live for all PRIV owners around the globe.
According to BlackBerry, PRIV Beta Zone participants who want to offer their feedback will be able to test Marshmallow by doing a wireless software update to a new Android 6.0 beta build and submit Bug Reports using an included bug reporting app when issues or other problems are discovered.
BlackBerry has also confirmed that the beta test will last between 4 and 8 weeks and that there is limited space in the beta program. Keep in mind that the registration will be open for about two weeks, and the beta testing will start during the second week of April.
BlackBerry could include some security updates in the beta build
In the first Android 6.0 Marshmallow beta build for BlackBerry PRIV, users will be able to test features like Now On Tap, Doze Mode, streamlined settings, and auto backup for apps.
In addition to these and other new Marshmallow features that haven’t been mentioned earlier, BlackBerry has also stated that the beta build may include security updates. These will allow users to back up things like sync, do not disturb and accessibility settings so that they can roll back where they were in case they need to restore.
BlackBerry PRIV owners who want to enroll in the beta program can do so starting today by heading to BlackBerry Beta Zone, where they can sign up. If you are chosen to participate in the beta program, you should receive an invitation this week.
It’s also worth mentioning that, in order to provide better feedback, you will need to enable background diagnostic reporting so engineering teams at BlackBerry can analyze collected data in aggregate and make enhancements where needed.
Last but not least, the first wave of invitations will be sent to those BlackBerry PRIV owners who purchased their smartphones from ShopBlackBerry, Amazon or Carphone Warehouse.