CyanogenMod 13 (CM13) and Android 6.0 Marshmallow update

With Marshmallow update plans officially out for HTC and Sony devices, and also one from T-Mobile because it’s trendy right now, we now have a good idea of which devices will get Marshmallow update which will be left out for major companies.

Those missing out will have to rely on custom ROMs based on AOSP of Android 6.0, that Google released a day before to the public under open source.

AOSP ROMs will be a huge hit fir many Android phones and tablets, as it’s Marshmallow show for next two-three months. So let’s take stock of where the world’s most popular AOSP ROM, the CyanogenMod, stands right now.

CM13 Current status

There is nothing the CyanogenMod team has spoken about as regards Marshmallow update development status, features portability to 6.0 and expected release dates.

Naturally, we would have to wait until someone from team opens up a little about Android 6.0 plans. Hence, we have no CM13 release date to share with you guys, but by experience, it’s easy tell it’s around the corner.

The development is yet to begin as of today, October 6, 2015.

But expect that to happen soon, and thus you can also expect the unofficial CM builds to be released within a month, by October end or November beginning. While official builds for popular sets like Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 shouldn’t be much behind, let’s say, November first half.

We’re sure the work has started internally already, but because it will take time to edit all their features for full compatibility with Android 6.0 code, and the wait is completely worth too.

CM13 Release Date

Well, normally, we start seeing at least unofficial builds of CM or any other AOSP based start popping up after one or two weeks of Google releasing its latest Android update to AOSP.

So, if you ask us about the CM13 release date, we’d say you have to wait for over a month for official CM13 builds to appear for popular developer friendly devices like Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 6.

Then we could start seeing CM13 for other developer friendly devices like OnePlus One and OnePlus 2, Nexus tablets, and devices powered by Cyanogen OS. Older Samsung devices like Galaxy S4 (Qualcomm processor one) and HTC devices like One M8 and One M7 should be getting to taste CM13 within two months.

CM13 Downloads

Even if official builds will take time, like over a month for popular Nexus devices and some two months for other devices, the unofficial builds should be available for large no. of devices in a month or so.

So, if you wanna test Marshmallow, that would be possible in next 30-40 days. That’s our guess, and there is no official word from CM team available on this.

Official builds of CM13 will be available here, btw.

CM13 Expected devices

Almost every Qualcomm processor powered Android device is a good go for CM13. Same for most of MediaTek powered devices too. But Samsung’s Exynos processor, that’s a different scenario altogether.

So, for HTC, we’re looking at HTC One M7, M8, M9 and Desire series, as also Butterfly and other sets, as the most eligible devices for CM13 ROM. HTC is a developer friendly company, and so CM13 should be available easily on most of its devices, unless those particular devices have already grown out of favor with developers for one reason or another.

For Motorola, all generations of Moto X, Moto G, Moto E, Moto X Play and Style, Droid Turbo and Moto Maxx, etc. should be getting CM13 release within two months, officially or not.

As regards Sony, well the company is very, very developer friendly. Expect CM13 to be available for Sony devices like Xperia Z, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 and Z5 without a fuss. Moreover, most of Sony’s popular mid-range and low-range sets should have no trouble bagging a Marshmallow update via CM13 custom ROM.

Now, let’s turn our attention to the big one, Samsung. You have to break Samsung’s huge lineup of Android devices in two types: one powered by Samsung’s own Exynos processor, and other powered by Qualcomm processor. Samsung and Exynos being not developer friendly, you can’t expect CM13 to arrive on Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, Note 5, etc. anytime soon.

Further, sets like Galaxy S4 and S5, powered by Exynos processor can’t be hoping for CM13 just yet.

While, variants of many Samsung devices are powered by Qualcomm processor too, including Galaxy S3, S4 and S5, and all of them should be getting CM13 within two months or so. That is, before November end.

Picking up LG, well, you would see CM13 on some, and then not on others. Popular sets like LG G3 and LG G2 should have their CM13 ROM sooner than later, but you can’t be too sure for other LG devices, although the outlook is favorable than Samsung Exynos devices.

For other OEMs like Xiaomi, Huawei, Xolo, MicroMax, etc. CM13 would make way to popular sets of each OEM, but it could take time depending on how the development has been so far, and how many developers still own those devices to developer CM13 on. But you can be hopeful, if you have TWRP for those devices.

CM13 Requirements

Well, you should have TWRP recovery, or any other custom recovery like Cyanogen or CWM or Philz installed on, or available for your device. Without custom recovery, you cannot flash CM13, or any other ROM for that matter.

You may have to unlock your device’s bootloader — which is easy, unless your device is from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint in USA — after which you can install TWRP via a fastboot command. While, for Samsung devices, there is no need to unlock bootloader, you just have to flash TWRP from Download mode.

In both cases, warranty of your device void. So, installing CM13 results in voiding warranty, which is okay given the benefits you get. And anyway, your device could be already more than one year old if it’s not getting Marshmallow update officially, which is why you are looking towards CM13 and other AOSP based ROMs.

CM13 wait..

Well, yes, that’s all we can do at this moment. But keep your devices fired up with TWRP recovery, as soon you might need it. Who knows, the very next day a CM13 build could drop in the wild. Be prepared, right?

Do let us know which AOSP ROM you are looking forward to the most, apart from CM13?

Posted by
Kapil Malani

A die-hard Liverpool FC fan, Kapil is a big fan of Batman, Android and street Cricket. In that order, probably. Email: [email protected]

8 Comments

  1. Looking forward to Dirty Unicorn 10, on my end:)

  2. Looking forward to Dirty Unicorn 10, on my end:)

  3. wait for samsung galaxy s duos 2 gt s7582

  4. wait for samsung galaxy s duos 2 gt s7582

  5. Waiting CarbonRom MM = )

  6. Waiting CarbonRom MM = )

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