Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for Lenovo K3 Note: When will it arrive? Is CM13 only hope?

The K3 Note made a good name for Lenovo when company is struggling in the market. Which is why you would hope that it won’t forget its dear K3 note users, and bestow them with the thing they are craving most for at the moment: the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update.

Initially, it looked like happening. Lenovo’s update page hinted at Marshmallow update being in works for the K3 note, but as of now the device are no longer being mentioned at the page.

Lenovo K3 Note Marshmallow Update [Official]

By all means though, we still think Lenovo K3 Note will receive Android 6.0 update.

First of all, the device is quite capable of running the Marshmallow, being powered by an Octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM.

Only 1GB is considered as minimum for Android 6.0 Marshmallow, so RAM isn’t a problem clearly, while processor is already more than enough by all means to run Marshmallow OS.

As the case is generally, it all comes down to company. Whether the company steps aside developers to build a good and smoothly working Marshmallow update to be delivered in time, or it decides to focus on launched new devices with Marshmallow pre-installed.

In K3 Note’s case, and given the pretty-good record of Lenovo when it comes to software development, we think the device will definitely receive the Marshmallow update officially from Lenovo.

Lenovo K3 Note Marshmallow Update [Unofficial]

Alternate to official update? Enters CM13.

Well, there is good chance that Marshmallow running CM13 custom ROM would become available for the device.

Right now, there is a CM12.1 ROM available, running Android 5.1.1. So, we can say for sure that there is some development available for the device. And that’s why we can hope for next version of the ROM, CM13, although it will involve lots of changes.

CM13 for Lenovo K3 Note is not asking too much. But still, because CM12.1 originated at Chinese forums, we can’t be sure of having CM13 anytime soon, although it remains possible that it pops out in front of us in next morning itself.

It’s not wrong to say K3 Note is a but luckier when talking about development, as many devices don’t have this privilege, and thus are left on OEM’s wishes as regards Android 6.0 update, example being Micromax Canvas Express 2.

Expected Release Date

Well, it won’t happen anytime soon, even though Marshmallow is almost 2 years older now.

We could see Lenovo releasing the Marshmallow update for K3 Note by Feb-March 2016, if not in Q2 2016. That’s huge delay, but that’s to be expected because Lenovo would have to do lot of customization for its Marshmallow build, due to solid level of custom skin applied all over it.

We won’t mind delayed Marshmallow update, actually. The thing is, it should come, and run smoothly when it comes.

For those concerned, Huawei has also confirmed that it’s planning Android 6.0 update for its Honor 4X, the device that is a fierce competitor to K3 Note — this should alarm Lenovo’s software team, as whoever of these two devices get Marshmallow first, will add to OEM’s brand imae when people think of software updates when comparing these two brands, who often compete with each other in low to mid-segment Android phones.

Read: Marshmallow update for Honor 4X

If you bought a K3 Note, you gave some serious thought to Honor 4X, right?

Why K3 Note Marshmallow Update matters?

Well, that’s super obvious. Marshmallow update packs in pretty decent features even for older devices that will make any existing devices a lot smoother, last longer and perform better.

The doze mode is one feature you’d want on K3 Note before all others, as it’s said to improve battery life easily by 20-25% — which is cool.

Another Marshmallow biggie feature you’d want on your K3 Note is Now On Tap, which basically gathers required info from any screen’s text and images, and throws in proper suggestions with the help of Google Now, of which it’s a part. It works amazingly cool, while practically use depends for each user.

Marshmallow update also brings in app permissions system to get you better grip over which app uses what permissions. Android 6.0 also includes a dedicated RAM manager to help you identify battery eating apps easily.

On 6.0 running K3 Note, you would be able to use any microSD card as internal storage to increase your device’s storage capacity for installing apps and games. Great, right? BTW, the said microSD card will be formatted for use as system partition for your device, meaning it won’t be usable on any other device until it’s formatted.

There are tons of other cool features part of Marshmallow update, all of which make you drool for the Android 6.0 update for your K3 Note right away.

Wrap-up

It looks likely that Lenovo will update K3 Note to Android 6.0 Marshmallow next year, probably in April-June, even though it’s a long wait. Till then, we hope a K3 Note CM13 ROM would allow you to taste Marshmallow, but you can’t have our word for its release.

What do you think is the last-to-last time by which Lenovo should be releasing the Marshmallow update for K3 Note? January 2016? Let us know.

And do you think Lenovo got required quality to maintain the device’s stability after such a huge update? Would update kill the device (happens when coding is not 100% proper, and incorporates bugs and issues)? We’d love to hear your thoughts on it.

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]