When is my phone getting Android M? Here's what we know so far

There's one question that the Android community at large will be obsessing over for the foreseeable future: "When is my phone getting Android M?". Seeing as how Google casually mentioned that it's now partnering with over 400 different OEMs at I/O 2015, every one of which with different priorities attached to software updates, the answer varies. In many cases, we can only guess, though we could use the data from previous release schedules for major Android updates and make some projections.

But before we do anything, here's what you should absolutely know: Android M is not coming to any device before after July, in the third quarter of the year. This means a likely official release either in August or September, and as has been the case for years now, the Nexus line of devices will most probably be first to get the bump.

Since HTC is the only manufacturer to have already made any Android M-related promises —unambiguous as they were — we're currently left with little more than OEMs' history to guide us. In the case of HTC, the company previously promised an update to its flagship device within 90 days of Lollipop's release, but since the window was eventually extended, the company may be a bit more conservative this time around with announcements.

As for the rest, we again expect a strong showing from Motorola, given its splendid track record and near-stock user interface, while handset makers with heavier proprietary skins — LG, Samsung, Sony — will likely require at least until late December/early January before their respective flagships get their hands on the good stuff (depending on when M goes official). That means you should expect your Galaxy S6, LG G4, and Xperia Z4 to get the update at least half a year from now.

Here's how each manufacturer did with Lollipop and KitKat (both released in October):

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As you saw for yourself, the one maker we have the least reason to expect a quick switch to Android M is Sony — its flagships were last to receive both KitKat and Lollipop. As for Samsung and LG, both South Korean companies did much better with Lollipop than they did with KitKat, and delivered the new firmware within two months of its release on the Galaxy S6 and G3. As for HTC, it's obvious that even without a public announcement, the company has so far been consistent with its 90-days of development before release.