Software

I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time discussing the software on the Meizu Pro half dozen Plus considering Meizu is ready to launch a major software update in February 2022, which I haven't had hands-on time with. By the time this device hits most consumers, this new software packet volition be available, and so at that place'south non much point discussing what is available correct now.

Just a quick note on this actually, I'm non generally a fan of manufacturers releasing phones with outdated software packages but to quickly update to the latest version a few months after launch. The deviation with the Pro half-dozen Plus is that while this telephone launched on Nov 30th and I received my review unit in December, it's still not bachelor to purchase by the public at the fourth dimension of publishing this review (mid-Jan 2022). By the fourth dimension the new software hits the Pro half dozen Plus, the device may have only been on the market for a few weeks, which is very early on in the device's life cycle.

The device I currently have with me comes with Android 6.0.1 'Marshmallow' with extremely outdated security patches from January 2022! It's running Flyme v.2.7, which is Meizu's current skin for Android vi.0 that drastically changes the await and functionality of Android to make their handsets stand out. Flyme has historically been one of the near iOS-like Android skins on the market place, although recent versions have toned downward the design elements 'borrowed' from Apple.

This version of Flyme is very like to the version I used on the Meizu m3 Note, with some small changes to support features of Android half dozen.0 (rather than Android 5.i). While this skin is designed primarily for the Chinese market place, its English localization is fantastic and for the about part I forgot I was using a skin where English language is its 2nd language. This is in stark contrast to some other Android skins from Chinese OEMs, which oft include cleaved English and China-specific apps.

Ane thing Flyme does not come with is any Google applications. There'southward no Google Play Services, no Play Shop, no Gmail, and no support for Google accounts out of the box. Luckily, it's quite like shooting fish in a barrel to get Google on this device: just head into the included app store and download the Google installer, which is one of the outset apps featured in this store. The app is in English and installs everything with 1 click of a button. After that, y'all can sign in to your Google business relationship and apply the Play Shop only similar whatsoever other Android device. I've noticed no major compatibility issues under this arrangement; every app I apply on other Android smartphones works perfectly on the Pro 6 Plus.

Of course, in an ideal world, Google applications would exist included on this device out of the box, however this isn't e'er possible for devices primarily intended for Prc. The method for adding Google to Meizu devices is the easiest I've seen and is a unproblematic 1-time 10-infinitesimal process.

Flyme is a heavy pare that volition merely appeal to some people, and while the design is reasonable, I nonetheless wish this device came with stock Android instead. A few of the changes they fabricated, particularly in relation to the notification pane, are non cracking, but other improvements such equally the collection of handy beginning-political party applications (especially the Toolbox and Security apps) are surprisingly decent.

In February, Meizu will push out Flyme 6 to the Pro 6 Plus, which will bring Android 7.0 to the device along with more than 400 new features (manifestly). According to Meizu, with this update users "are able to fully immerse into the content without beingness bothered by irrelevant factors." There are also improvements to the "picture capturing procedure" (hopefully with processing tweaks), and at that place's also a new artificial intelligence service chosen One Mind.

I haven't been able to test any of these new features, merely I presume the update to Android 7.0 at the very least will provide a better experience on the Pro half dozen Plus.