Xperia Z3+ and Z4 Tablet receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow build 32.1.A.1.163

Android 6.0 Marshmallow for Xperia Z3+ — Android Marshmallow update rolling out for Xperia Z3 smartphone XDA

Sony has begun Android Marshmallow treatment for its flagship Xperia models including Xperia Z3 Plus and Z4 Tablet. The rollout initially started with the Z5 lineup that includes Xperia Z5, Z5 Premium and Z5 Compact earlier this week.

Sony has already updated its software support page for the Xperia Z3+, according to which the update brings a bunch of changes apart from the new Android version. They are an enhanced camera interface, smart battery life and improved privacy settings. Below is the detailed list of changes.

Android Marshmallow official changelog

Enhanced privacy settings: manage and control your application data permissions.
All new camera interface: switch between modes and customize settings with simple gestures.
Smart battery life: do more for longer, with Doze and App Standby.
Xperia messaging: express yourself and get creative with easy in-app access to Stickers.
Direct share: share activity with friends, recent contacts and app lists.

Firmware details for Xperia Z3+/Z4 Tablet

Android version: Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)
Latest available software: 32.1.A.1.163
Release started: 7 March

The Android version for Marshmallow you should see upon the update is 6.0, not the latest 6.0.1. The build version is the same as what Z5 owners got, 32.1.A.1.163. The update is now live for the Wi-Fi and LTE variants of Xperia Z4 Tablets bearing model numbers SGP712 and SGP771 respectively. As for Z3+ owners, the update is seeding for E6553 and Z3+ Dual E6533.

According to folks at XDA forum, who flashed the Marshmallow update via Sony flashtool, the firmware is quite smooth and without any lag. Besides, there are no heating issues. The AnTuTu benchmark score on Marshmallow is over 80K, which is more than when the phone was running on Lollipop, at 71k.

If you have not received the notification for the update yet, head over to Settings>> About phone>> Software update to manually grab the new firmware. It is recommended that you use a stable Wi-Fi connection to update, and avoid celleular data traffic. The availability of the update varies depending on the region and carrier network. Below are the FTF firmware files, shared by XperiaBlog, if you are looking for manual installation method using Sony flashtool.