Google ends Android 6 support, older Xiaomi phones lose Play Store

Google has ended support for Android 6 Marshmallow, ceasing updates to Google Play services for devices running that version. As a result, the Google Play Store no longer works on these phones, and features such as Play Protect and compatibility with newer apps (e.g., YouTube, Gmail) are lost.

The change impacts thirteen older Xiaomi models, including the Mi 3, Mi 4, Mi Note, Redmi 3, Redmi 4, Redmi Note 3 and Redmi Note 4, many of which use MediaTek processors. While the devices will continue to function, users can only regain access to newer Android versions by installing custom ROMs, a process aimed at experienced users, or by turning to alternative app stores such as F‑Droid or APKMirror.

Google’s policy shift follows a broader trend of raising the minimum supported Android version, with Android 7 Nougat now the baseline. Only about 0.4 % of active devices still run Android 6, underscoring the limited but real impact on long‑term users of older hardware.