Google is paving the way for developers to create apps for the next generation of Android – 6.0 (Marshmallow) – with the introduction of its official SDK.

It has also opened the Google Play store for apps which target the new platform.

In a blog post, it said that compared with a previous developer preview update, changes are now “fairly incremental”. These include an upgrade for the fingerprint sensor API, and an update to the user permissions interface.

Google previewed Android M earlier this year, stating that it has “gone back to basics” to focus on “polish and quality”.

One of the biggest changes will be in the way apps request permission to access device features such as location, camera and microphone, which will now take place when apps are used rather than when they are installed.

In addition to making a more direct link with permissions for users – rather than needing to grant access to a potentially daunting number of features up-front – Google also said this will make it quicker to get users up-and-running in an app.

The company also recommend that developers avail of newly-improved beta testing features as part of the Google Play update process for apps.