Similar to the clix the M6 sports a large 2.4" screen with a usable 320x240 resolution capable of displaying hundreds of thousands of colors. The higher quality screen is necessary for the photo and video playback capabilities that the M6 offers. Image processing supports the major formats such as JPEG, BMP, and GIF (including animated GIFs) though only images under 1024x1024 in size can be displayed. Video is also limited to the Xvid format which requires movies be converted first, with playback being limited to 18 frames per second.
Since the release of the original M6 in July 2006, the firmware for the player has undergone many revisions adding significant features and fixing many problems. An overhaul of the user interface, and extended battery life (from 20 to 36 hours) is among the changes the newer firmware brings.
Controlling the player is accomplished through its touch-pad control on the side. The buttons on the edges of the cross perform actions such as fast forward and moving back through the menu systems. Scrolling is achieved by horizontal swiping across the middle of the cross, with selection being a tap in the middle of the cross. Due to some inconsistencies of the player's interface the functionality of the buttons and swiping motion actually changes depending on the context, volume control is different when watching a movie compared to listening to music for instance.
All the major audio formats are supported including WMA and mp3. Support for subscription services and PlayForSure DRM is not currently available, but is promised for a future firmware upgrade.
An update to the M6 is available in the form of the M6se which will reduce the thickness of the player by a few millimeters making it comparable to the iPod Nano.
