Sony takes over Android Open Source Project for Xperia S

Back in August, Google’s technical lead of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) had announced the AOSP for the Sony Xperia S. According to GSMArena, Sony has announced that it has taken the lead on the AOSP for the Xperia S, and will maintain the source for the device at GitHub, where other developers are encouraged to help. Sony has released a video of the current progress of the Android Open Source Project on Sony Xperia S.

The video demonstrates that the current iteration of the Android Open Source Project on the Xperia S works pretty well with things such as Wi-Fi, SD card, and all the sensors working properly. The audio and modem are also working, but Sony hasn’t released the binaries for now for proprietary reasons.

In October, Sony had revealed the list of devices that would be getting the official Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. The handsets that are scheduled to receive the Jelly Bean update in the first quarter of 2013 are the brand’s latest models, which include the Xperia T, Xperia TX, and Xperia V. Sony has announced that global models of the Xperia S, Xperia Acro S, Xperia Ion, Xperia P, Xperia go, and Xperia J will be upgraded to Android v4.1. The Sony Xperia S is not one of the devices that will be getting the update.

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Sony takes over the AOSP for Xperia S

As per the announcement by Sony, “We were glad to provide the Android 4.0.4 upgrade for our 2011 Xperia portfolio across most markets and the majority of models but, after thorough evaluation, we have concluded they will not be upgraded beyond Ice Cream Sandwich.” It now appears that as far as updates go, it is the end of the line for the 2011 Xperia models.  Sony states that upgrading to versions higher than Ice Cream Sandwich would not guarantee owners of these smartphones the user experience they expect and Sony demands. Sony will, however, continue to support all these products with firmware maintenance releases.

The flagship handset from Sony, the Xperia T comes equipped with a 4.6-inch HD display. Commenting on this, Sony says that along with the Mobile Bravia Engine in tow, it is capable of offering razor sharp clarity. With most of the major brands going the quad-core direction, Sony has opted for a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and the reason behind this, the company states, is that it is for an improved battery life, fast performance and sharp graphics.

Commenting on the launch of the Sony Xperia T at the IFA 2012 event, Kunimasa Suzuki, President and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications, said, “This year’s IFA marks an important milestone for Sony and Sony Mobile Communications. Xperia smartphones are at the heart of Sony’s mobile strategy of delivering a consistent user experience across devices, enabling consumers to easily and quickly access the world of entertainment that Sony delivers”.