Android 5.0 Lollipop: Sony Releases AOSP Source Code for Xperia Smartphones

Sony on Thursday posted the Android 5.0 Lollipop AOSP device configuration source, pre-built software binaries and build instructions binaries for its range of Xperia Z handsets namely, Sony Xperia Z3, Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, Sony Xperia Z2, Sony Xperia Z1 and Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. Developers can use this to build custom Android 5.0 Lollipop AOSP ROMs for Sony handsets.

"Today we have added Android 5.0 AOSP device configuration source code, pre-built software binaries and build instructions for Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z1 Compact. If you're a custom ROM developer, you can now create Android 5.0, Lollipop, AOSP-based custom ROMs for these devices," added Sony's Alin Jerpelea on the company's Developer blog post. The binaries for AOSP Lollipop can be downloaded from here.

Notably, Sony had earlier shown a video of Android 5.0 AOSP version running on Xperia Z3.

Android 5.0 Android Open Source Project (AOSP) source code is the code minus customisations specific to Sony handsets. As Sony notes, it comes with other limitations as well, like the "camera is not working and the modem is not enabled, which means you cannot take photos or make phone calls."

Needless to say, this software and code is not meant for end users but developers who can use this to build their own software for Sony handsets. Typically, anyone looking to release a ROM (software for the phone) would use what Sony has released as the base material to build upon.

Sony released its Android 4.4.4 KitKat update for Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet earlier this month. The Android 4.4.4 KitKat update for the Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 tablet introduces several new features apart from support for the PS4 Remote Play feature and DualShock 4 Controller compatibility.

The Japanese handset maker is also said to have been working on Xperia Z4, Xperia Z4 Compact, Xperia Z4 Ultra and Xperia Z4 Tablet. Not all the specifications for the devices are known, though they are likely to arrive running Android 5.0 Lollipop. The rumoured specifications for the handsets can be seen in our previous report.