Sony Xperia Flagship Phones to Get Two Years of Android Updates: Report

Sony Mobile has announced an official Android upgrade policy for its range of Xperia smartphones. The Japanese giant reveals that all "premium range devices" in the Xperia smartphone series will be issued the latest Android updates for a period of two years after its launch. On the other hand, Android updates for mid-range and entry-level Xperia phones might be subject to testing and hardware compatibility.

With access to Sony's official Android upgrade policy, Xperiablog claims that buying a Sony flagship smartphone offers the best bet to ensure latest Android updates. While the policy might seem slightly vague for other smartphones in the Xperia range, Sony mentions that it "may choose not to upgrade a mid-range or entry-level device if testing does not meet our exacting standards and we feel the hardware isn't capable of delivering a stable user experience." Xperia smartphone owners can check latest software updates by entering the IMEI here.

Apart from that, the report also outlines Sony Mobile's security update programme that includes Android security patches, updates from relevant third-party vendors, and Xperia-specific patches. The company states that these security updates might be released in the form of firmware upgrades or within full Android upgrades, subject to timing and situation. "Because the Security Update Program is available to our entire premium line, select mid-range devices - timing and phasing may vary by carrier," said Sony in the official statement.

And, lastly, Sony has also announced the list of Xperia smartphones that will soon receive Meltdown and Spectre patches. These include the Xperia XA1, Xperia XA1 Ultra, Xperia L1, Xperia XA1 Plus, Xperia XA2, Xperia XA2 Ultra, Xperia L2, Xperia X Performance, Xperia X, Xperia X Compact, Xperia XZ, Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZs, Xperia XZ1, and Xperia XZ1 Compact. The Android security patch will be dated 2018-01-05, according to Sony Mobile.