2010 was a huge year for Android, but one problem kept recurring – getting an update to the latest version of the operating system was far from guaranteed, regardless of manufacturer, or mobile carrier. What is guaranteed is that current Sony Ericsson Xperia owners will never be moving beyond Android version 2.1, with the company confirming that Froyo is definitely not an option for future upgrades.
Sony Ericsson’s official statement below explains that they believe their proprietary enhancements to the Eclair version of Android is competitive enough make the upgrade more effort than it’s worth. They still plan on rolling out smaller updates over the coming months – including adding multitouch – but the core OS will remain as version 2.1 for all current Xperia phones.
We’re planning another upgrade to bring new features (such as multi-touch for Xperia™ X10) to the current family of Xperia™ smartphones in early Q1 (ie: very shortly), however we will not be upgrading the current Xperia™ range beyond Android 2.1. We believe that with the current hardware platform an overhaul of the underlying core OS wouldn’t drastically improve the user experience. Android OS 2.1 coupled with Sony Ericsson’s proprietary upgrades and superior entertainment hardware (8.1 mp camera and HD video recording) delivers a user experience that is on par with, and in many cases better than, a vanilla installation of Android 2.2. Obviously in an ideal world we would keep producing new updates for existing phones forever. However, replacing the base Android version again on the 2010 phones in our view simply doesn’t improve the user experience enough to make it viable.
Our priority right now is to keep enhancing the user experience of the existing products through coming updates and to deliver a fantastic range of smartphones in 2011 that are all on the latest possible version of Android – that is a target we are determined to hit!
Given that one of the reasons it took so long to move from Android 1.6 to 2.1 was the proprietary software running on top of the OS, we’ll have to wait and see whether anyone picking up the Gingerbread-running Xperia Arc will be subjected to the same delayed upgrade path. According to TechRadar, it hopefully won’t be as big a problem, with a Senior Sony Ericsson executive confessing that they weren’t able to “uncouple” the Timescape UI with Android on the X10, but have managed to do it with the upcoming Arc.
The question now is whether or not this move from Sony Ericsson will sway potential customers away from future Xperia handsets?
Sylphier
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 1:52 PMWhen I first started Android I considered either X10 or Desire. While waiting Desire HD came out and I got that instead. So glad I didn’t get the X10…
Mitch
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 2:19 PMAlright I’ll say it: I’m never getting a Sony Ericsson phone.
Ward Paterson
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 2:24 PMWell….. did anyone expect anything less from SE????
Another reason why I won’t touch one.
David Wyndham
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 2:33 PMWhy is it that every time someone from Sony mentions the word proprietary there is an overwhelming impression that the Sony lawyers are becoming richer and the customer is being screwed?
Ward Paterson
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 6:27 PMMaybe because the lawyers are becoming richer and the customer is being screwed…
Cameron
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 2:37 PMYeah I know I won’t be buying a Sony Ericsson phone any time soon if that’s how they treat their customers. “delivers a user experience that is on par with, and in many cases better than, a vanilla installation of Android 2.2″ Yeah right, whatever.
Pavi
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 3:38 PMOk regardlessly how this is goin on , I’ve always noticed that se makes decent handsets ya true they always lack the after market support we always want but still they are elegant and hardy , so put some effort in to make it what you want it t be, just load a custom rom, there pleny out there and it’s fun
Steve
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 3:55 PMThis is a real kick in the nuts for X10 owners out there. And considering this is their FLAGSHIP Android phone (until the Arc) comes out, it’s pretty damn embarrassing.
But this is Sony. The same people who when their PSPGo wasn’t as successful as they thought it would be, dropped any further support for the PSN store (the PSPGo’s ONLY legitimate store for games).
Pauly
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 4:39 PMAnyone who is interested in getting FROYO should check out the XDA forums there is a custom rom out that will give you 2.2 and multitouch i installed it last night and its running sweet! search for Free X10
ballzingski
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 5:30 PMAs good as the arc looks I’m going to have to avoid it with a ten foot clown pole and advise everyone I know to do so also. “Give me a reason to trust you Sony”
Geoff
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 6:39 PMSee this is why I I’ve gone back to my iPhone
Yass
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 7:17 PMWell, I’d like to challenge the owners of SE to tell me what is it that they REALLY need from 2.2 that the current x10 running 2.1 doesn’t offer? Apart from, maybe, multi-touch? Can anyone provide me with a meaningful “wishlist” that they can’t live without and would so greatly enhance their “user experience”? I’ve had my x10 for almost a year now and frankly, I am still very happy with it. And yes, I will definitely check out the new one when it comes out – the x12 as I expect another truly great rollout from SE.
Mr Biggles
Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 8:26 AMBluetooth voice dial. nothing more, nothing less.
’nuff said.
Jamie Borg
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 7:42 PMI loved my SE T68i, K700i and K800i phones… seems they went downhill when they abandoned Symbian ;-)
David Short
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 4:23 PMI really regret getting my Xperia X10. Great hardware, crappy firmware. I wish I’d waited for an HTC.
Chuck
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 7:17 AMWhy oh why did I buy the X10? I feel like bumping my head against the wall. Not worth the effort? See how second hand X10 prices compare to HTC Desire’s. God, I feel like throwing it on the ground an jumping on it. You know what: I just might now that this decision has made it worthless.
Jackie Low
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 1:31 PMGuys, why all so negative. Look at the bright side. Because of SE decision, X10′s can now be had for nearly half that of its Snapdragon competitors. And if you’re a real man, you simple remove SE’s UI, root it and install Gingerbread. You’ll see it’s actually a pretty good deal.