Now that Google had their big event last week to unveil their newest smartphones, this traditionally begins the waiting period where newer Android phones await the upgrade to the latest version of Android, version 6.0 (also known as Android M or Marshmallow). Sony's flagship series of smartphones, the Xperia Z series was a little slow to receive it as of last year with the release of Lollipop (also known as Android L or Android 5.0), so when is the release date for Android 6.0 update of Sony Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact, Z5 Premium, Z4, and Z3.
Certain versions of the latest Sony Xperia Z5 phone are not due out until later. Considering that this phone is brand new, and that Android 6.0 is spilling out, one would think that these devices would be the first to get it, and it would be available right out of the box. Unfortunately, this might not be the case.
In visiting GSM Arena, which tells the specs for all sorts of phones, one can see each phone in the Z5 series. Each one lists the operating system as Android 5.1.1, which is the latest version of Android on most Android smartphones, but still not Android M.
They very sad part is that there doesn't seem to be any word from Sony on when Marshmallow will be coming to the new Z5 series, or the older Z series as well. Some recent news (about a week old) from Tech Radar suggests that it would be a "safe bet" that the Sony Z3 +, Sony Xperia Z3, Sony Z3 Compact, Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet, and Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact will be getting the Android 6.0 update.
However, most sources are silent when it comes to the Z5 series. One would think that the Z5, which is rumored to be the phone that James Bond will be using in the upcoming Spectre movie, would have the latest version of Android. There is no way Sony would allow their product to be shown on screen in November with an older version of Android, so Sony should work very quickly with Android to see that Marshmallow arrives on at least the Xperia Z5 series.
Hopefully, the wait will not be too long in transitioning from Lollipop to Marshmallow. According to Xperia Sony, Sony managed to update the Xperia Z3 series to Android 5.0 Lollipop more than a few months ago, so the next logical step and increase it to 6.0. The problem was the Lollipop update for the Xperia Z3 was released later than the announced release dates. Most believe that the release date for the Xperia Z3 Android M will arrive sometime around December 2015.
Given that timetable, this would mean that Sony Xperia Z users from Z3 and above should have their Marshmallow update by New Year's Day of 2016. This is assuming that Sony is not late again, but if they are, expect it by Q1 2016.
