It was not really expected for Sony to make an announcement at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016, but they didn't pull out any new additions to the Xperia Z Series flagships. Instead, they showed off the Xperia X, the XA, and the X Performance. Sony is also is starting to rollout Android 6.0 (also known as Android M or Marshmallow) for Sony Z5, Z5 Compact, Z5 Premium, Z4, and Z3 Series and More for Sprint, US Cellular, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
According to BGR, the Xperia X, the XA, and the X Performance all have 5-inch displays with Full HD and HD resolutions, and three different processors, including the Snapdragon 820, Snapdragon 650, and MediaTek MT6755. The Xperia X Performance and Xperia X will get 3 GB of RAM, at least 32 GB of storage with microSD support, 23 Megapixel main camera with Predictive Hybrid AF 13 Megapixel front-facing camera, and 2,700 mAh battery. As for the XA, it is a more limited model with 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in storage and microSD support, 13 Megapixel Exmor RX shooter, 8 Megapixel camera and 2,300 mAh battery.
According to CNET, the Performance does have an advantage over the Xperia X and XA as the Performance has waterproofing. So far, there is no word on pricing, or precise release dates, but they should be out sometime this summer in white, black, gold, and rose gold. They will have Android M (also known as Version 6.0 or Marshmallow) right out of the box.
Speaking of Android M, iDigitalTimes reports that the Xperia Z5, Xperia Z3 Plus and the Z4 Tablet is updating globally from Android 5.0 to Android 6.0. The specific models updating including the SGP712 Wi-Fi and the GP771 LTE Models of the Xperia Z4 tablet and the E6553 single-SIM model of the Xperia Z3 Plus. According to the Xperia Blog, the Xperia Z3 Plus dual-SIM model will also soon update.
We previously reported that those particular devices would be receiving their upgrade on March 7, and it looks like this is coming to pass. Here is a list of Sony Xperia devices that are slated to receive the update.
- Sony Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact, Z5 Premium
- Sony Xperia Z3+ / Z4
- Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
- Sony Xperia C4
- Sony Xperia M5
- Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
- Sony Xperia Z Ultra GPE
- Sony Xperia Z3 / Z3v, Compact, Tablet Compact
- Sony Xperia Z2, Z2 Tablet
Considering that it is often the case that some carriers receive the newest version of Android before others, it is possible that it could come later on Sprint, US Cellular, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. Most of the other leading companies like HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and LG have version 6.0 on their flagships, so it stands to reason that Sony will have it soon. Sony is a little slow in getting Android upgrades, and it is the last of the major Android smart device manufacturers not to have it on their devices.
