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Sony explains why Android updates take so long
If you're like many smartphone owners using non-stock versions of Android, you're probably twiddling your thumbs waiting for your device maker to release an upgrade to Android 9 Pie. But have you wondered why you're waiting so long when your Pixel- and Essential-toting friends already have their upgrades? Sony can explain. In a blog post promising Pie updates for recent Xperia phones (the XZ Premium, XZ1 family and XZ2 series) in November, the company also provided an infographic outlining the steps between Google's OS release and seeing the new software on your handset. It's a simplified take on what's happening, but it does provide a good summary of what's involved.
Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact arrive in the US on April 20th
If you're an American and have had your curiosity piqued by Sony's heavily redesigned Xperia XZ2, you can indulge your curiosity in the very near future. Sony will sell both the XZ2 and the XZ2 Compact through Best Buy starting online April 20th (with pre-orders beginning April 13th), and retail on May 6th. Amazon and other retailers will sell the handsets on May 20th. Be prepared to pay a premium for the cachet of owning a relatively uncommon phone in the country, though: the XZ2 Compact will cost $650, while its full-size counterpart will carry a $800 price tag.
Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact review: A smaller flagship without compromises
Smaller smartphones have fallen out of fashion. We now primarily use our handsets for browsing the web, gaming and every other form of entertainment, making a larger screen more desirable in many cases. But this means those looking for a smaller, more pocket-friendly device aren't spoiled for choice -- far from it. But for whatever reason, Sony hasn't paid much attention to this industry trend and continues to make devices for this neglected demographic. The latest of these is the new Xperia XZ2 Compact that's launching alongside the bigger flagship XZ2. In recent history, some of Sony's Compacts have felt like an afterthought -- not only smaller but also much lesser devices. Not this time though. The XZ2 Compact is a flagship in its own right, and one of the best Android phones around.
The Xperia XZ2 is Sony's fastest, strangest flagship phone yet
Sony has longed to find lasting success in the smartphone market, but none of the devices it released in the past few years have done the job. It's clearly time for a change, and Sony knows that — that's why the new Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are notable steps away from the company's smartphone norm. They're fast, fascinating and pretty (to me, anyway), and it seems obvious that Sony wanted to strike a balance in these devices between immersive media consumption and powerful content creation. After a little bit of hands-on time with the XZ2 and its little sibling, I don't think Sony hasn't gotten everything right, but at least these things are pleasantly strange.
