It happens every time. Google announces its latest and greatest version of Android and its army of hardware manufacturers clamour to get the new update onto their devices as soon as possible.
HTC was first out of the gates, boldly confirming that its One handset would receive the new software within 90 days. Now Sony has kindly shared with us its update plans, and if you have an Xperia device with a Z in the name, well, you’re in luck.
KitKat will reach Sony’s Xperia Z, Xperia Z1, Xperia ZL and Xperia Z Ultra phones, plus the impressive Xperia Z Tablet. The company says these are the “first raft” of its devices to get the update, presumably as they’re the newest and most powerful, though there’s a good possibility that 4.4 will arrive on the company’s mid-range phones as well.
Google built Android 4.4 KitKat with low memory devices in mind, so KitKat could be the first Android update that isn’t reserved for the latest and greatest phones. This means that we could potentially see the update arrive on models such as the Xperia L, Xperia M and Xperia C in the not-so-distant future.
Some of Sony’s devices are still a way behind in terms of software, so the company has also announced plans to bring them up to speed with the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update. Some of these devices are already on the list for KitKat but must get to 4.3 first, including the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Z Tablet, Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Z Ultra. Additionally, the Xperia ZR, Xperia SP, Xperia TX and Xperia V will all get the latest taste of Jelly Bean.
As with most update processes, Sony has confirmed which devices it knows can handle Google’s newer versions of software, but we don’t yet have any dates for the update’s arrival. Stay tuned for any updates we see from Sony.