Xperia M Dual users can now update to 4.3 Jellybean.
The official Sony Mobile page shows that version 15.5.A.0.18 is available and has been labelled 4.3 Jellybean.
Users will be pleased to know that the update includes several new camera features including Burst Mode and Superior, a sleek new UI combined with better graphics handling and a newer Battery Stamina Mode to name a few.
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Now that we are just a few days away from the end of Sony’s financial year, the company has reported a 16% rise in sales of image sensors compared with 2012. This news should help the company maintain it’s pole position in the lucrative smartphone image sensor market. Sony has twice purchased more factories to boost CMOS sensor production as currently demand is expected to outstrip supply within two years. The Japanese electronics giant has benefited from the cultural rise of the ‘selfie’ along with a flourishing global smartphone market.
But this is more than just a case of being in the right business at the right time. Smartphone sales may be thriving, but not all manufacturers are benefiting. In just a few years, Sony has completely changed it’s strategy regarding access to their coveted image sensors. Under the leadership of the previous CEO Sir Howard Stringer, the plan was to limit competitors access to the technology. Now under CEO Kaz Hirai, any company looking to supply their phones with Sony’s image sensors are absolutely welcome, it seems. It’s an overhaul from being ‘alone in the sandpit’ to ‘selling lemonade on a hot day’.
Rival Samsung chose Sony to supply the Galaxy S4 with Japanese tech but has now started taking this production in-house. This presents a formidable new competitor in the CMOS market. How did Sony get to the top of this market and what is Sony’s plan to stay dominant?
Xperia M users! The 4.3 Jellybean update is finally here!
The upgrade that we’ve been waiting for now appears as new software on Sony Mobile.
Currently, the Dual version does not seem to have an update, though it likely will follow soon.
Sony Mobile previously mentioned to expect updated media apps, an improved battery stamina mode and a wider selection of themes. People in Europe and Asia are reporting getting the update first, and describe a a very smooth and sleek user interface.
Xperia M Dual users can now update to 4.3 Jellybean too.
It appears that making a world class smartphone and selling a world class smartphone are two very different things. According to a new survey among 3,000 people in the U.S., United Kingdom and Australia, the number one smartphone on their list was the iPhone. In fact, a whopping 76% of them would purchase a phone from Apple again. While making every phone design possible with screen sizes aimed at infant to giants, Samsung has stayed a distant second with 58% retention rate among consumers.
For Sony, things weren’t nearly as rosy, despite the companies growth in the mobile sector, resulting in the company not being able to place in the top 5 and quite aways away from the market leaders.
Sony has chosen an aggressive strategy of releasing a new flagship phone every 6 months which they believe will help them catch up with rivals Apple and Samsung. Most recently, the company announced the Xperia Z2 which is beginning to make its debut throughout the world. Sony has seen the most success with their products in Europe and Asia but it seems like one country might be missing out on the launch of the smartphone that’s capable of recording 4K video.
Sony has been on a bit of roll with accessories like the Stereo Microphone STM10 and Bluetooth Speaker with Magnetic Charging Pad BSC10 which are meant to compliment the company’s recently-announced Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet. Now, the Sony BRH10 Bluetooth Remote with Handset Function will be joining the companies growing array of accessories with some unique features HD Voice and speakerphone function for easy calling. Let’s talk details.
Following the announcement of the Xperia Z2, Sony also unveiled the Stereo Microphone STM10. The new accessory is designed to slip into the headphone jack and bring with it superior audio recording with a 90 degree tilt function, perfect for the Xperia Z2 which is capable of recording video in 4K. While we’d speculated from the information that Sony had released at the time about the accessories compatibility, Sony has now confirmed which devices can utilize the new mic as well as pricing which is far more wallet friendly than we’d anticipated.
Ever since the official announcement of the Sony Xperia Z2, the company’s latest flagship smartphone, there’s been some debate about exactly which chipset the phone would utilize. Up until the unveiling, most benchmarks and leaks pointed towards a Snapdragon 800 processor, specifically the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8974-AB. These results lined up perfectly with benchmark results that pointed towards a 2.36GHz quad-core processor. That is, until shortly after, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 with the MSM8974-AC chipset was announced.
Sony has proven itself once again in design terms, with no less than 26 of its products earning the seal of approval from the iF Design group, with three products earning a gold award. In individual company achievements, Sony ranked the third highest awarded company, ahead of rivals Apple and LG.
iF is an international group that recognises excellence in product design. It is their aim to “strengthen public awareness of design” and their logo has been an illustrious global standard of design for over sixty years. This year’s event took place on February 28th in Munich, Germany.
It probably surprises few that Sony would do well with awards for design. The company has always raised the bar with iconic and effortless designs with current class-leaders in the Xperia Z2, the PlayStation 4 and the luxury X9000A Bravia TV line to name but a few.
Read on to find out which Sony products earned gold and which two awards come at a bittersweet time.
Consistency is a great thing for a company. Take the Apple iPhone. Since its inception, Apple has stuck to one design and continued to hone it in each generation with tweaks to its size, material and curves. This approach, along side the iconic design of the iPhone gives Apple a presence in all areas as their devices quickly stand out. Since the rebirth of Sony Mobile, the Japanese giant has also used the same philosophy in its Xperia line of smartphones. This can be seen in the Xperia Z1, Xperia M2, Xperia Z2, and Xperia Z1 Compact to name a few which use what the company calls an “OmniBalance” design. One difference between the two companies approach however is the number of phones offered. Till this past Fall, Apple has traditionally offered only one new phone a year (while also selling the years prior device) while Sony’s line of smartphone spans many different designs. Now, Sony is looking to move away from design philosophy.
For better or for worse, Sony plans to stick to their aggressive smartphone strategy which has seen the company release three flagship phones, the Xperia Z, Xperia Z1, and Xperia Z2 in 18 months. Sony believes that by sticking to such an ambitious product cycle, that they will be able to catch up to Apple and Samsung. Now Sony Mobile’s Creative Director Kurozumi Yoshiro has all but confirmed that we can expect to see a new flagship phone from them in Summer, likely the Xperia Z3. More after the jump.
If we set aside the alphabet soup that Sony has created with their product line, you’ll notice that the company has been hellbent on releasing new smartphones whenever it can. More specifically, the company has been on an aggressive strategy of releasing a new flagship smartphone every 6 months. This strategy has seen Sony release the Xperia Z, Xperia Z1, and now the Xperia Z2 in under two years’ time. While their most recent products have some of the most cutting edge technology that you could expect in a smartphone like 4K video recording, Sony has no plans to change their pace in the near future as revealed by Sony Mobile’s Creative Director Kurozumi Yoshiro.
In addition to announcing the Bluetooth Speaker with Magnetic Charging Pad for their line of Xperia smartphones and tablets, Sony has also revealed the Stereo Microphone STM10. This new accessory, which slides into the device’s headphone jack, allows owners of the Sony Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet to record audio in superior stereo. The STM10 is a high sensitivity stereo condenser microphone with a 90 degree tilt function, allowing you to adjust your area of focus.
Hot on the heels of announcing their next flagship Android smartphone and tablet, the Xperia Z2 and the Xperia Z2 Tablet, Sony has unveiled a new accessory that can accommodate both devices. Dubbed the Magnetic Charging Pad BSC10, this Bluetooth dock is designed as a dual-purpose audio and charging accessory for your Xperia device. As you’d expect from the name, the dock has built in speakers, a feature that allows you to stream audio from you Xperia device, be it music, movies, games, or YouTube videos. Sony has also included NFC for easy pairing, a feature that’s built into most of their new fleet and most definitely in their flagship products. But the Sony Magnetic Charging Pad is capable of more than that.
As predicted though mistakingly referred to as the Xperia G, Sony has also revealed a mid-range smartphone for those of us who cannot afford or don’t need their latest premium flagship smartphone. The Sony Xperia M2 is designed to be the companies mid-range Android phone for those who might get a bit of sticker shock from the Sony Xperia Z2. While lacking the glitz and glamour of the Xpeira Z2, mid-range phones are a crucial part of smartphone manufactures portfolio, especially in developing countries like India, Brazil, and even China.
Despite carrying the mid-range flag, Sony has packed the Xperia M2 with quite a bit of power, ensuring a smooth experience for would be owners. Lets talk specs and details.
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