Revealed Android 10 update roadmap hints towards Sony abandoning the Xperia XZ1 phones

Android 10 was released almost two months ago and has, in typical fashion, only reached a pitifully low number of devices. OEMs like Google, Essential, OnePlus, Nokia, Xiaomi, and Samsung have all sent out Android 10 builds—betas in some cases—to some of their flagship phones, and Sony is set to join that esteemed company. New information has now given us our first look at Sony’s plans for the Android 10 rollout.

It should be noted that this isn’t official information from Sony, and was instead posted by DoCoMo, a Japanese carrier. The carrier, in its post, confirmed that it would only be sending out the Android 10 update to the Xperia XZ2, Xperia XZ2 Premium, Xperia XZ2 Compact, Xperia XZ3, Xperia Ace, Xperia 1, and Xperia 5.

That list is a rather surprising one, as there are a number of notable omissions. For one, the Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact. Both devices were launched with Android Oreo and received the update to Android Pie. If this list turns out to accurate globally, it would mean that Sony only provided the phones with one major update.

OEMs like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Huawei typically send out two major updates to their flagship phones. In fact, OnePlus has now taken to giving three major updates. Sony used to have one of the best software update policies and for a while, was usually the first OEM—bar Google--to send out major updates. Things appear to have taken a slow turn for the worse in that regard over the past year, though, and shafting the Xperia XZ1 would further cement our fears on Sony’s new stance on updates.

Also missing from that list is the Xperia 10 and 10 Plus, Sony’s two mid-range phones from earlier this year. It would seem that the duo wasn't sold by the carrier, though, which explains the omission.

In any case, this isn’t quite an official list. Sony usually provides an official update roadmap, so we may as well wait for that one.