Sony tablets, smartphones to get Android 4.0 upgrades

Sony

The Sony Tablet S, left, and the Sony Tablet P.

By Athima Chansanchai

The upgrades to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich continue with the entire Sony Xperia line of smartphones, starting this spring, according to reports. Those say updates may be applied to applied to?Sony's Android tablets as well.

According to The Verge, sources say that Sony's Tablet S and Tablet P "are already running ICS and are being tested behind the scenes, though Sony wouldn't be drawn on giving any more specific a release window than the spring." Sony also acknowledged the imminent upgrades on a UK-based Sony forum.

Sony's tablets have been making headlines in the past few months. The S tablet?is now more affordable?affordable than the iPad, thanks to a recent price drop.?The tablet seems to have the Pope's blessing as well; the Holy See used a Sony tablet to light?"the biggest Christmas tree in the world." Meanwhile, the pocket-size Tablet P received buzz over its folding dual 5.5-inch screens.

Before the end of 2011, Sony Ericsson gave details about the Xperia smartphone upgrades in this blog post. Starting from end March/early April 2012, the first smartphones to get the upgrade are Xperia arc S, Xperia neo V and Xperia ray.

Then, Sony informs, starting from end April/early May, these will get the upgrade: Xperia arc, Xperia PLAY, Xperia neo, Xperia mini and mini pro, Xperia pro and Xperia active. The ?Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman will also receive one. ?

Sony Ericsson

It summarizes what goes into the upgrade here:

• It starts with public push when we as a manufacturer get access to the new Android release from Google
• Our developers take the existing Xperia? software and combine it with the new Android release
• Once the coding is done we want to make sure the quality of the new software meets our, our partners and your expectations
• Now we feel the new software is ready but we also need to make sure it?s approved by our external partners
• All good. We?re all set to roll-out the new software.?

As 2012 kicks into gear, we'll see many more reports of the Android 4.0 upgrades, such as the LG announcements that harkened their coming in November.

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Source: http://gadgetbox.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/24/10224482-sony-tablets-smartphones-to-get-android-40-upgrades

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