Sony Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZs are getting security patches for the month of October. Sony Mobile has released new firmware for the two devices which moves the build number from 41.3.A.2.184 to version 41.3.A.2.192. The updates primarily bring the patch status up to October 2018 but there does not seem to be any other major change in terms of software.
If this new update is anything to go by then it seems like the Xperia X Performance will not receive software updates anymore. The Xperia XZ2, Xperia XZs and Xperia X Performance were all in the same software cycle and Sony might have pulled the device from future updates, reports Xperia blog. The Xperia X Performance has not received any update since June, which further suggests the device has reached its end of life for software updates.
In the past, Sony has been the fastest to issue software updates for its flagship devices but the company has lost its momentum in the past few months. Sony is not the lead smartphone brand that it used to be once and thus, its approach to the industry has also changed. The end of software update for Xperia X Performance comes as a shocker.
The release of monthly software update for the smartphone is being mandated by Google to stay compliant with Android approval. Google has been mandating monthly security updates for all smartphones and had recently announced plan to force Android OEMs to release security updates for at least two years. The search giant plans to refuse approval and block sale of a device if a company fails to comply with these new terms.
Watch: Sony Xperia XZ3 First Look
Google plans to mandate Android OEMs to release at least four security updates per year and each update is expected to not exceed a period of 90 days. This suggests that Android OEMs cannot release security updates as and when they wish and could bring discipline into software updates.
