Sony releases Android 4.0 Beta ROM for certain Xperia handsets

[Xahid]

and I believe the final version is so close to be release,

Sony will be the 1st Manufacturer for releasing Ice cream Sandwich for their smart phones,

Sony Mobile has released a beta of the Android 4.0.3 ROM for certain Xperia handsets. These include the Xperia arc S, Xperia neo V and Xperia ray. Compared to the alpha ROM released back in December, the beta enables GSM radio and FM radio functionalities, which means you can make and receive calls and browse the web. However, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionalities are still unavailable.

The new beta ROM includes features such as the new lockscreen, which includes the ability to control the music player and launching the camera. Sony will also include the face unlock feature found on the Galaxy Nexus in the final version, but it is currently unavailable. Other new features include the ability to bring up a list of messages that you can send after you decline a call and a new dialler app which features the highly useful quick dial mode.

Apart from this you get the usual Ice Cream Sandwich goodies, such as the new multi-tasking view and notification screen where you can use the swipe gesture to remove items from the screen. The beta ROM does not include the usual Google applications, however, such as Gmail, Google Maps, Android Market, etc. but they will obviously be added in the final version.

The ROM is now available for download on Sony's website but before you go ahead and download it do keep in mind all the limitations of the current ROM mentioned above. There are also some issues, such as having to unlock the bootloader, which means you won't be able to download the final version when it comes out a couple of months later. So make sure you go through all the warnings and instructions in the source link below before you install it on your phone.

Source

[Ambroos]

Sony is doing great. The best thing about this new beta is that it shows that Sony is backporting most (almost all) of the new features in the Xperia S to the whole 2011-line, and that's just awesome. They really are taking they 1,5y+ support seriously.

[Hollow.Droid]

Saw this on some Android sites, guess it'll be a neck and neck race between Sony and Samsung to see who delivers the goods first :p

[Xahid]

Yes, & they listen to their customer requirement :)

I can see all the "wishlist" features of customers in their blog are developed in the Beta release :D

[Muhammad Farrukh]

If I'm ever gonna buy an Android smartphone, it'll be from Sony (Y)

And that Xpperia S. My God. Its one of THE best looking phones I have ever seen. Its in my top three, of all time

[AbandonedTrolley]

If I'm ever gonna buy an Android smartphone, it'll be from Sony (Y)

And that Xpperia S. My God. Its one of THE best looking phones I have ever seen. Its in my top three, of all time

I'm due an upgrade in a couple of weeks time, I'm currently deciding between the Galaxy Nexus or the Xperia S. I have an Xperia Arc at the moment and love it, Sony certainly do deliver on handset quality and design.

Still can't believe that the S will not ship with ICS though.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

Still can't believe that the S will not ship with ICS though.

BUt it will be among the first ones to get it. Thats for sure.

And as of yet, there isn't really any phone with ICS except Nexus

[Ambroos]

The Xperia S is the way to go. There's no saying when the Galaxy Nexus will get the Android after ICS, and considering how slow Google is updating the Nexus S (which still doesn't have a proper ICS) chances are your Xperia S will get updates before the Galaxy Nexus.

The Sony software on the Xperia S is seriously kickass too. It's blazing fast, looks amazing and has seriously good features. Brilliant media player too, with a lot of Sony's Clear Audio processing technologies.

And the display on the Xperia S is just much better. If you come from an Xperia Arc (I've got an Arc too) you'll hate a PenTile display. Sure it's AMOLED, but PenTile just makes the 1280x720 a bit unsharp as you lose many subpixels. The Xperia S on the other hand has one of the best displays ever made in a mobile device. I work at The Phone House during holidays, and the PenTile display on the Galaxy Nexus or the Lumia 800 just annoys me a LOT, I can't stand the unsharp text edges.

Then there is the sad 5MP camera of the Galaxy Nexus. The 12MP in the Xperia S is the best mobile camera currently available in the US/EU, period.

And the Xperia S is cheaper. And looks better. And the bootloader can be unlocked too. And MANY people will be getting it so you can expect quite some activity for it on XDA.

But you could just wait it out. The Xperia Arc is getting many of the features of the Xperia S with the ICS update, and then you'll have a chance to experience some of the new stuff in the Xperia S before actually having to buy it.

And ICS for the Xperia S will arrive VERY soon. Q1 is almost over and ICS will arrive early-mid Q2.