Own a Sony Xperia device? Good news for you as you'll be able to get a taste of the much awaited Android M soon.
Sony has announced its Android M Developer Preview which you can flash on any device from its Xperia line-up as part of the company's Open device program.
The Android M Developer Preview will enable developers to test out the next-gen Android OS prior to its official release this year end. The preview provides developers with the requisite tools to test out the platform for compatibility with apps.
"You can now create a test image of Android M Developer Preview and flash that onto any Xperia device in Sony's Open Device program," says Sony. "Discover the changes, then test and verify your apps on the new platform."
Android M is not only set to bring some system changes, but also alterations to the API (including a new system for permission whereby users will be able to manage app permissions while running the app). Therefore, to ensure compatibility, developers may like to test their apps prior to the release of the latest Android platform.
The Xperia devices which are listed under Sony's Open Device program and support Android M Preview are as follows:
Xperia Z3
Xperia Z3 Compact
Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
Xperia Z2
Xperia Z2 Tablet
Xperia Z1
Xperia Z1 Compact
Xperia Z Ultra
Xperia E3
Xperia M2
Xperia T2 Ultra
Xperia T3
The guide from Sony will provide instructions on creating the AOSP M Developer Preview, as well as downloading the requisite software binaries for the compatible above-mentioned Xperia devices. Post this, developers can test image and flash it onto their Xperia device and verify the compatibility of their apps.
However, a word of caution before you jump the gun and gear up to flash the preview on your Xperia device, the AOSP software is not certified and not meant for daily usage and has limitations such as the camera and modem do not work. Therefore, one should not flash the AOSP software on their regular drive. The preview is only meant for devices with an unlocked bootloader.
