Sony Xperia X Performance Gets Pre-Release Android 7.0 Nougat Beta

Sony is amongst the few OEMs who puts their actions before their words when it comes to Developer Support. It’s one thing to promise support to software solutions outside your ecosystem, it’s a whole different level when you actually go ahead and provide on this promise.

Somewhere in July, there were reports that Sony is terminating the Xperia Beta Program, but new information points that this shut down may have been for the Xperia Z3 only and not for the whole program. This is because the Sony Xperia X Performance has just been invited in to try out a pre-release firmware version of Android 7.0 Nougat, before Android 7.0 has been released to the public at large.

Yup, you read that right. While only Nexus devices are otherwise running pre-release Android 7.0 Nougat in the wild, yet another one of Sony’s flagship has opened up the gates for adventurous consumers to try out Android 7.0 Nougat as a pre-release firmware. This opportunity is open for consumers in a few regions like the Nordics, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Netherlands; as reported by Xperia Blog. Also, this pre-release firmware is expected to be different from the N-Preview, meaning that it will be more representative of Sony’s skin on Android 7.0 Nougat.

Xperia Blog mentions that the program is accepting limited numbers, so interested owners of the Xperia X Performance are advised to act quick and apply. There is also no word if the program will open up to other handsets in the Xperia X family. Seeing Sony’s track record of randomly surprising the developer community with acts of support, we wouldn’t be surprised if it did in the future. Let’s hope that other OEMs are also taking notes on how to deliver software updates.

What are your thoughts on Sony’s decision to allow users to test a pre-release build of Android 7.0 Nougat? Would you like to see other OEMs become more developer-friendly? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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