Sony Working on Concept for Android OS, Beta Testing Ongoing in Sweden
Sony is currently working on a new concept OS under the project name Concept for Android and the new concept OS is entering its beta phase in Sweden. The company is testing the new OS with a small group of Sony Xperia Z3 owners in the said country. Sony described the new concept OS as a "stripped-down and vanilla version" of the Android 5.1 Lollipop, with a few added features.
Being a "vanilla" version, the new OS is said to have "significant differences" with what the company has released commercially and will include new apps and additional features being developed by Sony.
This is not the first time that Sony has conducted special beta testing for Android on its smartphones. However, this time around, it is a more targeted testing as it is in support of the development of new concept OS. This new Concept for Android will likely lead to the development of specialized versions of the Android OS, which in turn can serve specific segments of the smartphone market.
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The testing process will have Sony keep track of bugs and recommend fixes as they are identified by the users, as well as keep track of what users like and what they don't like.
"This trial will help us assess the potential of running wider Android operating system concept initiatives for more markets, devices and users in the future—as we look to shift towards a model that allows for the creation of experiences with real user input, whilst adopting more transparent and open workflows. We believe this will eventually enable us to respond to your needs quicker and easier," a blog post on the company website said.
Beta testing will commence on July 27. Participants to the beta were selected on first-come, first-served basis from Xperia Z3 users who live in Sweden and who applied to take part in the testing. The testing period ends on September 3. Testers can revert to the original software of their Z3 phones after this.
