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Sony developers have made a video showcasing a raw version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean running on an Xperia S smart phone.
The clip sees Sony taking the lead on a joint project with Google’s Android Open Source Project (AOSP) to develop an untampered version of Android for the Xperia S.
On its developer blog, Sony says it already has several key functions up and running, including the SD card, sensors and Wi-Fi. The operating system also boots up, which I’m sure you’ll agree is an important feature.
The Xperia S was released in March, but has since been superseded by fancier Sony phones such as the Xperia T. It’s not the fanciest phone in the drawer any more, but as the video shows, it seems to handle raw Android without breaking a sweat.
Raw Android is the same software that’s powering Google-branded gadgets such as the Nexus 4 or Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It’s a popular flavour of Android, but doesn’t appear on many phones because most manufacturers — Sony included — are keen to put their own twist on Google’s version.
Sony owners shouldn’t get their hopes up for seeing Nexus-style raw Android on smart phones in the future, as Sony will want to offer something different in its interface to mark it out from its rivals. Sony’s UK boss has also told CNET UK that the company’s “unified user experience” strategy is “incompatible” with a vanilla version of Android.
What do you think about the video above? Should Sony scrap its own interface and start making Nexus gadgets, or do you like your Xperia S the way it is? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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