One major difference between iOS and Android is fragmentation, the latter being the perfect example of a mobile operating system which sees varied adoption of different iterations. Much of this is due to manufacturers ending software support for their devices. While most high-end Android smartphones are usually supported for up to 18 months, most low-end or mid-range devices often don’t receive any major updates after they’re launched. These devices do contribute to the global Android stats, even if they’re region specific, which is just one of the reasons why there’s so much fragmentation on Android. Sony has ended software support for a dozen of its Android smartphones.
The list of devices that will no longer receive software updates was compiled by Xperia Blog after confirming through Sony’s support website. Devices include Xperia Arc S, Xperia S, Xperia SL, Xperia Ion, Xperia Acros S, Xperia Go, Xperia P, U, and J, Xperia Miro, Xperia Tipo and the Xperia Sola. People using these smartphones probably won’t be happy, but at least they can find solace in the fact that the manufacturer has chosen to provide information about this on its website. Most manufacturers don’t actually announce it when software supported is killed for low-end devices, which leaves users wondering why there hasn’t been an update in such a long time.