New Xperia M, Dual 4.3 Jellybean Firmware Appears (Update)

This pocket-friendly mid-tier device was released last August but has had few firmware updates since then. Even KitKat is being rolled out to premium smartphones so the Xperia M was due a fresh update, at least to the latest Jellybean.

Sony mentioned in the past on it’s blog that some of it’s phones would be upgraded from 4.1 to 4.3 which is still Jellybean. To see this and find out what Sony has in store for the update, read on.

Update – Update – The new Xperia M Update 15.4.A.1.9 is out now! Dual users now have the update too!

Judging from the current software schedule, the next update of 4.3 comes “late May/early June”.

More hints of a 4.3 Jellybean update for the Xperia M and M Dual have appeared. The first is the French network SFR which has approved the 15.4.A.0.21 for the M. The network lists the same new feature mentioned by Sony below.

The second piece of news is that a newer update has appeared – one for the Xperia M listed as 15.4.A.0.23, registered 24 March. The relatively small jump in the build number from the previous firmware suggests likely bug fixes. Perhaps Sony is testing these updates thoroughly before finally sending them out to us.

Also the Xperia M Dual has a newer update registered on March 8 as 15.3.A.1.14.

You may remember a sighting of a 4.3 Jellybean update coming from Vodafone Australia.

These update does not appear on the Sony Mobile’s official update page yet but they clearly aren’t far off if networks are approving them.

What does Sony have in store for us with Jellybean 4.3?

A bigger jump in firmware means more features. Sony has listed these enhancements with the 4.3 update:

Google’s Android 4.3; Jelly Bean as standard – bringing Project Butter performance & UI optimisation and a smoother graphical experience
Launched with Xperia Z1, we’re now bringing Sony’s Smart Social Camera to these devices – our signature camera experience, that lets you download, access and enjoy “Xperia camera apps” directly from within the viewfinder

We’re also uplifting Sony’s entire native app portfolio to the latest versions – bringing tweaked / improved / current experiences for (to name but a few): Messaging, MyXperia, Smart Connect, Small apps, TrackID, Sony Select and…

Sony’s Media apps: WALKMAN, Album and Movies, with Sony Entertainment Network cloud service integration* – a more converged and full Sony entertainment experience – Sony Entertainment Network & PlayMemories integration with a more intuitive UI, offering seamless access to both local and cloud content

The latest Android security enhancements, matched with Sony’s mobile enterprise solution: Xperia in Business

Battery STAMINA Mode – updated version of Sony’s power management app, now with refreshed interface and more smart options for prolonging battery life