Sony isn’t a stranger to offering device support under the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). We have seen several in the past, including the Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z smartphone and Xperia S. And as of today, it looks like another device has been added. This latest is the Xperia L. This means developers will be able to build, flash and run Kit Kat, but it also arrives as another first.
According to details coming from Sony, this is the first time they have added support for a device with a dual-core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8230 processor. Getting back to the building, flashing and running aspect though — there are some points you will likely need to know up front. To begin with, until developers start releasing ROMs, the is not something the average end user will be comfortable participating in.
The second aspect is what will work on the device. Sony mentioned that Bluetooth and GPS are disabled. Sony hasn’t said anything specific here, but in the past we have seen these types of features disabled due to regulatory reasons. On the flip side though, there is mobile data and WiFi for connectivity.
And in this case, the phone (dialer) is functional. Also worth noting, the LED light, NFC and other sensors are said to be “partially” working. Simply put, this is something that will be better served running on a secondary/test/development device at this time. Similar to what we have seen with the other devices in the past, the Xperia L portion is being handled through Github.
SOURCE: Sony Developer World
