Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android 2.3 Gingerbread update now available

Few hours ago, we let you know that the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 was due to become available during this week.

And that it did. The update is now live. Sony Ericsson has all the details up at its website which specializes in updates (just go over there and select the Xperia X10 as your device).

The update brings many new features aside from the Gingerbread bits. Such things include Facebook inside Xperia (prevalent integration throughout the UI), app tray sorting (you can now arrange apps in the order you want them to be), Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, the music player now has an equalizer, USB tethering is now possible, and there’s a new photo widget which gives you one click access to the photo gallery app.

As for installation instructions, Sony Ericsson is being a bit contradictory. The company mentions that your phone will pop up a notification when the update has reached it. That obviously seems to imply that the update will come over the air – so you just need to accept it to proceed, no computer needed nearby. However, in the next paragraph Sony Ericsson says that the update can only be installed using a computer and Sony Ericsson’s PC Companion software. Now this leaves us wondering: which one is it? Is this an OTA update, or one that requires the use of a computer? It may just be both, yet it would be the first time we’ve heard of something like this. Judging from Sony Ericsson’s instructions, it looks like either the phone will just serve the notification without actually downloading anything itself, or it will download, but to install the update you need to hook it up to a computer.

Anyway, the PC Companion software can also be found at the Sony Ericsson update page linked above. As always, the update may not be available for your particular device yet. It’s probably safe to assume that unlocked and unbranded Xperia X10s will get it first. Keep in mind that the rollout may not have reached your country yet even if you have an unlocked phone.

Some interesting caveats apply to the updating procedure. First of all, updating will wipe everything on your device’s internal memory. So clearly you’ll need to backup your data. However, ironically, Sony Ericsson’s own Backup and Restore app will be overwritten during the update and can not be used to restore data. So you’ll have to use a third-party solution (check the Android Market).

Also, any DRM content will be overwritten, and the Creatouch, Neoreader, and Quadrapop apps will be removed. Mediascape will no longer be supported, along with homescreen operator customization and app tray operator customization. Finally, Moxier Exchange will be replaced with Gingerbread’s native Exchange support.

It’s definitely good to see more and more Android smartphone manufacturers issue software updates for their devices even if a year or so has passed since their release. It’s encouraging to see this from Sony Ericsson, which last year was one of the worst offenders in terms of software support. How quickly things change in the mobile world.

From:unwiredview.com