The Xperia 1 VI is the first Sony phone to get Android 15

Alex Walker-Todd / Android Authority

Android 15 has had a challenging launch, but more and more devices are finally getting updated. Vivo surprised us all by releasing Android 15 updates before anyone, but it’s been slow going for everyone else. Samsung’s Android 15-based One UI 7 public beta still hasn’t started yet, despite its stable Android 14 update rolling out to the Galaxy S23 series in October of last year. And even Google’s own Pixel 9 series launched with Android 14 and had to wait until October to get Android 15. Now it’s finally Sony’s turn, as Android 15 comes to the Xperia 1 VI.

The Xperia 1 VI is currently getting its Android 15 update with the November 2024 security patch, according to a Sony support page (via GSMArena). Sony’s changelog is sparse, not listing anything other than the upgrade to Android 15 and new security patch. That isn’t surprising, given how light Sony’s Android skin is. Most of the features the company adds on top of Android take the form of apps, leaving the system close to the stock experience, unlike Samsung or Motorola, which bake a lot of extra goodies into the OS.

Sony’s Xperia 1 VI is a quirky smartphone that focuses on replicating Sony’s standalone camera experience. It has a ton of manual controls and features that work with Sony cameras. Software updates aren’t its strong suit, with this $1,400 phone only being promised three Android updates with a fifth year of security patches. More updates would be welcome, but at least the ones the Xperia 1 VI is getting are timely.

Android 15 includes some nice features, like lockdown mode, a new volume panel, better webcam mode, partial screen sharing, and more. While Sony hasn’t added any new features to the Xperia 1 VI with this update, there are still many quality-of-life upgrades for users to enjoy.

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