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Introducing Android™
Find out what Android™ brings to your Xperia™ smartphone or tablet. Get set up with a Google™ account and explore Google™ Play, where you can start downloading apps and games on your device today.
What is Android™?
Xperia™ devices run on open-source software called Android™. Android™ is developed by Google™ for mobile phones and tablets. The software contains a range of Google™ applications that come with your Xperia™ smartphone or tablet, including Gmail™, Google™ Search, Google Maps™ and YouTube™.
Since Android™ is open-source software, you can choose from a vast selection of applications to install. These applications – or apps, as they are often called – make your Xperia™ devices very versatile, as you can tailor them to suit your needs.
Android™ versions
Android™ software is constantly evolving. When a new software version is available for your device, you can update it with new features and the latest improvements. New versions are free of charge, and since they include not only bug fixes, but also general performance improvements, we recommend that you update your software.
Deliciously good. You might have heard that Android™ software versions, in addition to numbers, are named after desserts or sweets.
Here’s an overview:
- Android™ version 1.5: Cupcake
- Android™ version 1.6: Donut
- Android™ version 2.0, 2.1: Éclair
- Android™ version 2.2: Frozen Yogurt (Froyo)
- Android™ version 2.3: Gingerbread
- Android™ version 3.0, 3.1, 3.2: Honeycomb
- Android™ version 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich
- Android™ version 4.1, 4.2: Jelly Bean
Please note: New software releases may not be compatible with all devices.
Google™ account
To really make the most of your Xperia™ device and its Android™ system, you will need to create a Google™ account, which is free and easy to do. You will also need a connection to the Internet, via a mobile network or via Wi-Fi™.
A Google™ account gives you free access to most Google™ services. You can create an account or sign in from your Xperia™ smartphone or tablet. If you’d prefer, you can create an account from a computer at Google™. Don’t forget, you will use the same account for all Google™ services and Google™ apps.
A Google™ account gives you lots of benefits:
- Download apps from the application store called Google™ Play™.
- Use Gmail™ to send, receive and organise your email conversations.
- Save and sync your contacts to have them backed up automatically.
- Stay up-to-date and sync your calendar.
- Sync with multiple devices to access your content anywhere.
What are apps?
Back to basics. ‘Apps’ is short for applications, which, in the mobile world, are small software programs made for mobile devices. Apps allow you to customise your Xperia™ smartphone or tablet – making it totally unique to you.
You can explore apps in a wide range of categories, including games, news and magazines, health and fitness, weather, travel, education, and business.
To find out for yourself, tap the Play Store icon on your device and sign in to the app store called Google™ Play, using your Google™ account details. Now you can browse the hundreds of thousands of apps available. A lot of which are free of charge.
Google™ Play
Google™ Play is an online store for Android™ applications, games, music, movies and books. If you only install apps and games that are free, you do not have to supply your debit or credit card numbers to Google™ Play. You just have to sign in using your Google™ account.
There are lots of apps and games that are free on Google™ Play and some that you will need to pay for. To pay for apps with a mobile payment service, you will need to create a Google Wallet™ account. Depending on your network operator, you can sometimes pay for apps via your phone bill. Please check with your network operator to see if this method of payment is available for you.
Install and uninstall
There are two ways to install apps on your Xperia™ smartphone or tablet; directly onto your device, by tapping the Google™ Play store icon, or from a computer at Google™ Play. When you sign into Google™ Play from a computer, you can install apps to any Xperia™ device that you have added to your Google™ account. All applications that you’ve ever downloaded are visible on a tab within this site.
If you no longer wish to keep an app or a game that you’ve installed, you can delete it. You will also be able to re-install it at a later date. If you paid for the app or game, you can re-install it without paying.