Sony lets users compile Android 7.1 builds for Xperia smartphones

Sony has put instructions online for developers to build ‘bare’ Android 7.1 ROMs. These can then be installed on unlocked Xperia smartphones. Previously, Sony did something similar with Android 6.0 ROMs.

The Japanese manufacturer has put the relevant instructions on its developer website. There are instructions online for both Android 7.0 and 7.1 ROMs. Those of version 7.1 are still referred to as experimental. The manual allows the creation of home-built Android software based on the AOSP, which can then be installed on Xperia devices.

There is a list of devices that support AOSP ROMs, and Sony has it on its website. To run the software it is necessary to unlock the bootloader of the smartphone first; it is locked by default. It is also necessary to download device-specific binaries. Not all Xperia smartphones are downloadable binaries for Android 7; for some devices, Sony only supports up to Android version 6.0.

It’s not the first time Sony has experimented with ‘bare’ Android build for its Xperia smartphones. For example, binaries were previously released with which developers can build Android ROMs based on Android 6.0. Incidentally, the manufacturer states that the AOSP software is not necessarily suitable for daily use; there may be stability issues. By making the manual available, Sony also hopes that developers will contribute to the further development of the software.