Sony has announced plans to trial a ‘stripped back’ version of the Android operating system that offers a ‘vanilla look and feel.’
In a post on the company’s mobile blog, the firm said it is testing the concept of OS on 500 Xperia Z3 owners in Sweden.
What the term ‘stripped back’ means remains to be seen, but Sony says it’ll be a “fresh take on our user experience based on Android 5.1, Lollipop. It has some significant differences compared to our current commercial releases.”
Essentially, it sounds like raw Android (a la the Nexus devices) with added Sony apps and no custom UI experience.
The blog post says the Sony Concept for Android will still feature native Sony experiences that have proved most popular among users. The Japanese giant says the trial will help it decide the future direction of its Android devices.
Read more: Android 5.1 Lollipop Features: What’s new?
Sony says: “This trial will help us assess the potential of running wider Android operating system concept initiatives for more markets, devices and users in the future – as we look to shift towards a model that allows for the creation of experiences with real user input, whilst adopting more transparent and open workflows. We believe this will eventually enable us to respond to your needs quicker and easier.”
What do you think? A Nexus-styled Sony device with added PlayStation?
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.