Sony Xperia Z3 was released back in 2014 and was a successful device. Fast forward to now, the old flagship is now running on Android Marshmallow in many regions and is still one of the most respected devices in the Xperia lineup. And today, we are going to tell you why the Z3 can be actually better than the current flagship Xperia Z5.
A lot of you might already be knowing that the Android N Developer Preview is only available for Nexus devices. Well, that was the case until a couple of days ago, as Google has announced that the Sony Xperia Z3 Android N Developer Preview is now available to download and install on Z3 devices.
In a post on the Android Developers Google+ page, Google announced that apart from the Nexus 6P, 6, 5X, Nexus Player, General Mobile 4G (Android One), and Pixel C tablet, Android N Developer Preview is now available for Xperia Z3. Sony and Google have been working closely for this development, and you can be a part of it too if you own a Xperia Z3.
How to Download and Install Xperia Z3 Android N Developer Preview
Before starting, do remember that developer previews can be buggy and might cause your device to misbehave. If the flashing goes wrong, then your device might go dead, so remember that take the risk only on a secondary device.
Also, the Android N Developer Preview for Xperia Z3 is available for D6603 and D6653 models only. You need to manually flash the firmware to your Z3. Follow the steps given below as Sony has provided them on their site:
- Before flashing, you need to check that the Xperia Companion software on your computer is updated to the latest version or at least version 1.1.24. If not, then download the latest version from Sony’s support site.
- Now connect your compatible Xperia Z3 phone to the computer via USB and Xperia Companion will launch automatically. If it does not, open it.
- Now press and hold the ALT key and simultaneously click on the Software repair option given on the home screen. Now follow the guide.
- After a few moments, you will be asked to disconnect your device from the computer and turn it off. Then connect it to the computer again while holding down the Volume down on the phone.
- The software flashing will start now and will be done in a few minutes. If you wish to go back to factory settings, you can do the Software repair again.
After you install Android N preview on Xperia Z3, you will receive OTA updates in the future directly from Sony. We hope that Google brings the preview to Xperia Z5 as well.