Xperia PLAY and Arc Receive Software Update in Europe

Although Xperia arc and PLAY smartphone are delivered with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) on board out-of-the-box, it appears that Sony Ericsson is pushing a new software update.

This is the second minor update for the Xperia arc and PLAY, after the handset manufacturer deployed the first update on May 30.

The old software update added the Gingerbread 2.3.3 firmware, implemented the Google security fix for Gingerbread and fully integrated Facebook with multimedia apps, phonebook and calendar.

However, the latest software update for Xperia arc and PLAY doesn't update the core platform past Android 2.3.3, but add several new features and improvements.

According to Sony Ericsson, the update is pushed OTA (over the air), but Xperia PLAY and arc owners should manually check for the update by going to Menu / Settings / About phone / Software update.

Additionally, the update can be done via Sony Ericsson's PC Companion, but this requires the use of a USB cable.

The following changes are added as soon as the Xperia PLAY and arc are updated to the latest Android version:

- xLoud – boosts your music when played through the speaker;
- Stereo recording – shoot video with high-quality stereo sound;
- Digital home – enjoy entertainment content stored in your phone on DLNA certified media devices;
- New themes and Landscape mode for your home screen.

The current update seems to be available only for European versions of the smartphones and is expected to come per-installed on the upcoming Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray, which is expected to be released in Q3.

On related news, it looks like the update is not showing for all Xperia PLAY and arc owners, which means that Sony Ericsson is deploying the update gradually.

It is recommended to check out for the update manually from time to time, as described above.