14 DAY TRIAL // Jolla has just announced during its Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 keynote that it will bring support for Sailfish OS on Sony's Xperia devices. The devices will be supported through Sony's Open Devices Program, so those eligible will be able to test the Sailfish OS on their Xperia handsets.
According to Jolla, an official version of the Sailfish OS will be released for a range of Sony Xperia devices, and the first to get it will be the Xperia X.
The fact the Jolla chose the Xperia X to bring its Sailfish OS doesn't come as a surprise since Sony already has the Concept for Android program set in place specifically for this device, where it tests new features.
“Sony Mobile is trusted worldwide for its premium brand and quality, and we believe that Xperia devices are a perfect fit for many Sailfish OS customers and community members around the world.
We are thrilled to start this exploration together with Sony Mobile to provide our licensing customers with a solid hardware solution, and to offer our community a follow-up device for the Jolla C launched last year,” said Sami Pienimäki, CEO of Jolla.
The first release of the OS is scheduled to arrive by the end of Q2
Jolla has also announced that it plans to provide users and community members with the first release of the Sailfish OS for Xperia devices by the end of Q2 2017.
It's quite unusual for such an important brand like Sony to allow smaller companies like Jolla to bring their software to its main lineup of Xperia devices. Unless the Japanese company hopes to achieve something that we're not yet aware of.
Still, a little bit more variation when it comes to mobile OSes is more than welcome. Sony fans have a lot to gain and nothing to lose, as they will be able to test both Android and Sailfish OS on their devices.