Goodbye Sony - after Android 10 rollout to XZ2

[JCTech]

Well there we are, given the apparent disaster that the Android 10 upgrade to the XZ2 has been and the fact that the phone is critical to my business, I have today purchased a Samsung to replace the XZ2.

My issues are/were the tethering errors for portable and USB hotspots; fingerprint issues, battery draining issues - all that worked fine last Sunday and were a disaster since the Monday 6th Jan 2020 Android 10 update.

Goodness, the lack of attention from Sony in this since the rollout on Monday 6th January 2020, the poverty of advice received by myself and others from Sony ‘support’; has forced me to abandon the brand; I have 7 Sony Cameras, two Sony TVs and a variety of audio-visual devices; goodness knows how many more over the years.

But, no longer. For me at least, the last few days have destroyed my commitment to the brand.

Goodbye Sony.

[ChrisKwok]

I am with you. When I called the customer support was horrible, doe snot even allow me to talk to the manager.

[Markus_Sch]

Reading your comments is bringing up the same idea for me as well.
Since the phone is already somehow a "bit" older for Sony (not just a half year or so) their main attention might be somewhere else?

I really was looking forward to receive the latest android version on my sony device quickly and have a good customer service. That was the main reason I bought the XZ2...

But now with the issues, I think I will also need another device.
My device is now just 1 year old.

Definitively not a Sony.

Regards

Markus

[JCTech]

So, I went through with it.... the Samsung Galaxy 8 arrived today - it has Android 9 as you will know and will not be updated to Android 10, which is just fine for me.  (Samsung 2 update policy - although the Samsung roll-out of Android 10 to their phones has been without the issues experienced by Sony).  I went for a second-hand Samsung phone since I can't afford a new one - and chose one that was around when the XZ2 was a flagship so I could compare and moreover, as I explore the normal question for many users; is it me? scenario - did I do something wrong with the XZ2 to make it unusable?; I put my UK Vodafone sim into the S8 and hey presto - all back to working well and normally in my world!, no start-up lag, no H+ rather than 4G, no fingerprint issues, no tethering errors to share my data either by portable hotspot nor USB or BTooth, no lock-up of the system UI.... just a pretty (S8) phone that works as I want it to; actually just like what I thought of the XZ2, prior to last Monday (6th Jan 2020) and the Android 10 rollout.

So, the XZ2 is switched off and now redundant; destined for landfill (to my shame - but I can't sell a phone that is not fit for purpose). 

I confess to being so very disappointed with Sony in all of this, but maybe that's just me.

[JCTech]

So here we are, 11 days since the rollout of Android 10 [Q] to my lovely XZ2; this phone was central to my business; calls, quick internet, tethering to provide my small business WAN, my pride and joy!.

Then Monday 6th January 2020 and Android 10…. It all went wrong…. So, I changed phone out of necessity – I had no choice – my adoration and commitment to the Sony brand over 30 years notwithstanding. I went Samsung – Galaxy S8 to be precise, chosen since I knew it would have not Android 10 upgrade, and since it was cheap at 125 pounds, mint condition…. I had to do something since the Sony no longer worked!

Well, the problems with Sony’s upgrade appears to be serendipity; the Samsung S8 is quick (much quicker than my XZ2), it all works (unlike my XZ2), it is smaller and weighs less and the screen and resolution is better than the XZ2. The battery does not last quite as long as the XZ2 and the AI cover on the XZ2 is much better, waking up the phone.

So, will I go back to the XZ2 as my main phone when, as Sony support tells me, Android 10.1 rolls out….. whenever that happens…. I suspect not – the Samsung S8 has ticked, for me at least, all the boxes that a now unworkable XZ2 did not quite manage when it was on Android 9. I am so disappointed in Sony about this but pleased that Samsung has proved a saviour for me in what could have been a real crisis. 

[JCTech · Accepted solution]

It appears that Sony may have sorted this out; I have today successfully installed version 52.1.A.0.532.R1C [the last three digits are important in this], after having spent 20 odd days without a workable Xperia XZ2 despite numerous support requests – although the support responses were evident if not useful.

Today I have used – for the second time – the repair facility on the Xperia companion, but failed on the first attempt since it appears that my computer stored my initial attempt and so refused to work – advice is to use another computer to use the companion software (or perhaps uninstall the version that you had a first attempt on – care is advised here if you have backed up to the first iteration of the companion software). 

Anyway, this is what I have done with what appears to be success…. (0) Backed up the phone to my Google account and then (1) Connected my XZ2 to a laptop that I did not use before to repair the software using companion. (2) Let the new Xperia companion download to the new computer. (3) Let the upgrade to Xperia companion complete. (4) Factory reset my XZ2 – not sure that this was necessary – but I did. (5) Did the Xperia Companion Repair software utility and then (6) Let the XZ2 completely restart and update without my Google credentials then (7) Connected the XZ2 to my WIFI to update completely before finally (8) entering my Google credentials to all the XZ2 to restore all my apps and content.

At the moment all appears to work; Speed/lag, Fingerprint, Tethering, battery condition….. I confess that this episode has impacted my confidence in Sony. I suspect that there may be some minor updates to Android 10 Sony version as things progress but issues like this damage a brand which is sad given the ‘middle class’ ground that Sony exists in. My Samsung S8 (which was my replacement given this debacle) remains my principal phone until I am sure that Sony have made proper repairs to their version of Android 10.

[ffaxdavid]

i had an xperia T which after reset it says my password to unlock screen incorrect so couldnt use it, then a xperia z3 compact which after an update to sony software touch screen refuses to work,both of which i spent months on google and place bought from with no solutions...so i will NEVER buy a sony again