Sony's Xperia problems run deep – scraps promised Android 17 update for a recent phone

Sony has taken the unexpected step of announcing that a phone it launched just two years ago won't get the Android 17 update that was promised at launch. That has left owners reeling.

The Sony Xperia 10 VI was announced in June 2024 and at the time of launch it came with three years of software and four years of security updates. In February 2025 it moved to Android 15, in October 2025 it moved to Android 16 and that's where it's going to stay.

Sony says that the decision not to update comes down to "limitations related to the device's storage configuration". Speculation suggests that Sony might not have enough space in the partition for the update, instead requiring a factory reset which would wipe all user data.

The news was announced via a notice on Sony's website, uncovered by 9to5Google.

While Sony issues an apology, it's unclear whether owners will be able to take any other action to get compensation for the failure of Sony to deliver the updates stated at launch.

Sony quickly pivots to the positive, saying that security updates will continue as planned, so in reality, while some new features will be missing, the phone will remain usable.

What's happening with Sony's Xperia phone line?

Sony's Xperia phones have been through a tough time. In the early 2010s, it produced some of the most interesting devices and was one of the brands that continued to offer smaller flagship devices with its Compact range.

As competition grew from Samsung, Sony leaned into other IP that it owned, using Cybershot, Bravia and Walkman, before opting for Alpha-inspired camera experiences on its phones. But Xperia devices went into rapid decline through the decade, with long launch delays, questionable features and very high prices, leaving the company as somewhat niche in the smartphone space.

This latest incident suggests that somewhere along the planning of the Xperia 10 VI something went wrong – and that's unlikely to help Sony maintain its customers.

Here's the full notice from Sony:

"Dear valued customers,

"Thank you for your continued support of Xperia products.

"We announced at launch that the Xperia 10 VI would receive three Android OS upgrades. However, after a detailed technical assessment, we determined that due to limitations related to the device’s storage configuration, the Xperia 10 VI does not support an Android 17 upgrade experience that we consider adequate. Accordingly, we have decided not to make this upgrade available. We recognise that this falls short of our original announcement, and we wish to apologise for this change.

"On the other hand, our security update commitment remains unchanged. Sony will continue to provide security updates for four years from the product’s launch date, as previously communicated.

"This issue is specific to Xperia 10 VI’s technical specifications and will not impact other Xperia models.

"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding."