Google’s new flavor of Android debuted a few days back at the Google I/O event, and with it, Google wants other Android OEMs to take participate in an Android P 9.0 Beta testing program. So, the search giant has allowed a bunch of devices to test the new version of Android. And among them is the Sony Xperia XZ2 Flagship. In this post, we will take a look at how to get the latest Android P 9.0 on your shiny new Xperia XZ2 smartphone. All you need to do is follow the steps given below, and you should be all set to enjoy Android P 9.0, which brings a completely revamped Android experience that’s never seen before.
However, before we begin and start the process, there’s one thing to note that, this new android update that’s is P 9.0 is still an unfinished software and is available for beta testing purposes only. You cannot expect this run without things crashing sometimes. Some essential parts may also not work, so using this as a daily driver is not a good idea.
Moving further, this Android P 9.0 Beta preview is available for select models of the Sony Xperia XZ2, and they are as follows:
- H8216
- H8266
- H8296
So, if you own any of the models mentioned above, then you’re ready to proceed. This includes some manual steps as currently, the beta update is not available as an OTA update. However, once you get this update flashed, next upcoming builds will be served as OTA updates as per Sony.
How to install Android P 9.0 Beta Preview on Sony XZ 2:
- Make a backup of your important files, so just in case some things out of the track; you’ll be covered
- Now, you will first need to Install the Sony Companion App on your PC
- You can download the Sony Companion App from here and install it
- Now connect your Xperia XZ2
- And launch the Sony Companion App
- Next, you have to Hold the “ALT” Key on the key & at the same time click on the “Software Repair” option on the home screen
- After that, you need to tick the checkbox which says “My device cannot be detected or started,” then click on “Next.”
- Now wait for the initialization process and start following the instructions shown on the screen
- Once followed you’ll be running on Android P 9.0 Beta Developer Preview
Remember that this is a beta product and not recommended for general consumers and mostly released to test your apps on Android P 9.0. Moreover, if you want to see what all the fuss is about with Android p and help in beta testing then use the link here to start report bugs that you noticed after installing the new OS.
Finally here are some known issues that have been spotted by early testers:
- The Camera Quality gets degraded not on par with what you get with Android Oreo on the XZ 2
- The GPS fix is slow to react
- Issues with MTP, resulting in not letting you transfer files and create folders on an external storage
- The onboard 4G modem might restart, but a workaround is to disable LTE to fix it
- Enabling Wifi hotspot and tethering can cause the device to become unstable and unresponsive
- BT -> Doesn’t support Sony’s HAD audio tech LADC
So, if you’re okay with this issues and want to experience the newly designed interface of Android P 9.0 then surely give it a shot.
