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April 24, 2013

Sony Releases OSS Project For Xperia Z Smartphone

Sony released an Open Source project for its Xperia Z smarthpone, one of its flagship smartphones. This will allow developers to manipulate most of the software on the phone and develop apps in order to take advantage of other capabilities of this pocket device.

Skilled users of Android will be able to contribute to the Android OS and to app development without too much hindrance in their creativity. Developers, while restricted in some ways, will have access to the SD Card, and use the Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, GPS, and the LED notification light and sensors. Developers will be able to help solve issues with the phone and the implementation of the Xperia Z smartphone, possibly helping future Sony smartphones.

The mindset between OSS, like Android, and more closed systems, like iPhone are simple to understand but get even more complicated once one digs deeper into it. On the OSS side is the argument that a users should be able to modify the code of their devices. OSS does not mean that it will totally free, rather, it means free of restraint as closed systems tend not to allow modifications and customizations. Yet a closed system like the iPhone would argue that your phone should work. The general user should not be concerned with things like data calls, binaries, and the other details that make a smartphone operate correctly. 

The advantage to OSS systems is analogous to a car. Does every user in the world want to tear apart their car for modification, and personalization? Or do they want a car that works and can be repaired and/or supported easily? While in the case of a car we may run into situations that lead us back to the OEM the same is true for smartphones. A low percentage of users would have the ability to modify hardware, a look at the iPhone jailbreaking community is example enough.

Android has long been lauded as an Open Source Software (OSS) solution to most other mobile device handsets. Even still, very few users actually take advantage of the ability that comes with an OSS system. At the end of the day a user must decide how these devices best fit into their lives. Smartphones are essentially computers and a careful examination of their capabilities is required in order to make the best choice.




Edited by Ashley Caputo


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