Problem with update 4.0.2.A.0.69

[BilKos]

Hi.

I updated today my Xperia Mini to 0.69 from 0.62, and as I expected, I found some apps preinstalled (McAfee Security, Hot Shots, Music Unlimited, UEFA.com), which I simply unistalled in previous updates. I did so in that update too. BUT after rebooting my phone those apps get reinstalled by themselves! I tried that many times and the same always happens. I just can't get rid of them, though they can be theoretically unistalled! Which cannot be done with another 2 new preinstalled apps: Google+ and Google Messenger!:smileyangry:

1. Do you plan to fix this, or shall we have to consider updating ever again, fearing of new apps being installed on every update?

2. What's the 0.69 changelog? Because after what I've described, it seems to me that this update is simply to force users have on their devices Google+ and Google Messenger!

[santam1]

hi @bikos...welcome to the forum:smileylaugh: .69..for mini...???? that's new..i'm using .62..which was latest..but again this update..??? don't know why anyway i think..this app  is been installed permanently...like we will get in the upcoming GOOGLE ICS 4.0....:smileysilly:

[Menandro]

Hi,

I hope this site can give help, http://www.xperiablog.net/2012/02/25/4-0-2-a-0-69-firmware-update-is-for-germany-only/

[Markus1]

Just like the article on the Xperia Blog says, I'm pretty sure this .69 version is limited to Germany only. I don't know if the software is supposed to re-install apps after each reboot. I suggest you call the German support office and have a word with them on this matter.

If you do, please post again and update with the new info.

http://www.sonymobile.com/gb/support/contact-us/country/de_DE/

[BilKos]

Well, my phone, as I was informed by a service center in Greece, was produced for the German market, but apparently was imported and reselled in Greece by the shop I bought it from. That's probaly why I got that update. Anyway, I contacted the German support office and they told me that indeed those apps cannot be uninstalled and they HOPE this will be fixed in a future update!

Apart from that, due to the fact that my phone was produced for Germany as I mentioned, the Greek branch of SE told me that my warranty is not valid!!! How can this be legal? The warranty says that if the phone is bought in European country, it can be fixed in any European service center. So why shouldn't I be able to have it fixed in Greece? Because I have too the well known touch buttons-heating problem:

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/23778?start=0&tstart=0

I've been a SE user for the last 10 years, and I was very happy to buy my Xperia Mini, yet another fine SE phone, but I must say I'm very dissapointed by now. A faulty device, a faulty warranty, a faulty update, a faulty service overall. And me trying to find a solutions with mails, forums etc for days! I didn't buy these problems with my phone. This will probably be my last Sony phone...

[Markus1]

First of all, thanks for the update.

Secondly, I'm on your side here about the warranty thing - but it can be a bit complex. Let me try to explain.

A phone bought in one European country normally does have valid warranty in an other European country (EU and EFTA countries that is).

But.

If a phone is customized to be sold in country A, but is shipped to country B (via unofficial routines) the warranty might not be valid.

As long as the software hasn't been altered with and the phone model is available on both markets it should not be a problem.

If the phone is network branded (locked to a carrier), has been flashed with new software (e.g. German customized software replaced with Greek customized software) etc. the warranty is probably not valid.

If it turns out that the warranty is not valid for your phone, you should turn straight away to your dealer who sold you the phone and work out a solution for this. Since you weren't aware of this until just now I'm guessing they did not inform you about this whole import-from-Germany thing, which I believe would have been an honest thing to do.

Please post the phone's SI number here and I will have a look at it. It might not help at all but it's worth a shot. I might be able to get some information on the phone that's useful.

The number is printed on the box in format SI XXXX-XXXX.

[BilKos]

I don't think the phone was branded. Its box was sealed and had all that "warranty void if broken" stickers. Anyway, I'm not an expert and I can't be sure what could be behind all these. Here's the SI:

1248-8668.3 DE.

Thanks again.

[#8]

It also looks like the Xperia Mini I bought from Amazon is a German import - the serial number on the box is: SI 1248-8668.2 DE - it also took this upgrade... which consumed a large portion of my internal memory - I am very frustrated with the Google+ apps as I dont want them - the support advice was to just put them on the last app page and ignore them - but what sort of policy is that...

so - has Amazon been supplying these phones incorrectly

can I return to a previous version

[Menandro]

Did you try moving the Google+ app to your microSD?  Mine is installed in my microSD.

[Markus1 · Accepted solution]

Your phone is not carrier branded for what I can see, although it was clearly meant to be sold in Germany in first place.

It is possible that Greece have warranty routines I'm not aware of and that they make a difference of phones sold in it's "original" country and phones that's been gray imported to other countries.

I suggest you call the Greek support office once more and ask to speak to one of the managers and have this situation sorted out. If the warranty is not valid, they should tell you why.