Frustrating experience, bugs and lack of information from Sony

[Gish_X]

Hi Support

I've had my Xperia Z since February and it feels like i'm discovering bugs quite often and which always seem to occur when i need to use a particular app or feature the most.

I'm in the UK and on firmware 10.1.A.1.434 - i believe we're normally one of the last to get updates, however, what makes it worse is not knowing if a particular bug has been fixed in a future release.

These are some of the issues i've hit recently:

• Camera occassially gets stuck in macro mode when set to Superior Auto mode - the only option is to hit the home button to exit.
• Camera doesn't switch to video mode and just displays an "Unknown error" message.
• Walkman occasionally skips/glitches while playing songs.
• A couple of DLNA/streaming problems i reported in my other threads
• Track ID sometimes displays "[0] Error. Please try again later".
• Google voice search errors with "Didn't catch that. Try speaking again".
• Voice recorder small app says "Could not record".
• Smart Connect "Brightness" action occasionally doesn't trigger.

This is the first Android phone that made me switch from another platform but the stability and long term support issues are making me question my decision.

Sony, is there any chance you could be more open with changelogs or have a public bug tracker/status page showing the bugs that have been verified and fixed so there is an official/authoritative source of information?

Thanks

G

[GeoffH]

there is no point in posting bug reports until you have the very latest firmware running on your device as some or of these may already have been addressed - only thing I can advise is to make sure you don't install any utilities on your device like task killers - memory cpu batt managers or the like and remove any antivirus app you have - even the one that came with the phone

check for updates via PC Companion on your computer with the phone connected

[TomGreene]

Geoff

Just to let you know that I have had the same faults for a couple of months; the only solution to them is to switch the phone off and reboot but they reappear within a few minutes. I have been in contact with Sony Customer Support in the UK, since the begining of June and they have not been helpful at all. Their advice was to reinstall the phone's software via PC companion which I did but it did not resolve the issues. I then pointed out that there were a number of people on this site and on other sites on the internet complaining of these faults and that they all share one common deniminator they had generic or unbranded UK Xperia Z phone that run firmware 10.1.A.1.434 and that when you update or repair your phone in the UK that is the firmware installed as it is the only one availble to us. Sony then after some emails did a volte face and admitted that the faults are known faults that have been "rectified in an upcoming firmware release". I asked which one and they did not say and they could not say when the next firmware release was coming except the it would be in the "near future"; but gave no timeframe ie within the next 4 weeks etc. I am complaining to Trading Standards as the phone is defective and not fit for purpsoe I paid for a "smartphone"  and I bought it from Sony Mobile direct who just ignore problems. Apart from WhatsApp I am running the phone with no apps other than factory apps which are all up to date. I asked to speak to a manger and they refused.  Tom

[GeoffH]

not a problem I understand your frustration - I wish I could clap my hands and everybody would have 4.2.2 never mind the previous updates - it's just getting progressively better

soon soon

[TomGreene]

Thanks Geoff. Its just so bloody annoying. These are the current 28 June 2012 firmware  versions in the UK.

3 UK 1270-6263 10.1.1.A.1.253 United Kingdom
Generic UK 1270-7689 10.1.A.1.434 United Kingdom
O2 Pay monthly UK 1270-4993 10.1.A.1.434 United Kingdom
Vodafone UK 1270-9110 10.1.1.A.1.307 United Kingdom

253 was released on 15th of May 2013 and here we are 6 weeks later no sign of it in the UK for generic Xperia Z. I notice that Sony Mobile support are locking discussions on questions posed by people who have asked when will a firmware update for generic phones be released in the UK. Well done Sony if people pose legitmate questions you lock the discussion; not I add that I posted the questions take a look on the posts on the site and you will see the ones that I am refering to. I guess people will just have to repost the question. It would appear that like Christmas the next Sony firmware update is coming.

Tom

[Lemon]

I just got 4.2.2 with Vodafone in Ireland 2 days ago, and all I can say is this;

If Ireland has gotten the 4.2.2 update, then the UK can't possibly be very far behind, it's probably a simple matter of waiting a few more days at this stage.

Maybe just check once a day with SUS, if there's nothing there in the next 2 weeks, I'd be surprised.

We didn't get either of the previous two updates (253 or 307) - I went straight from the first update to 4.2.2.

So it looks like Sony didn't give us the smaller updates, and just waited until 4.2.2 was ready.

[TomGreene]

Thanks Lemon

The website I got the firmware current avialble firmware versions information from was last updated on the 22 of June so it's prob out of date for Vodafone. I just checked with SUS and 434 firmware is definitely the most up-to-date firmware for a generic Xperia Z. Vodafone seem to get the latest firmwares updates they got 307 in the UK when no-one else did.