New firmware has been certified by the PTCRB for the Xperia Z3+ with build number 32.1.A.0.434. Yes, this is the Android 6.0 Marshmallow release and compares to current firmware version 28.0.A.8.272 (Android 5.0.2 Lollipop).

Perhaps, yesterday’s reported release date of 7 March is true after all. If this firmware is the official final release, then expect the same build number to appear on the Xperia Z5 series as well as the Xperia Z4 Tablet. We’ll keep you posted once we hear more.

Thanks Ariz and Haziq!

As we continually get asked when Android 6.0 Marshmallow is due for Xperia devices, we thought we’d quickly give you the latest word straight from the horse’s mouth. Sony Mobile confirmed this morning that it was still working on the Marshmallow update and that more news was expected in the “coming weeks”. This would tie in with the 7 March 2016 release date reported before. We’ll bring you more news as we have it.

Sony Mobile has kick-started its Concept for Android firmware updates once again – releasing build number MMB29M.Z1.3536-somc for Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact owners on the program. This is a small update that includes Google’s February 2016 security patches. Sony developers also confirmed that they will start to release Concept updates more frequently from now.

Thanks Chaturanga and Vicky!

Verizon has confirmed on its support pages that both the Sony Xperia Z3v and Xperia Z2 Tablet will shortly be receiving the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop firmware update. Whilst the Xperia Z2 Tablet is currently running Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, the Xperia Z3v is still on Android 4.4.4 KitKat – although, the handset did update to Android 5.0.2 unofficially through leaked firmware.

The new update will move the Xperia Z3v from build number 23.0.E.1.44 to version 23.4.B.0.319, with the Xperia Z2 Tablet moving to the same build number from version 23.1.D.0.508. Whilst Verizon’s support pages have been updated to confirm the new firmware, the update has not started to roll. We will follow up, once it has been released.

Thanks GigaSPX and WilliamTell13!

A quick follow-up from our earlier post, it looks like the Verizon Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update has now started to hit Xperia Z3v and Z2 Tablet users. The new update moves the build number to 23.4.B.0.319 and introduces HD Voice. However, a note of caution, we are receiving reports that some users are not able to send/receive SMS text messages once upgrading. We will include FTF firmware links below as soon as we have them. In the meantime, please feel free to post your impressions on the update below.

Thanks Xperia Fan and thefaze!

Sony’s Concept for Android is an initiative that the company has been beta-testing since the summer. The trial initially started with Android Lollipop to a small number of users in the Nordic region. The idea behind the Concept was to strip back the software to an experience much closer to vanilla Android, but to focus on battery life, performance, frequent updates and the inclusion of key Sony apps and experiences.

These elements remained the foundation as the Sony Concept programme moved onto Android Marshmallow in October and the trial expanded to a wider number of users. We have been using Sony’s Concept for Android 6.0 Marshmallow edition as a daily driver for a few months now and it has become our favourite Sony Xperia software experience to date. Read on to find out about the potentially very promising future that Sony is heading in.

For those that regularly follow the blog, you will be aware that the Sony Concept for Android Marshmallow edition is only open to two Xperia models – the Xperia Z3 (D6603) and Xperia Z3 Compact (D5803). We have been testing the Marshmallow Concept on the Xperia Z3 and we’ve been surprised how different an experience it is compared to stock Sony Android Lollipop firmware.

The Xperia Z3 flies on Marshmallow Concept

What is most immediately apparent when you first fire up the Xperia Marshmallow Concept is the speed of the handset. The Xperia Z3 just flies compared to the stock Sony experience – apps open almost immediately, there is hardly any lag when swiping between menus and the UI is just a delight to use and navigate. Sony has created very stable software, with few glitches experienced.

Having used every premium Sony Xperia device released, the performance of the Xperia Z3 on Concept Marshmallow firmware has no equal (yes, even compared to the latest Xperia Z5 series). We’ve sometimes been amazed that the Xperia Z3 running the Concept software is actually the same that we used previously on stock. There’s such a difference in performance that if we didn’t know better, we would have guessed hardware differences were driving the better performance.

Battery performance takes advantage of Doze

The more recent premium Sony Xperia handsets already have a good reputation when it comes to battery life. Sony’s ‘two-day’ battery life has been extensively used in its marketing materials for certain handsets and the Xperia Z3 is known to be one of Sony’s best performers. However, combining this with Android Marshmallow’s native Doze feature, delivers even greater longevity to the Xperia Z3.

Unlike Sony’s STAMINA battery mode, the Marshmallow Doze feature does not need to be enabled. It is an inherent part of the Android 6.0 operating system and comes into its own once your device is idle. The mode substantially increases the standby time of your mobile, but doesn’t actually affect what happens whilst you are using your phone. Despite this, we have experienced longer screen-on time than compared to the stock Sony Xperia firmware. We would regularly achieve a screen on time of over four hours with 25% charge left – this is whilst actively using Lifelog and push email.

Frequent OTA updates – with detailed changelogs

We have really enjoyed how Sony has delivered updates to the Marshmallow Concept firmware. All of the updates arrive OTA (over-the-air) and each clearly shows a detailed changelog to show exactly which new features or bug fixes are included in the new software. Many Sony Xperia users have been left frustrated in the past when it comes to new updates with everyone left guessing about what has changed. We would be delighted to see detailed changelogs such as the ones included in the Concept Marshmallow carry over to stock Sony firmware releases.

The Sony Concept Marshmallow engineers have also done a fantastic job in listening to feedback and pushing out timely updates. Sony was pushing out updates on at least a weekly basis up until the turn of the year, which combined with detailed changelogs, gives the impression that the company is genuinely trying to provide a software experience with its users in mind. Obviously, we wouldn’t expect this pace of updates to continue with the official stock rollout, but it bodes well if we see a change of tact nonetheless for more frequent updates.

Expand internal storage through the SD card

One of the great new features of Android 6.0 Marshmallow is the ability to use a microSD memory card as part of your internal storage. Once you insert a memory card you are given the option to format the memory card as internal storage. Once you do so, you will not be able to extract the card and use in your PC to access any files – it will only work in the Xperia device. You will have to re-format the card again if you want to use it as a normal card. The advantage of this is you will not need to worry about worrying about storage, especially if you install a lot of large sized apps or games. However, the downside is that if you use a memory card with low read/write speeds then you may notice some of your apps/games may run more sluggishly than before.

The micro SD memory card acting as portable storage (left) and as part of internal storage (right). Once the SD card is part of internal storage, you can see the total internal storage moves up from 11.57GB to 70.05GB in this example using a 64GB SD card.

We hope Sony plans to implement Marshmallow’s adoptable storage in its official release, we recently saw a number of manufacturers drop this feature for this handsets. For example, neither the upcoming LG G5 nor Samsung Galaxy S7 flagships will feature adoptable storage. We hope Sony leaves the choice down to the user, even if it is hidden in a developer setting somewhere.

Sony launcher allows you to uninstall most pre-baked apps

This is a change that we have started to see more recently in the newer Sony firmware releases. Sony is now allowing users to uninstall many of its own apps, which were once baked in. Recent firmware for the Xperia M4 Aqua was a good example and something much needed for M4 Aqua owners given how little internal storage there is within the 8GB SKU. However, this also extends to some Google apps too, which means you can keep your handset ‘cleaner’ without resorting to root.

Generally, we’re big fans of the new home launcher introduced in the Concept for Android Marshmallow. It offers various levels of customisation to deliver a home screen just how you want it.

Sony’s key apps included

Sony has complemented the largely vanilla Android Marshmallow build with some of its core apps including Album, Music and Email. Sony was adding new features all of the time and was considering adding others including DualShock4 support, FM Radio, Camera API2 and Automatic unlock (pin code) amongst others.

Sony’s camera app is also included, although this is no different to what is seen on other Xperia handsets. Sony has not used the new camera UI as seen in the Z5 series Picture quality was no different to the previous stock firmware from our testing.

Overall thoughts – A strong foundation for future success

Sony Mobile says that the Concept for Android programme is an “experimental consumer driven software” with a long time horizon. It gives Sony the chance to experiment with features and delivery, whilst maintaining a close link with the community. This cannot be said of the official firmware, where in most cases there is very little notice of updates, no changelogs on release and a lot of guesswork from the community.

The Concept for Android firmware has been a success in our eyes and it would be folly for Sony not to build on this, taking the best parts such as fast updates and stable software as a platform for future builds. If the company can take some of these best elements into the consumer release, it is hard to see anything but success for Sony’s software.

Sony Mobile Japan has launched the Android 6.0 Marshmallow firmware update for the Xperia Z5 series. The update is currently rolling to the devices on carrier NTT docomo and moves the build number to 32.1.F.0.43 for the Xperia Z5 (SO-01H), Z5 Compact (SO-02H) and Z5 premium (SO-03H).

You can check out some screenshots from the new update below, a full set can be found at the source link. This news hopefully means that the global Xperia Marshmallow rollout will be on the horizon very shortly.

New home screen pane transitions

Small app toolbar disappears when scrolling

Delete option added when taking a screenshot

New camera UI

Bookmark multiple contacts at once

Via Sony Japan.

Thanks to all that sent this in!

The Sony Xperia Android 6.0 Marshmallow rollout officially begins today for most. Last week we saw the update land on Japanese NTT docomo Xperia Z5 devices, but today the update has started for the global variants. At the time of writing, firmware build 32.1.A.1.163 is currently live across all variants of the Xperia Z5, but we are also starting to see the firmware seed for the Xperia Z5 Premium and Xperia Z5 Compact.

The new update is Android 6.0 only (no version 6.0.1 just yet), although it does include the latest February 2016 security patches from Google. The update includes native Marshmallow features such as enhanced privacy settings for app data permissions and greater battery life with Doze. The other main new addition is the home launcher.

Sony has not included STAMINA mode within this update, although it is expected to bring it back in a later firmware update. Also, Sony looks like it is following other manufacturers and has not included adoptable storage within the update. This is a shame as it means you cannot use a microSD memory card to expand the phone’s internal storage.

We will include all FTF firmware links below soon enough, but in the meantime, let us know your initial impressions as soon as you’ve updated.

Thanks Aman, Dilesh, DionKS, Glimmer, Linh, Michael, Rob, Tallguy and TomasARN!

Today is a big software day for Sony Mobile, as well as starting the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for the Xperia Z5 series, the company has also started the update for both the Xperia Z3+ and Xperia Z4 Tablet. Firmware build 32.1.A.1.163 represents Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the same as the version number on the Xperia Z5 series.

At the time of writing, the update is live on both Wi-Fi (SGP712) and LTE (SGP771) variants of the Xperia Z4 Tablet and the single-SIM Xperia Z3+ (E6553), however we expect the Xperia Z3+ Dual to follow shortly. As always, we will include FTF firmware links below in due course. Please do post screenshots and let us know your impressions below as soon as you have updated.

Thanks Daniel, domell98, KubsiJack, Microwavable Quaver!

Sony Mobile has released a new firmware update for the Xperia M4 Aqua today, but before you get too excited, this is only a small update on Android 5.0 Lollipop. No Marshmallow for Xperia M4 Aqua owners just yet.

This is a global update and is live across all variants of the Xperia M4 Aqua (E2303, E2353, E2306) and Xperia M4 Aqua Dual (E2312, E2333, E2363). The single SIM variants have been updated to build number 26.1.A.3.111 (from 26.1.A.2.167), whilst the dual SIM variants have been updated to version 26.1.B.3.109 (from 26.1.B.2.147). Feel free to post your impressions once you’ve updated. In the meantime, we’ll keep you posted once the big Android 6.0 Marshmallow firmware starts to roll.

Thanks Adian!

Sony Mobile has just published a very short video on the key changes brought about by Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The video highlights some of the native Marshmallow features such as granting permissions to apps, easier text editing and better sharing capabilities.

It also focuses on the new camera UI, being able to adjust shots in real time and swiping to switch shooting modes. This new Camera 2.0.0 app was actually introduced last November so it’s not a new feature in Marshmallow. The video also shows the easy in-app access to stickers within the Xperia Messaging app. You can check it out below.

Sony Mobile officially commenced the Android 6.0 Marshmallow rollout earlier in the week. One of the new native features from Marshmallow was ‘doze mode’. This power-saving feature cannot be switched on or off. It is automatically enabled once your screen is off, restricting apps access to the network and CPU-intensive tasks. However, high-priority push messages will still work.

If you’re wondering whether this sounds similar, that is because Sony’s STAMINA battery mode has done something broadly similar. STAMINA mode was first introduced around three years ago on Sony Xperia devices, restricting the background activities of most apps once the feature was enabled. More recently, Sony introduced Ultra STAMINA mode, which more aggressively restricts the phone use when the screen is off, leaving you access to a few basis features such as phone and messaging.

However, Sony’s STAMINA mode is not included in the latest Xperia Marshmallow firmware, perhaps not a surprise given the similarity with Doze mode. We have had many people getting in touch asking us whether we will see it return. Well according to Sony Japan’s recent Marshmallow changelog, STAMINA mode is expected to return in a new software update due in late April 2016.

We don’t know how Sony will differentiate STAMINA mode against Google’s Doze mode that is integrated into the software, but we’re keen to find out. Would you like to see STAMINA mode return? Or is Doze mode working well for you? Let us know in the comments below.

Update: We have just seen the following notice in the Xperia Beta program, which clouds whether we will see STAMINA return in a later Marshmallow update:

WHERE’S THE STAMINA MODE?

The Marshmallow version of Android has its own smart solution for managing power consumption (Doze and App Standby). These functions are integrated directly into Android 6.0, which made Stamina mode redundant. In other words, Stamina mode was removed from M.

Sony Mobile announced the “Xperia Beta” a month back, which was a chance for a selected number of users to test a pre-release version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. At the time, Sony was taking registrations for the programme, which was restricted to Xperia Z3, Z2 and Z3 Compact owners in Italy, Spain and Netherlands.

Well the first firmware release started to roll for those in the Xperia Beta programme over the last few days, updating handsets to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow via build number 23.5.A.0.486. Just to avoid confusion, this Marshmallow Beta is a different strand of software to the Marshmallow Concept. The former is pre-release software that will eventually hit all handsets, whilst the latter is a form of experimental software to test out new ideas.

Obviously, we have already seen Sony release Android 6.0 to its newer flagship devices such as the Xperia Z3+ and Z5 series, but we imagine this Xperia Beta will be used to directly communicate with Sony Mobile’s developers to refine the Marshmallow update for all devices over the coming weeks/months.

The beta updates handsets to Android 6.0.1, a slightly higher version than that seen in the Xperia Z3+/Z5 series (Android 6.0). However, the security patches in the beta are from December 2015, rather than the latest February 2016 patch as seen in the Z3+/Z5 update.

It is great to see that Xperia Z2/Z3 owners will get the new Camera 2.0.0 user interface, as initially seen in the Xperia Z5 models. This means you can now swipe between different camera modes such as video or manual. There are also sliders, allowing you to adjust factors such as brightness in real time.

The beta also includes the latest home launcher (version 10.0.A.0.10), which brings a search option into the app tray. The main feature removed, as compared to the Concept home launcher (10.0.A.0.5), are the home screen layout options i.e. there is no option to choose between ‘Classic’ and ‘Modern’, the latter of which places all installed apps onto the home screen.

As with the Xperia Z3+/Z5 Marshmallow update, STAMINA mode has been removed and there is no option for adoptable storage.

We have only had very limited time with the beta , but already we have noticed the software is very responsive and smooth. We can’t comment on battery life right now, given our limited testing, but given our experiences on the Concept Marshmallow software we have high hopes. Overall, it looks like Xperia Z2/Z3 owners have a worthwhile update to look forward to.

Thanks Matteo, Mr. J and Niek!

It is that time of the year again, where we have a major Android release and people want to update as soon as possible. We have received numerous requests from Xperia Z3+ and Z5 owners asking how they can manually update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, using third-party utilities Flashtool and XperiFirm.

We’ve covered the process many times before, the last time being a year ago when Android 5.0 Lollipop made an appearance. Therefore, it seems like a natural time to revisit the guide. It is worth noting that whilst the tutorial below shows how to install Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the procedure can be used to flash ANY firmware build for ANY Sony Xperia device. The steps are also the same to debrand any Sony Xperia device that is currently on carrier-specific software.

Installing Xperia Marshmallow using Flashtool and XperiFirm [TUTORIAL]

Disclaimer: Please read the following instructions thoroughly before attempting to flash your phone. Xperia Blog absolves itself from any responsibility should something go wrong. Please proceed with caution and at your own risk.

Note: You will not void the warranty of your Sony Xperia device by flashing new firmware using this guide. In addition, you do NOT need to unlock your bootloader nor do you need root to flash your handset.

It is recommended that you create a backup of your existing regional/carrier firmware just in case you need to send your device back for repair. The instructions below can be used to create any firmware file, so use these to create a backup with the relevant firmware build.

Part 1: Preparation

One of the primary reasons people encounter problems in flashing their device is due to not installing the correct drivers on their computer. Please ensure that drivers for your Sony Xperia device and Flashtool software are correctly installed on your PC before attempting to install new software.

Note: This guide is written for Windows users in mind only.

1) Install drivers for your Sony Xperia

You need to ensure that your PC has all of the necessary drivers installed for your Sony Xperia device. The best way to do this is to install Sony PC Companion.

Make sure you connect your Xperia to the PC before starting the process to download the necessary USB and ADB drivers. The best way to do this is to power off your Sony Xperia and then connect to your PC whilst holding the volume down button.

2) Install Flashtool

Download and install Flashtool from the official website here. This guide is based on using Flashtool version 0.9.19.10.

Install Flashtool drivers from the following location: ‘C:\Flashtool\drivers’. Tick the “Flashmode Drivers” and “Fastboot Drivers” to install.

Note: To install the Flashtool drivers for Windows 8/8.1/10, please follow the steps below.

A) Press the Windows key + R together and in the ‘Run’ box type: shutdown.exe /r /o /f /t 00
– Now make the following selections to boot into the Start Up Setting Screen: Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Start Up Settings > Restart
– Then, when the machine restarts, select number 7 i.e. “Disable driver signature enforcement”. Your machine will start with Driver signing enforcement disabled until the next reboot.

B) Now you can install the Flashtool drivers.
– Windows will warn that the driver is not signed and will require you to confirm the installation.
– Once the installation is complete, reboot the machine

3) Enable “USB debugging” and “Unknown sources” on your Sony Xperia device

‘USB debugging’: Settings > Developer options

‘Unknown sources’: Settings > Security

Part 2: Create your FTF firmware file

You will need a FTF firmware file to install new software onto your device. The following section explains how to create your own FTF firmware file, however if you have downloaded a FTF file from the Firmware Resource section of our website or elsewhere, you can skip this step and proceed to part 3.

To create your FTF firmware file, you will first need to launch Flashtool and then click on the XperiFirm icon as highlighted below.

You should now see the XperiFirm software launch into a new window. Navigate to your handset on the left pane. You can then choose the firmware for your region/carrier in the middle pane. The pane on the right side will show you which firmware is available for that region. Click on it to download the file.

Important: Only download firmware for your model and variant number. For example, if you own an Xperia Z5 (E6653), only browse and download the firmware builds listed under E6653.

Once clicked, you are asked to confirm whether you want to download the firmware. Ensure that “Unpack automatically” is ticked and then click “Download” to proceed.

Once complete, you will see the following pop message “Unpacked Successfully!” Click OK.

The same “Unpacked successfully!” message will appear on the download dialog. Click “Close” to proceed to the next step.

You will now revert back to Flashtool, which will start creating your FTF firmware file.

Once you see “Torrent file creation finished” then your FTF firmware file has been successfully created.

To ensure the FTF firmware file has been created, navigate to the following location on your PC: “C:\Users\[Your PC Name]\.flashTool\firmwares”

Part 3: Flash your FTF firmware file

This section details the steps needed in order to flash new firmware onto your Sony Xperia device.

First of all, open Flashtool and then click on the lightning bolt in the top left of Flashtool as highlighted below.

Select “Flashmode” and click “OK”.

You should already be in the source folder where the FTF firmware files are located. If not, navigate to: “C:\Users\[Your PC Name]\.flashTool\firmwares”

Select the firmware build version that you want to flash from the “Firmware” pane. Ensure the device variant is the same as the model number of your Sony Xperia device.

If you want to retain your apps, data and media (photos, videos, music), then ensure that the “USERDATA” option within the “Wipe” pane is unticked. However, we recommend that when upgrading a major new Android version, a clean install is the way to go. In this case, tick all options under the “Wipe” pane. This will wipe all of your data though including your photos and videos, so please ensure you have these backed up elsewhere.

Important: If you skipped Part 2 of the guide as you already had your own FTF firmware file, then you may see the following ‘SIMLOCK’ option ticked under the “MiscTA Exclude” pane. DO NOT untick SIMLOCK as it could lead to problems with the network lock on your device.

Click “Flash”. Flashtool will then indicate that it is “preparing files for flashing”.

You may have to wait around 60 seconds for the pop-up below to appear. Once it does, you should now connect your Sony Xperia device. Make sure the device is powered off and then hold the ‘volume down’ button whilst connecting the USB cable. Once the pop-up disappears and flashing has started, you can let go of the ‘volume down’ button.

Flashtool will then start flashing your Xperia device.

Once you see “Flashing finished” as indicated below, your Sony Xperia has been successfully flashed.

Congratulations you have just installed Android Marshmallow! Now disconnect your Xperia device and power on the handset. Don’t worry if it takes a while for the handset to boot, this is to be expected.

To confirm that you have upgraded the phone software, click on ‘Settings > About phone’, which will reveal your new Android version and firmware build number.

If you would also like to confirm the region firmware that you have downloaded, you will need to access the service menu option. To do this, open the dialler and enter the following: *#*#7378423#*#*

Then click ‘Service info > Software info’. The CDF is an eight digit number under the “Customization Version” that should tie in with the firmware you downloaded from XperiFirm. For example, you will notice below that the CDF (software customisation version) of 1298-7362 matches the same firmware that we downloaded in the XperiFirm screenshots above.

Sony Mobile will shortly update the Android Marshmallow Beta for Xperia Z2/Z3 devices with a few fixes. A notice was sent today to all those in the beta that a forthcoming update will fix the double-tap to wake problems that some people had. There is also a fix for those that are having audio problems with Bluetooth. We’ll let you know once the bug-fix update starts to roll.

Thanks Niek!

Sony Mobile has included a new home launcher (10.0.A.0.24) with some neat features in the latest Concept for Android Marshmallow firmware update. The new firmware update moves the build number to MMB29M.Z1.3550-somc and also includes Google’s March 2016 security updates as well as a more simplified UI when connecting your phone to a PC via USB.

However, the main talking point of this new update is the brand new Home which introduces double-tap to sleep for the first time to Sony Xperia devices. Once enabled through the settings, you just simply double-tap on an empty space of your home screen to put the device to sleep. The new launcher also removes the “Modern” view following user feedback and adds app recommendations.

Sony confirmed that the problem around Wi-Fi battery statistics will be fixed in the next release. The team has also now got the FM radio working internally and should be released at some point.

If you are wondering about icon pack support within the launcher, Sony is getting in touch with developers to support Xperia Home. Icon pack developers need to update their icon packs to support Xperia Home before it will work. With regards to the hack on XDA, Sony says that this “pretends to be some other launcher, which is not something we can do for the official version.”

Sony Mobile is rolling a new firmware build for the Concept for Android Marshmallow that brings the camera app in line with the Xperia Z5 series. Sony has confirmed that only the app is updated and not the API2. The developers have also suggested that they plan to focus more on the camera in the future. The other main change is a fix for the Wi-Fi battery statistics.

From our quick initial test, there appear to be no changes in the camera app versus what we have on the Xperia Z5 range. It also carries the same 2.0.0 build number. The latest camera UI is also expected to hit Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact and Z2 users in the upcoming Android 6.0 Marshmallow update.

Sony Mobile is pushing a small firmware update for the Xperia M5, which moves the build number to 30.1.A.1.55 for the single SIM variants (E5603, E5606, E5653) and version 30.1.B.1.55 for the dual SIM variants (only E5633 and E5663 are live right now).

This is a small update from the previous version (30.1.X.1.46) and keeps the handset on Android 5.1 Lollipop. A number of owners have been suffering from a shutdown issue, so hopefully this update has provided a fix. If you’ve installed the update let us know your impressions in the comments below.

Download FTF Firmware files – Xperia M5

Xperia M5 (E5603) 30.1.A.1.55 Central Europe 5 Generic (Android 5.1 Lollipop)
Xperia M5 (E5606) 30.1.A.1.55 Latin America Generic (Android 5.1 Lollipop)
Xperia M5 (E5653) 30.1.A.1.55 Singapore Generic (Android 5.1 Lollipop)

Download FTF Firmware files – Xperia M5 Dual

Xperia M5 Dual (E5633) 30.1.B.1.55 Russia Generic (Android 5.1 Lollipop)
Xperia M5 Dual (E5663) 30.1.B.1.55 India Generic (Android 5.1 Lollipop)

Thanks Dhruvil, Faisal and Parag!

A number of Sony Xperia Z5 users have been reporting issues when upgrading to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. One of the more common problems is with the Google Play Store, which crashes as soon as you try to open it. No amount of clearing the cache, or app data will resolve the problem. The main fix is to do a clean install of the firmware, which can be a pain, especially if you do not have a backup.

This is an issue that we came across ourselves when we upgraded to Marshmallow and had to reinstall the software to fix the problem. There is a long thread of others on the official Sony Mobile Talk forums who have had a similar issue. Sony’s advice can be seen below on how to resolve the problem, but the number of complaints has led Sony Canada to pull the update until it can provide a fix. If you had the issue let us know below, including how you resolved it.

Sony’s official advice on how to resolve the Marshmallow Google Play Store issue

1. Clear the data of the Play Store. To do this on your Z5:
Go to Settings > Apps > > Show system > Google Play Store > Storage > Clear Data.

2. Disable location services. To do this on your Z5:
Go to Settings > Location > Move the slider to the Off position.

3. Reinstall the Android system.
To do this on an Xperia device, please follow the steps here.

Sony Mobile has released a small firmware update for the Concept for Android Marshmallow, which moves the build number to MMB29V.Z1.3561. The update includes the latest Wi-Fi firmware, Google security update (18 March 2016) and a fix for video recording when “Ok Google” is enabled.

However, the main new feature is a new app called InTouch, which replaces the Beta feedback app. The app allows users to communicate with Sony with any issues/feedback. This launch has coincided with a new Google+ community (click here), which is now open to all users running the Concept firmware, yes even those that have installed it unofficially. So now, all Concept users you provide feedback direct to Sony.

Thanks Max!