Sony Ericsson Releases Ice Cream Sandwich Alpha ROM for Experienced Users
Kevin Krause
In a rather unprecedented move, Sony Ericsson has released an alpha build of Android 40 for their Xperia line of smartphones. The build is installable on unlocked handsets and is intended for use by advanced developers and experienced users. While the ROM contains many of the new features found in Ice Cream Sandwich, it is not intended for everyday use. Many features remain absent, including the ability to place phone calls. Here is the full list:
Google Mobile Services (GMS) apps are not included (for example, Gmail, Google Maps, etc.).
Modem is turned off and SIM card will therefore not be recognised (this also means you can’t make any phone calls).
Bluetooth™ is turned off.
Wi-Fi® is turned off.
ANT+ is turned off.
FM-radio is turned off.
The build is intended to demonstrate ICS running on Xperia devices as well as provide developers with a bit of a jumping off point. It is also Sony Ericsson’s way of saying “we are working on an update, but it’s complicated” and “we are making a big effort to show our support of independent Android developers and the open source community.” You can find the downloadable ROM, instructions, and other details at the source link below.