Today, Sony began pushing out the much-anticipated Android 4.3 Jelly Bean over-the-air update to all its unlocked Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR and Xperia Tablet Z devices currently located in the United States. In addition to the upgraded build of the open-source operating system, this update also brings a newer version of Sony’s Xperia user interface, plus a multitude of bug fixes, stability improvements and speed optimizations, together with the Japanese company’s newly released “Social Camera” app.

Android 4.3 is the final version in the Jelly Bean software series, and consists of a shedload of new features, all of which can be seen below:

Audio

• Virtual surround sound – enjoy movies from Google Play with surround sound on Nexus 7 (2013 edition) and other Nexus devices.

Dial pad

• Autocomplete – just start touching numbers or letters and the dial pad will suggest phone numbers or names. To turn on this feature, open your phone app settings and enable “Dial pad autocomplete.”

Graphics

• OpenGL ES 3.0 – Android now supports the latest version of the industry standard for high performance graphics.
• Wireless Display for Nexus 7 (2013 edition) and Nexus 10 – project from your tablet to a TV.

Internationalization and localization

• Additional language support – Android is now translated in Africaans, Amharic (አማርኛ), Hindi (हिंदी), Swahili (Kiswahili), and Zulu (IsiZulu).
• Hebrew, Arabic, and other RTL (right-to-left) – now supported in the home screen, settings, and Phone, People, and Keep apps.

Keyboard & input

• Easier text input – an improved algorithm for tap-typing recognition makes text input easier.
• Lower latency input for gamepad buttons and joysticks.

Location

• Location detection through Wi-Fi – use Wi-Fi to detect location without turning on Wi-Fi all the time.

Networking

• Bluetooth Smart support (a.k.a. Bluetooth Low-Energy) – devices like Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 (2013 edition) are now Bluetooth Smart Ready.
• Bluetooth AVRCP 1.3 support – display song names on a car stereo.

Settings

• Disabled apps tab – check which apps are disabled in Settings > Apps.

System

• Restricted profiles – put your tablet into a mode with limited access to apps and content.
• Setup wizard simplification – getting started on Android is easier thanks to the ability to correct previous input, and because of streamlined user agreements.
• Faster user switching – switching users from the lock screen is now faster.
• Enhanced photo daydream – navigate through interesting albums.

Like all of Sony’s major software updates, this one is being rolled out in stages, so if it doesn’t reach your device today, it should do so pretty soon. But if you don’t feel like waiting and want to see if the update is currently available for your handset, head into “Settings”, then “About Device” tap on “Check for Updates”.

• SourceSony