Our readers in the comments often raise the topic of the lack of updates to smartphones on the Android operating system, regardless of their cost. Our foreign colleagues from Ars Technica also asked this question and decided to thoroughly investigate the problem in order to find out what is the root of universal evil. We offer .
Before starting the research, you should immediately pay attention to the fact that not all major manufacturers of Android smartphones willingly share their plans to upgrade to next version Android. And if you carefully analyze the official lists of Sony, Google, HTC and others, you will notice that all of them are united by one very important point... They do not have a single smartphone more than one or two years old. Unfortunately, so far this is the norm for eco Android systems... And it looks like it's not just the "lazy" smartphone makers who have too little incentive to provide quality support for everything sold to you. Sony, for example, worked on Android 7.0 Nougat for the Xperia Z3 released back in 2014 and even added it to the official Android 7.0 development program. Only in order to remove it from the list of supported ones already at the testing stage of the latest beta versions and the final release of Nougat.
After immersion in the topic and communication with competent people, we are forced to admit an unpleasant fact: to release the actual official update for devices using Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 or 801 processors (including Z3) will either very difficult or absolutely impossible... And this is very important, since these two processors are used in almost every Android flagship sold from late 2013 to late 2014 and in several later devices. And this situation has far-reaching implications for the Android ecosystem.
And while it may seem tempting to shift the blame to one particular company - to Google, primarily for creating an outright mess with updates, to Qualcomm for refusing to support old processors, or to smartphone manufacturers responsible for the inability to keep up with new software - in fact, everyone is to blame.
This slightly outdated this moment The infographic released by HTC a few years ago is one of the best illustrations (for more information here) of what a major Android update is. Early on in this process, chip makers like Qualcomm need to decide which SoCs from their own product line they will officially support. "Supported" chips receive new optimized and tested drivers for GPU, modem, and other important system-on-a-chip components, after which the chipmaker releases updated software as part of the Board Support Package distributed to smartphone manufacturers. As a result, BSP, Google's Android source code, and all provided OEM apps and skins are compiled and shipped to consumers as Android updates that can be installed provided the smartphone meets Google's compatibility requirements.
One of the main reasons for the confusion with Android updates is that all these companies need to agree to develop and release this update together - and if something goes wrong at one of the stages of this chain, the update may not take place, until the full stopping the development process.
Based on Ars Technica's own research (and conversations with contributors who chose not to be named), it appears that the main barrier to updating Android 7.0 on older devices is that Qualcomm does not provide support for Snapdragon 800 and 801 processors. When the company was directly asked about the support for Nougat by these SoCs, the official press office replied:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. works closely with our customers to determine which devices are supported by different versions of the Android OS on our Snapdragon chips. The duration of support for processors and updates to the operating system versions available for a particular model is determined in cooperation with our customers. We recommend that you check with your device or media manufacturer for support for Android 7.0 Nougat.
This statement does not confirm that Qualcomm refuses to implement Nougat support in its old chips, but at the same time the company is trying to shift the responsibility to its customers (i.e. OEMs). Simply put, Qualcomm is able to provide Nougat support for older processors, but since a small number of Android smartphone manufacturers actually requested an update, Qualcomm decided not to bother with it.
Why is it important?
This is definitely not the first time that Android devices have died prematurely due to lack of hardware and driver support. Consider the Galaxy Nexus, for example. His life was cut short when Texas Instruments left the ARM chip market. “It was truly an extraordinary event,” said Dave Burke, vice president of development at Google and product manager a few months later. Nexus software“The developer just left the market and there’s not a soul in the building to talk to.”
In our case, the difference is that Qualcomm is not Texas Instruments and is not going anywhere. The company is still not only alive and well, but also dominates the market for high-performance ARM chips, and this statement was even more relevant two or three years ago than it is today. And if you buy a flagship Android smartphone, chances are it will be a Qualcomm smartphone.
This means that the company is extremely important in this chain - if it chooses not to update Android, chooses not to release drivers for this chip, then this is reflected in a huge number of users. This attitude becomes an example for other manufacturers: if a market leader does not support their processors for more than two or three years, why should smaller players like MediaTek, Samsung and others worry about it?
And this is where a vicious circle is created - in practice, manufacturers (as a rule) stop updating their smartphones after a year or two of existence. Consequently, chipmakers stop worrying about servicing their platforms older than a year or two, and therefore manufacturers not may update their smartphones older than a year or two, even if they want to. Hence comes the 18-month minimum figure, which Google over the past 5 years has tacitly and soullessly brought from the "minimum" to the "best" scenario. At the same time, users who do not buy new smartphone on the day of the official start of sales, they suffer even more, since for most devices the update period is determined by the launch date, and not by the date the model was removed from the market.
The Missing Piece of the Puzzle: Checking Compatibility
Some employees Sony those working on Nougat support for the Xperia Z3 have raised other issues regarding compatibility between Android 7.0 and older hardware. One of them honestly confessed that some "technical and legal" barriers prevented the release of the final version of the firmware with Android 7.0 for the Z3, and further in the same thread noted that the smartphone did not pass. There was also some speculation in the thread that CTS for Android 7.0 requires a device to support the new Vulkan graphics API and therefore Qualcomm's lack of GPU driver updates for the Snapdragon 800 and 801 prevents them from being matched. specific requirements... This explanation is flawed for several reasons - for example, the Nexus 9 does not support Vulkan, and yet is fully compatible with Nougat. Plus, in legacy hardware, it's impossible to simply add support for an API like Vulkan in some low-cost way, unless graphics processor was not designed with this condition in mind. The Adreno 400 and 500 series GPUs of Snapdragon 805 and above already support the new API, but the Adreno 300 series GPUs in Snadragon 800 and 801 definitely do not, it doesn't matter if the drivers are updated or not.
Google also changed the essence of CTS for Nougat. focused primarily on getting Android to work as intended, OEMs could make changes to appearance and the operation of the device, but the Google APIs had to remain pristine. This enabled the apps to work as expected on all Google-sanctioned Android devices. t focuses on, providing that Google wants the smartphone upgraded to Nougat to meet certain minimum requirements productivity.
An updated Android compatibility document would give us more information on what these requirements are, but Google still hasn't bothered to publish it. And without it, one can only guess: whether Google has raised Android performance requirements in one form or another, which Snapdragon 800 and 801 cannot cope with (perhaps this is due to the low encryption performance of the data storage, if Nougat closes this loophole - paragraph which was optional in Marshmallow). Whether it's the lack of updated, stable drivers from Qualcomm for the Nougat somehow causing the compatibility tests to fail.
What about security updates?
Everything we've talked about so far applies mainly to major Android updates that add new APIs and make system-level changes. But over the past year or so, Google has also offered small monthly security updates specifically to combat high-level vulnerabilities that have received ridiculous names like "Heartbleed" or "Quadrooter". Vendors probably don't need to develop new drivers to apply these security patches, so you can install them without having the latest, most the best version Android. Google says these fixes can be applied to "at least three recent Android releases" (). Presumably, some of the older versions of these updates will become irrelevant after the release of Nougat, and we do not undertake to predict what will happen to Google's promises about the release of new patches when Android switches to more frequent, regular updates. But at least for now, you don't need to have on hand latest version Android to receive new security patches.
Everyone is to blame
To summarize and remember everyone to blame when you wonder why your two-year-old smartphone won't get Android 7.0 Nougat:
- Your smartphone manufacturer for providing disgusting support for outdated smartphones and slow updating of the latest ones.
- Qualcomm and other chip makers, who, in response to insufficient demand from OEMs, have completely abandoned support for processors more than three years old.
- Google, for probably higher requirements for Android performance and certainly guilty for creating such a chaotic situation. With updates, first of all.
And if your smartphone running Lollipop or Marshmallow has not received an update, this means that its manufacturer or your contract mobile operator are guilty of this in the first place (and the sad news is that many manufacturers' plans for the upgrade are at best undefined).
And for those who still want to update their device, for those who are ready to put up with certain instability and security problems, use updates that do not require passing compatibility tests, installing third-party firmware, such as CyanogenMod, can provide such an opportunity (for example, Samsung Galaxy S2 received Android support 6.0). But, unfortunately, this option does not look realistic for the majority of users who were deceived by the manufacturers to whom they gave their money.
After five months of beta testing, Google has officially released the latest version of its mobile operating system, Android 7.0 Nougat. for the Nexus line, as well as devices registered with Android program Beta.
Of course, the first wave only touches a very small number of smartphones and tablets, compared to more than a billion active Android gadgets - this is the price of platform fragmentation. Now it's up to the manufacturers to prepare the updates. It usually takes months and no one names specific terms.
However, there is already information about certain devices that will definitely receive Android 7.0 Nougat. A number of phones and tablets are likely to update the operating system. And here is a list of gadgets that in the long term - distant or near - expect Android 7.0 Nougat.
Nexus, Pixel C and Android One
The Nexus line has always been the first to update to the latest Android versions. Nothing changed with the arrival of Nougat. The operating system should already be available for models:
- Google Nexus 6,
- Google Nexus 5X,
- Google Nexus 6P,
- Google Nexus 9,
- Google Nexus Player,
- Google Pixel C,
- General Mobile 4G ( Android One).
As you can see, the super popular oldies Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) will not receive Android 7.0 Nougat - it's time to buy a new phone. However, Google engineers also did not improve the budget Android One devices, which are intended for emerging markets.
Samsung
The lineup of the South Korean manufacturer is very wide, so it is not surprising that many gadgets will not be updated. It should be noted that the company is known for slow updates. For example, the Galaxy S6 received Android 6.0 Marshmallow only five months after its official release. Nevertheless, we can expect that "Nugu" will wait:
- Samsung Galaxy S6,
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge,
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus,
- Samsung Galaxy S7,
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge,
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5,
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Active,
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7,
- Samsung Galaxy J3.
According to Samsung, one of the first updates will receive the flagship Note 7. This will happen within two to three months. At the same time, there is no reason not to upgrade to budget employees of the Galaxy J3 level. However, Samsung representatives take some pause and say that they are assessing the situation and will announce their decision in the near future.
Lg
Somewhat unexpectedly, it turned out that one of the first smartphones with pre-installed Android 7.0 will be the LG V20. An expanded list of potential lucky ones looks like this:
- LG G5,
- LG V10,
- LG G4,
- LG V20.
V recent times LG sped up with updates. For example, the LG G4 received Marshmallow three months later. Probably, there will be no big delays this time either.
Noteworthy marketing strategy LG is promoting the same LG V20. The company places particular emphasis on newest version Android, which should undoubtedly hurt and spur other smartphone makers.
Htc
HTC immediately confirmed the Nougat update for three of its devices, which does it credit in our eyes. This will affect:
If we talk about the timing, then Motorola has no stability. In the US market, updates come in a couple of months, and a year after the release of the next version of Android. As the representative of the company explained, the development of updates is complex resource-intensive projects and decisions about updating a particular gadget will be made on an individual basis. It is advised to follow the news on the official website.
In general, last year's models are in question:
- Moto X Style Pure Edition,
- Droid Turbo 2 (Moto X Force),
- Droid Maxx 2 (Moto X Play),
- Moto G (2015),
- Moto E (2015).
ZTE
According to ZTE itself, Axon 7 will receive Android 7.0 "very soon". The update can also be received by phones that were released to the market 1-1.5 years ago:
- ZTE Axon 7,
- ZTE ZMax Pro,
- ZTE Axon Elite,
- ZTE Axon Pro,
- ZTE Axon Max,
- ZTE Axon,
- ZTE ZMax 2,
- ZTE Blade V7.
At the same time, there are no official announcements yet about the exact list of devices and the timing of the update.
Oneplus
The lineup of OnePlus is still quite modest, in connection with which all smartphones should come current version Android:
- OnePlus 3,
- OnePlus X,
- OnePlus 2,
- OnePlus 1.
Recall that the first generation of OnePlus runs on Cyanogen OS, and newer gadgets come with the proprietary OxygenOS shell. Therefore, regarding OnePlus One, it is worth waiting for news from the Cyanogen community. As practice shows, it will not rust behind it, albeit with a delay.
Official OxygenOS firmwares are coming out with a big delay. For example, OnePlus 2 received Marshmallow only in June of this year, while OnePlus X is only available in preview. Nevertheless, there should be updates, it's just not worth waiting for them in the near future.
Sony
Digital Trends received a direct response that Nougat will appear on models:
- Sony Xperia Z3 +,
- Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet,
- Sony Xperia Z5,
- Sony Xperia Z5 Compact,
- Sony Xperia Z5 Premium,
- Sony Xperia X,
- Sony Xperia XA,
- Sony Xperia XA Ultra,
- Sony Xperia X Performance.
According to Sony, the company has no "expiration date" for phones and is working to "bring this major update to the maximum number of devices."
BlackBerry
Less and less has been heard about BlackBerry in recent years, but the company is doing its best to please its loyal fans. Android 7.0 is expected to come to both BlackBerry phones:
- BlackBerry Priv,
- BlackBerry DTEK50.
For reference: BlackBerry Priv made friends with Marshmallow six months later, and BlackBerry DTEK50 came out of the box with it.
Alcatel
Alcatel is one of those manufacturers that are releasing new phones at an astronomical rate. Many models are simply difficult to track, let alone update. Nougat is likely to make its way to the following smartphones:
- Alcatel Idol 4S,
- Alcatel Idol 4,
- Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3.
There is really no information, except that earlier one of the Alcatel executives mentioned the Idol 4S update, "when the company creates a stable firmware based on Nougat."
Huawei
The largest Chinese manufacturer systematically dominates the whole world. Moreover, Huawei pleases not only with hardware, but also with software. Therefore, there is a high probability of updating for models:
- Huawei Mate S,
- Huawei Honor 5X,
- Huawei Honor 5C,
- Huawei Honor GX8 (G8),
- Huawei Honor V8,
- Huawei Honor 7,
- Huawei P9,
- Huawei P9 Lite,
- Huawei P8 Lite,
- Huawei P8.
By direct confirmation, Android 7.0 Nougat will definitely be designed for smartphones:
- Huawei Mate 8,
- Nexus 6P.
The timing, like that of other Chinese vendors, is disappointing. Take the Honor 5X, for example, which only got Marshmallow in June.
Asus
According to preliminary data, Nougat will delight the owners of the following phones:
- Asus ZenFone 3 Laser,
- Asus ZenFone 3 Max,
- Asus ZenFone 3,
- Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe,
- Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra,
- Asus ZenFone Zoom,
- Asus ZenFone 2,
- Asus ZenFone 2 Laser,
- Asus ZenFone Selfie.
Most of these devices are available in selected regions of the world and have received Android 6 over the past few months. Asus did not respond to Digital Trends' requests for comment.
The changes that affected OS Nougat (translated into Russian) were reported back in May last year. At the Google I / O Developers Conference. Then her release was scheduled for the fall. And now, in January 2017, Samsung provides a list of its devices that will be equipped with Nougat.
In the press release of the Korean flagship, it is reported that the new operating system will receive the Galaxy S6, Plus, Edge. Also, the new OS will serve the A-line gadgets (including the Galaxy A3, A8), the Galaxy Note5 phablets.
Updates and tablets will be affected. Nougat will be refreshed Galaxy Tab A, styluses Tab S2, S Pen. Will receive an LTE update that is not tied to an operator. Samsung does not specify a specific timeline for the updates. But he clarifies that the Nougat mailing will take place in the first quarter of 2017.
Samsung started shipping Android 7.0 software a few days ago. Advanced models Galaxy smartphones S7, edge are already getting a fresh OS. Ver.7.0 comes to these devices, not as relevant as 7.1.1, but with a security update from 01/01/2017.
The update has all the basic functionality of Nugat. Including services, Samsung-specific applications. They have a Performance Mode mode that allows you to increase the performance of the device in various scenarios of using the gadget. There is a Multi Window system that can open up to 5 "windows". And Samsung Pass allows you to log into web resources using a single master password.
What is so attractive about Android 7.0 (Nougat)? The main innovations, and there are three of them, are quite practical and necessary for users of the above gadgets.
First of all, the OS performance was optimized. Now there is a possibility of better elaboration and rendering of complicated graphics in 3D. Direct path of applications to the graphics chip reduces the load on the CPU. JIT Compiler "flyby" increases productivity when installing applications, reduces the size of the distribution.
Material on the topic:
The second innovation is a simplified menu. It has significantly increased the productivity of devices. There is a limit to seven recently used programs. There is a Clear All button that allows you to automatically close active applications.
Third new feature Nougat - preparation for work with the "hardware" that provides virtual reality... Subsequent operating systems will be executed with the Daydream VR platform, Android mode VR Mode. This will optimize the operation of applications in the clauses of the artificial computing environment.
After five months of beta testing, Google has officially released the latest version of its mobile operating system, Android 7.0 Nougat. for the Nexus line, as well as devices registered in the Android Beta program.
Of course, the first wave only touches a very small number of smartphones and tablets, compared to more than a billion active Android gadgets - this is the price of platform fragmentation. Now it's up to the manufacturers to prepare the updates. It usually takes months and no one names specific terms.
However, there is already information about certain devices that will definitely receive Android 7.0 Nougat. A number of phones and tablets are likely to update the operating system. And here is a list of gadgets that in the long term - distant or near - expect Android 7.0 Nougat.
Nexus, Pixel C and Android One
The Nexus line has always been the first to update to the latest Android versions. Nothing changed with the arrival of Nougat. The operating system should already be available for models:
- Google Nexus 6,
- Google Nexus 5X,
- Google Nexus 6P,
- Google Nexus 9,
- Google Nexus Player,
- Google Pixel C,
- General Mobile 4G (Android One).
As you can see, the super popular oldies Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) will not receive Android 7.0 Nougat - it's time to buy a new phone. However, Google engineers also did not improve the budget Android One devices, which are intended for emerging markets.
Samsung
The lineup of the South Korean manufacturer is very wide, so it is not surprising that many gadgets will not be updated. It should be noted that the company is known for slow updates. For example, the Galaxy S6 received Android 6.0 Marshmallow only five months after its official release. Nevertheless, we can expect that "Nugu" will wait:
- Samsung Galaxy S6,
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge,
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus,
- Samsung Galaxy S7,
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge,
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5,
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Active,
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7,
- Samsung Galaxy J3.
According to Samsung, one of the first updates will receive the flagship Note 7. This will happen within two to three months. At the same time, there is no reason not to upgrade to budget employees of the Galaxy J3 level. However, Samsung representatives take some pause and say that they are assessing the situation and will announce their decision in the near future.
Lg
Somewhat unexpectedly, it turned out that one of the first smartphones with pre-installed Android 7.0 will be the LG V20. An expanded list of potential lucky ones looks like this:
- LG G5,
- LG V10,
- LG G4,
- LG V20.
Recently, LG has accelerated with the release of updates. For example, the LG G4 received Marshmallow three months later. Probably, there will be no big delays this time either.
Noteworthy is the marketing strategy of LG in promoting the same LG V20. The company is focusing on the latest version of Android, which should undoubtedly hurt and spur other smartphone makers.
Htc
HTC immediately confirmed the Nougat update for three of its devices, which does it credit in our eyes. This will affect:
If we talk about the timing, then Motorola has no stability. In the US market, updates come in a couple of months, and a year after the release of the next version of Android. As the representative of the company explained, the development of updates is complex resource-intensive projects and decisions about updating a particular gadget will be made on an individual basis. It is advised to follow the news on the official website.
In general, last year's models are in question:
- Moto X Style Pure Edition,
- Droid Turbo 2 (Moto X Force),
- Droid Maxx 2 (Moto X Play),
- Moto G (2015),
- Moto E (2015).
ZTE
According to ZTE itself, Axon 7 will receive Android 7.0 "very soon". The update can also be received by phones that were released to the market 1-1.5 years ago:
- ZTE Axon 7,
- ZTE ZMax Pro,
- ZTE Axon Elite,
- ZTE Axon Pro,
- ZTE Axon Max,
- ZTE Axon,
- ZTE ZMax 2,
- ZTE Blade V7.
At the same time, there are no official announcements yet about the exact list of devices and the timing of the update.
Oneplus
The lineup of OnePlus is still quite modest, in connection with which the current version of Android should come to all smartphones:
- OnePlus 3,
- OnePlus X,
- OnePlus 2,
- OnePlus 1.
Recall that the first generation of OnePlus runs on Cyanogen OS, and newer gadgets come with the proprietary OxygenOS shell. Therefore, regarding OnePlus One, it is worth waiting for news from the Cyanogen community. As practice shows, it will not rust behind it, albeit with a delay.
Official OxygenOS firmwares are coming out with a big delay. For example, OnePlus 2 received Marshmallow only in June of this year, while OnePlus X is only available in preview. Nevertheless, there should be updates, it's just not worth waiting for them in the near future.
Sony
Digital Trends received a direct response that Nougat will appear on models:
- Sony Xperia Z3 +,
- Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet,
- Sony Xperia Z5,
- Sony Xperia Z5 Compact,
- Sony Xperia Z5 Premium,
- Sony Xperia X,
- Sony Xperia XA,
- Sony Xperia XA Ultra,
- Sony Xperia X Performance.
According to Sony, the company has no "expiration date" for phones and is working to "bring this major update to the maximum number of devices."
BlackBerry
Less and less has been heard about BlackBerry in recent years, but the company is doing its best to please its loyal fans. Android 7.0 is expected to come to both BlackBerry phones:
- BlackBerry Priv,
- BlackBerry DTEK50.
For reference: BlackBerry Priv made friends with Marshmallow six months later, and BlackBerry DTEK50 came out of the box with it.
Alcatel
Alcatel is one of those manufacturers that are releasing new phones at an astronomical rate. Many models are simply difficult to track, let alone update. Nougat is likely to make its way to the following smartphones:
- Alcatel Idol 4S,
- Alcatel Idol 4,
- Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3.
There is really no information, except that earlier one of the Alcatel executives mentioned the Idol 4S update, "when the company creates a stable firmware based on Nougat."
Huawei
The largest Chinese manufacturer systematically dominates the whole world. Moreover, Huawei pleases not only with hardware, but also with software. Therefore, there is a high probability of updating for models:
- Huawei Mate S,
- Huawei Honor 5X,
- Huawei Honor 5C,
- Huawei Honor GX8 (G8),
- Huawei Honor V8,
- Huawei Honor 7,
- Huawei P9,
- Huawei P9 Lite,
- Huawei P8 Lite,
- Huawei P8.
By direct confirmation, Android 7.0 Nougat will definitely be designed for smartphones:
- Huawei Mate 8,
- Nexus 6P.
The timing, like that of other Chinese vendors, is disappointing. Take the Honor 5X, for example, which only got Marshmallow in June.
Asus
According to preliminary data, Nougat will delight the owners of the following phones:
- Asus ZenFone 3 Laser,
- Asus ZenFone 3 Max,
- Asus ZenFone 3,
- Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe,
- Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra,
- Asus ZenFone Zoom,
- Asus ZenFone 2,
- Asus ZenFone 2 Laser,
- Asus ZenFone Selfie.
Most of these devices are available in selected regions of the world and have received Android 6 over the past few months. Asus did not respond to Digital Trends' requests for comment.
At the I / O 2016 conference, Google announced that users can now register their device for Android 7.0 N Beta Quality Release Candidate. You must have one of the last Google devices Nexus or Sony smartphone Xperia Z3 to use this beta.
Not even a year has passed since the current version of Android 6.0 was released, and many Android owners are still waiting for it to become available for their devices. That hasn't stopped Google from working on its successor, Android 7.0.
But while it’s too early to talk about the full launch of Android 7.0 Nougat, you can download and install it right now, albeit with some caveats.
Firstly, this is a developer preview, which means it's not intended for regular smartphone owners, but rather for app developers who want to make sure their products work with Android 7.0 Nougat. So if you are waiting for new advanced Android capabilities 7.0, you should be prepared for some bugs and bugs as well.
The second important thing is that Android 7.0 currently only works with certain devices - such as Google's Pixel C tablet, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Nexus 9, or Xperia Z3.
Things to do before downloading and installing Android 7.0 Nougat
First of all, you must make sure that you spend backup devices. Android 7.0 Nougat Developer Preview has bugs, so if it doesn't work, or if Android 7.0 Nougat just isn't for you, having a backup will allow you to go back to previous version Android is fast and easy.
Make sure your device has the built-in backup feature enabled by going to Settings> Backup & reset and make sure that Back up my data and Automatic recovery"There are check marks.
You can also create backups your photos by connecting your Android devices to PC with via USB.
You can now download Android 7.0 N from your Android device. First, visit the Android Nougat Developer Preview webpage to view all the information. This page provides an overview of the different stages of the preview, giving you a good idea of what kind of features to expect and when.
To download, go to the Beta Program website and sign in using account Google. Once you are logged in, you will see your matching devices listed. To register your device for beta testing, click the Register Device button. Once your device is registered, you will receive Android 7.0 Nougat updates over the air.
Alternatively, you can manually install the Android 7.0 Nougat update by downloading and installing the Android 7.0 system image. This is a riskier and more complex upgrade path. However, you will not receive updates automatically. If you still decide to go down this path, you need to read google instruction how to flash a Nexus device.
Reverting to an earlier version of Android
If you want to come back for more early version Android, then deregister the device on the Beta Test Program website. The update will remove Android 7.0 and install the latest stable version Android.
Installing Android 7.0 Nougat on Sony Xperia Z3
Once you have confirmed that you have a compatible version of the Sony Xperia Z3, then next step will back up your data and files as we described on the previous page. After that, install the latest version of the program Xperia Companion... You may have noticed that when you connect your Sony Xperia device to your PC, a pop-up window asks if you want to install the Xperia Companion software.
You can download the latest Xperia Companion software from the Sony website. Then connect your Xperia Z3 to a USB port on your computer or Mac. Software Sony software Xperia should launch automatically when your computer recognizes your smartphone. While holding down the Alt key on the keyboard, click on the "Software repair" button. A step-by-step guide will now guide you through the process of downloading and installing Android 7.0 Nougat.
At some point, you will be prompted to disconnect your Xperia Z3 from your computer and then turn off your device. After the Xperia Z3 has turned off, hold down the volume down key on your smartphone, connect it back to your computer and Android installation 7.0 Nougat will continue ..
If you want to downgrade to an earlier version of Android, connect your Xperia Z3 to your computer and launch Xperia program Companion. Click on "Software repair" and follow the instructions to reset your device - but remember that this will also destroy all of your data, so make sure you back up first.