The Sony Xperia X and the Sony Xperia X Compact launched with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow back in 2016. In 2017, both phones received an upgrade to Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and the age of the devices hasn't stopped Sony from supporting them with new software. This week, the Xperia X and Xperia X Compact started receiving Android 8.0 Oreo-based firmware with the build number 34.4.A.0.364 (from 34.3.A.0.252), which includes features like picture-in-picture mode, Autofill, Smart Text Selection, background app limiting, Notification Dots, and new emoji.
The Xperia X and Xperia X Compact might be nearly two years old, but their specs are nothing to scoff at. Both phones have Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 system-on-chips, 3GB of RAM, and battery capacities slightly less than 3,000mAh (the Xperia X Compact has a 2,700mAh battery, and the Xperia X has a 2,620mAh battery). The real difference between them is the screen sizes -- the Xperia X Compact, which has a smaller form factor, has a smaller, lower-resolution screen (4.6 inches, 720p). The Xperia X, on the other hand, has a 5-inch Full HD screen.
The phones' other highlights include 23MP rear cameras, fingerprint scanners, and compatibility with Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0 rapid charging tech.
If you've got an Xperia X or Xperia X Compact lying around and you're looking to try out the Oreo update, head to the Settings menu, scroll to About phone, and check for the new firmware manually. If you're feeling impatient and have a variant with an unlocked bootloader, we recommend stopping by the XDA forums for guides on how to install the update early. Be forewarned, though, that the process is slightly more involved -- you'll need to use Flashtool to install the over-the-air update files once they're available. But it's not particularly difficult, and there are plenty of posts on the Xperia X and Xperia X Compact forums that'll help you out if you get stuck.