We announced at launch that the Xperia 10 VI would receive three Android OS upgrades. However, after a detailed technical assessment, we determined that due to limitations related to the device’s storage configuration, the Xperia 10 VI does not support an Android 17 upgrade experience that we consider adequate. Accordingly, we have decided not to make this upgrade available.
No, seriously, after tasting GrapheneOS, going back to any device that doesn’t support it feels not just like a step backwards, but more like a leap face down from a skyscraper (the skyscraper one might be more enjoyable for a few secs, actually). This kind of BS from Sony is one of the reasons.
Your Pixel gets new GrapheneOS releases because Google keeps pushing Android releases for it.
Sony is one of the few other remaining phone manufacturers which still allow 3rd party OSes and release sources. So this matters for LineageOS users. Graphene is not the only one.
Yes, I know. I’m not saying Pixels are good. They’re pretty much trash, just as everything else.
The problem with Sony and LineageOS (and other manufacturers and ROMs where applicable) is that once the official updates are gone, the new sources are gone too. So you’re stuck with old unpatched drivers, old unpatched firmware, old unpatched kernel (because porting old drivers to the new kernel is a pretty non-trivial task) and so on.
Even with Pixels, they don’t ship device trees for them anymore, so GOS team had to reimplement it themselves.
So from my side it’s not a particular bashing of Sony, it’s a bashing of the whole industry in general.