After months of waiting and various delays, Sony Ericsson have put a firm date down for the release of the Android 2.1 update. We’ve previously heard that the update will be rolled out in kits, where a kit configuration depends on your handset configuration. For example, the color and bundled accessories with your handset can have an impact on which kit you’ll have but, most importantly the regional settings are the main reasons for a different kit set. The first market/kit to be rolled out will be to those with Nordic X10 handsets. The update will begin from the evening of October 21st, European time. Other kits will be rolled out on Monday and throughout November. As of yet though, we don’t know what order the kits will be rolled out, or for which countries.

It’s also noted that the kits being rolled out are generic kits, so will apply to non branded handsets. Network branded handsets may have an additional delay, which we’ve already seen in the UK with O2 and the R2BA026 Sony Ericsson firmware update.

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Since the delay of Android 2.1 for the Xperia family, a lot of questions have been raised. Many of which had previously been asked but, with the delay had become top Xperia questions again. While Rikard Skogberg did his best to answer them, this still left many users disappointed. Sony Ericsson Brazil have provided a question and answer page about the Android updates for the Xperia range.

The first question on everyone’s lips is of course, when will Android 2.1 be released? Sony Ericsson Brazil have said that the update will be out early November for unbranded handsets. For operator branded handsets though, the release should be late November. They go on to say the Android 2.1 update is for the X10, X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro, with no mention of the Xperia X8. They are also working with their partners to get phones purchased after the Android update release date to feature 2.1 but, some handsets may still need to be updated. Where as any Xperia phones manufactured after it’s been released will of course have 2.1 on.

With regards as to why the update took so long, Sony Ericsson Brazil replied with:

2010 has been a year of intense transition for Sony Ericsson. 2010 Has Been a year of intense transition for Sony Ericsson. The process took a little longer than the competition because we improved our version of Android. The process took a little longer than the competition because we improved our version of Android. Now that we are on track and the process was completed, we will move forward. Now That we are on track and the process was completed, We Will move forward.

The update to version 2.1 with all the customization it offers, it takes the user experience to levels much better than what is currently available in the market. The update to version 2.1 with all the customization it Offers, it takes the user experience to levels much better than what is Currently available in the market.

This of course led to questions as to why the company don’t just release Android 2.2 instead. What it seems to come down to though, is that Sony Ericsson want to integrate Android 2.2 into their handsets, as best they can and to continue the Sony Ericsson experience, which includes Timescape, Mediascape, Moxier etc. Android is at the heart of their portfolio though for 2010 and 2011. Once again, 2.2 for the Xperia X10 hasn’t been confirmed but, it’s the most promising information we’ve heard.

The page also confirms what improvements will be made with the 2.1 update. For the Xperia X10, 720p HD video recording will become possible and there will be 5 homescreens instead of the current 5. For the X10 Mini and Mini Pro, the bluetooth support will be improved, which hopefully means there won’t be a need for third party apps to transfer files. The update list also goes on to say that both the X10 and the Mini’s will be able to sync contacts photos with Facebook contacts. Presumably this means once your contact is linked to a Facebook account, the Facebook photo will be associated with the contact, instead of needing to add a separate photo, something which X10 owners have been asking for since release.

One other thing to note is that while we’ve been told before that the Xperia X10 does not support multi touch, Sony Ericsson Brazil have not said this when the issue came up. Instead they’ve said there’s no plans to include it.

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The color pink has been a favourite of Sony Ericsson’s for a while. The X10 Mini is already available in pink and the upcoming Xperia X8 will also have a pink back. Other handsets from Sony Ericsson have also been made available in pink, including the Xperia lookalike handset, the Sony Ericsson Yendo, along with the Vivaz and others. Now it’s the X10 Mini Pro’s turn to pink it up.

Online retailer AdditionsDirect is showing the Xperia X10 Mini Pro in pink available to order now. Unfortunately it appears to be out of stock at the moment, with delivery being listed as within 14 days. The company sell the X10 Mini Pro in both the original black and pink but, both are only available on O2. You can order the pink X10 Mini Pro for £199.

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I’m sure it will come as no surprise to many that the official Sony Ericsson blog post concerning the Android 2.1 delay has received hundreds of comments, over a 1000 in fact. Not all are from angry customers though, some are from Rikard Skogberg who is the Nordic Product Marketing Manager and he has tried to calm things down and answered many of the questions on the blog. How calming his responses will be to some though, remains to be seen.

The folks at XperiaX10 have compiled a list of the additional points regarding the delay, along with other interesting tidbits. A full list of what XperiaX10 have noted can be found after the jump.

In summary however, Skogberg admits that he knows the company failed, especially in regards to their planned timings. He also knows they have issues, which is why they had to delay the release. Because of the delay, the second part of the 2.1 update (2.1x) will also be delayed, meaning we won’t see it till 2011. When the update is released, it appears that it won’t include Arabic letters, nor does it appear that there will be an update for the camera flash. With regards to the in call volume, nothing has been mentioned surrounding this.

Skogberg also went on to say that there are no plans committed for 16m colors, multi-touch or Adobe Flash. The possibility of Android 2.2 on the Xperia range also hasn’t been ruled in but, it also hasn’t been ruled out, so there is still some hope that we may see Froyo on the Xperia X10.

With regards to the Xperia X8, it will receive the same Android updates as the X10 Mini and Mini Pro. However the updates will come later but, still within 2010. The X8 should also be released in the next two weeks.

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One of the main reasons consumers have been wanting Sony Ericsson to update the Xperia range of handsets with Android 2.2, is due to the flash support. Many wanted the company to skip Android 2.1 and move directly to 2.2 as it brings more features. One of these features being flash support, in the form of the Adobe Flash Player application from the Market. Unfortunately, due to the lack of multi touch, flash will not be supported on the Xperia X10. This was revealed in a new white paper from the company.

The same white paper, also says that the display for the X10 will remain at 65,536 colors after the device is updated to Android 2.1. 16m color support may however be included in the Android 2.1x update but, it’s not known for now. Ironically though the Xperia X10 Mini and Mini Pro both have 16m color displays.

We learned earlier that Sony Ericsson had delayed the much awaited release of Android 2.1 for their Xperia X10 handsets. In the statement, Sony Ericsson went on to say that the update would be rolled out in “kits”, which essentially means, based on the region you’re in, you may have to wait longer than others. On the Facebook page for Sony Ericsson Italy, they have already “confirmed” a new release date for Android 2.1. They say it should arrive from November 8th onwards. If Sony Ericsson don’t delay the Android OS update again, this could turn out to be correct but, as we know, Sony Ericsson UK had previously been confirming the release for Q3.

Also in the Facebook message, Sony Ericsson Italy have added that the delay isn’t because the company don’t care about it’s customers, in fact it’s because they do care, that the update has been delayed. They do not want to release a firmware that may still have bugs in it and could cause more problems than any good it would do, releasing Android 2.1 as is for the X10.

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Despite Sony Ericsson UK still confirming to users that Android 2.1 will be coming to the Xperia X10 in Q3, the company have delayed the release. Android 2.1 will now be due on the Xperia X10 range of handsets from the end of October as Sony Ericsson have had to delay the release to ensure a high quality update without bugs, is rolled out to users. The update will begin rolling out from the end of October and continue to do so for different “kits”. A kit is based on the handsets configuration options, mostly regional but, also network dependent options. Apparently the color of your handset will also determine which “kit” you’re in and when you’ll receive the update. Sony Ericsson will keep their official blog updated with when the updates are rolled out for specific markets. Until then, they will also be keeping us updated with visual and video images of what the Xperia X10 will look like, once we have Android 2.1.

The Xperia X10 will receive the following updates;

* HD video recording with continuous auto-focus for high quality videos
* Upgrade of the Android platform to Android 2.1
* New back up and restore application, with extended content back up
* 5 homescreens for apps, widgets, shortcuts and folders
* Social phonebook which automatically syncs contact pictures from Facebook and shows when your friends are online

While the Xperia X10 mini and X10 mini pro will get the following features with the update:

* Improved Bluetooth functionality with support for sending and receiving pictures, contacts and more
* New backup and restore application with extended content back up
* Automatic synchronization of your contact pictures between Facebook and your phone book
* Improved ways of handling pictures, audio, text and numbers in your messages
* Upgrade of the Android platform to Android platform 2.1

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Once again it’s that time of the week. Sony Ericsson have put the next Winning Wednesdays competition live on their Facebook page. Like before it’s a simple spot the difference puzzle and you’re basically given the answer, with having the option to select one of three choices.

The first week this went live, we saw a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 up for grabs and last week an X10 Mini Pro. The X10 Mini Pro competition must have been more successful, or more popular as that is the prize again for this weeks Winning Wednesdays. You can enter the competition here. If you are a lucky winner, it appears that Sony Ericsson make take a week or two for them to message you, as they’ve just announced they’ve message the previous winners.

For many years, Sony have sponsored the UEFA as well as other football (soccer) tournaments. This year, Sony Ericsson are sponsoring the Union of European Football Associations and will be until 2012. The Xperia range of handsets have been dubbed the “official mobile” for UEFA.

As well as sponsoring the UEFA, European X10 owners will also be able to download an exclusive EUFA app. The app will cover all the latest news and action from the tournament. It should be available for all the X10 handsets, so Xperia X10 Mini owners won’t be left out. It’s also possible that the app may be available on the Xperia X8 as well.

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After a tremendous amount of waiting, X10 owners will finally receive an updated Android OS. When the Android powered handset was released in Europe the phone came with an already outdated Android version, Google Android 1.6, when most other devices had 2.1. Eventually the Xperia X10 was released in America but, still came with the same version of Android. Now users can rejoice as Sony Ericsson prepare to launch Android 2.1 for the X10, X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro.

The actual release date and week will vary for various regions but, according to Sony Ericsson Spain, the update is due to be released in the week 38. This brings us to the 20th to the 26th September. Sony Ericsson UK have also confirmed that the update is due to be released before the end of September, presumably the same week as Spain. One reader from the Xperia X10 blog commented that Sony Ericsson Brazil had also given a guideline for the Android 2.1 release. Unfortunately this is slightly later and is slated for a week 43/44 release. Now all we need is for Sony Ericsson to reveal information regarding the release of Android 2.2 on their handsets.