The release date for Google's Android 5.0 Lollipop OTA update has finally come for Sony Xperia Z3, Sony Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet and the Xperia Z3 Compact, as Sony officially announced that the upgrade is rolling out to markets worldwide.

Sony Mobile announced on its blog on Monday March 16, 2015 that owners of the 2014 flagship Sony Xperia Z3 and its predecessor, the Xperia Z2, along with several other compact and tablet variants would begin getting notifications on their devices for the official Android 5.0 Lollipop update.

"We're starting our Android 5.0, Lollipop upgrade from today for Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact," announced Sony's blog. The OTA Update notification will first hit devices outside the U.S., though, as Sony Mobile is much more popular in other markets worldwide outside of the U.S.

"You'll see the upgrade hit first devices in the Nordics and Baltics, continuing to further markets, for more Xperia Z Series products, starting in around two weeks time," continued the announcement, "we'll share the latest here, as it happens."

The Android Lollipop update will blend Sony's updated software with Google's new Material Design OS, but that's not all that's coming to Xperia Z3 owners in the next couple of weeks.

Sony stated that Android for Work -- Google's enterprise-focused platform that offers work profiles, more secure connectivity for productivity apps, the "Android for Work" app, as well as a wider selection of productivity tools through the specialized app store "Google Play for Work" -- will be included in the update, too.

Finally, Sony is promising better storage control with the Lollipop update. Since the release of Android 4.4 KitKat, Google's OS has offered fewer options for using microSD cards to store apps and media, and that trend continues with Lollipop.

But Sony is promising "better storage control" and "the option to easily move applications from internal memory to SD card."

That's great news; Here's hoping Sony Mobile doesn't disappear off the face of the Earth.

Related