Sony Xperia SP can be updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow via CyanogenMod 13

Sony Xperia SP users were dismayed when it was confirmed Android 6.0 Marshmallow won’t be rolled out to their phones. A developer, however, managed to create a third party Custom ROM called CyanogenMod 13 for this very purpose.

With this ROM, Xperia SP users can still load their units with Android's latest OS. Phones eligible for the Custom ROM are those released internationally, reported Realty Today. To find out if his phone is an international release, a user must go to Settings and click About Phone.

Users that avail of this Custom ROM need to prepare first before beginning the process, just like with any other OS upgrade, said iDigitalTimes. For starters, the phone must have enough battery power, at least 80 percent. This will keep the unit from shutting down while the update process is ongoing.

Data on the smartphone must also be backed up first. There are multiple custom recovery tools that can be used for the back-up process such as TWRP and ClockWorkMod. These two apps can create an image of the phone’s entire contents.

The Xperia SP USB driver must also be installed in the computer that’s going to be used. Its USB Debugging mode must be activated. The device must be rooted and the loaded boot should be unlocked.

It must be noted, however, that CyanogenMod 13 isn’t an official Android update. Those that look forward to getting CM13 must proceed with caution. After all, there are always risks involved in using an unofficial update that can destabilize the device. The Custom ROM can be accessed from Basket Build.

When Sony's Xperia SP was first released in 2013, it came out of its box running Android 4.1 Jellybean. It has a 4.6-inch Corning Gorilla Glass display with a 720 x 1,280 pixel resolution. Its screen also supports 10-finger multi-touch features and is powered by a Qualcomm MSM 8960T Snapdragon S4 Pro chip set.

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