End of an era: Sony is ending production of Xperia smartphones
Sony, once one of the pillars of the mobile market, has officially announced the end of production of the Xperia smartphone line. The last model will be the Xperia MARKXVII, which, according to company representatives, will draw a line under more than a decade of flagship Android devices.
The Xperia series was known for its high-definition screens, camera technologies from the world of Sony Alpha and, what is especially valuable for enthusiasts, support for AOSP (Android Open Source Project) - an open version of Android that gives developers full control over the system.
AOSP: a philosophy of openness and control for developers
Sony differed from many manufacturers in that it supported the Open Devices initiative: it published the kernel source codes and offered an official option to unlock the bootloader. This made Xperia one of the most attractive choices for those involved in custom firmware, security, or alternative OS development.
The MARKXVII model will be the last Xperia with AOSP support. A representative of the development team confirmed on the 4PDA forum that the final AOSP firmware, hand-built by enthusiasts, was made publicly available and soon after acquired by the Telegram OS startup, a young but ambitious team developing a next-generation operating system.
TelegramOS and the crypto future: transition to a blockchain ecosystem
The TelegramOS project is not just a modification of Android. The concept is based on integration with TON (The Open Network), a blockchain ecosystem supported by Telegram. According to information posted on the TelegramOS website and the developer forum, the new OS is built on the following principles:
- Data decentralization;
- Full compatibility with Web3;
- Built-in smart contracts and TON crypto wallet;
- Support for NFT gifts, TON Stars, and other tokenized systems.
There are unofficial rumors that Telegram OS may become an official experimental platform for Telegram services, including crypto gifts, an NFT rewards system, and new monetization of Telegram bots.
Connection with Telegram gifts and TON Stars
The appearance of gifts in Telegram - from hearts to "stars" that can be given to content creators - seems to be just the beginning of a larger program. Some researchers of the crypto ecosystem suggest that TON Stars are not just animations, but a test of a future system of tokenized rewards built into the Telegram infrastructure.
- Telegram OS in this context can become a point of connection:
- AOSP-based device (Sony Xperia MARKXVII);
- Open firmware with the ability to integrate into the blockchain;
- Direct support for Telegram identifiers, NFT wallets and micropayments.
Why is this important: a repeat of the voucher story?
Experts draw parallels between this situation and the economic reforms of the 90s in Russia and the CIS, when Chubais's vouchers represented an attempt to redistribute property. Today, Telegram, TON and crypto startups buying AOSP firmware are creating a similar dynamic - the distribution of tokens, new digital "assets" that can later gain real value and influence.
Smartphones, as physical media, can again become "access to the ecosystem", where the main thing is not the hardware, but the link to a digital identity, wallet and social value in the Web3 space.
What's next: Last chance for developers
The Sony Open Devices project will be closed by the end of the year. All materials will remain publicly available, but official support will end. Developers, enthusiasts, and companies interested in using AOSP as a base for their own systems are advised to download and archive resources in advance.
As for the Xperia MARKXVII, this device can become a collector's item for fans of Android, Sony, and crypto history. Some are already calling it "the last legal bridge between Android and Web3."
Sony Xperia Mark 7
The closure of the Xperia line and the transfer of AOSP firmware to Telegram OS may seem like a minor event, but in fact, it is an important moment in the development of the digital economy. We are witnessing how traditional technologies and crypto infrastructure are merging, creating new models of ownership, interaction, and monetization.
Keep an eye on TelegramOS, on TON, and you might be among those who got their "voucher" on time in the new digital era.