Sony has announced a maintenance update for the Xperia Z1 and the Z Ultra, which are just hitting American shores today. The devices are staying on Android 4.2 for the time being, but there are a number of important improvements on the way.

The update includes general performance and stability improvements, but also some specific tweaks for both devices. Here's what Sony has been up to:

Xperia Z1

  • tweaked the camera algorithm for even better all round performance
  • refined Sony’s Smart Social Camera platform, so Xperia Camera apps run more smoothly (particularly Burst Mode, Superior Auto, AR Effect and Sweep Panorama…)

Xperia Z Ultra

  • optimized touchscreen sensitivity, for both finger gestures and writing / sketching with pencils, metal pens and selected styluses

Both devices

  • re-calibrated the display ever so slightly, to ensure viewing experiences remain bright & bold
  • economised power consumption for longer battery life
  • streamlined Exchange connection for faster email sync, display and download

The update is starting to roll out now to unlocked devices, but the timing across the world may vary. Carrier versions of the Z1 and Z Ultra in some regions may wait a bit longer, though.

[Sony Mobile]