Sony Xperia devices are not as popular as mainstream tech brands’ devices. However, the brand had recently confirmed that despite the negligible market share, the Xperia devices remain an important part of the business. But its latest move suggests otherwise. Sony has moved one of the best features of its Xperia phones behind a paywall, and it’s frustrating enough.
Using Xperia as a Sony camera’s viewfinder is now locked behind a paywall
While Sony Xperia devices are popular for having an advanced camera system on a smartphone, they are also known for having direct integration with Sony’s Alpha cameras. Past Xperia devices used to come with an “External Monitor” app. It would allow the users to connect Sony’s camera to the device using a USB-C cable.
The Xperia’s bright, color-accurate OLED display made it ideal as a viewfinder. It provided a much better experience than the small, less impressive screen on Sony’s cameras. However, the latest Xperia 1 VII comes with a new “Monitor & Control App.” This app replaces the older External Monitor app that was free to use. But with the recent update, Sony has moved the feature behind a paywall.
Users disappointed with the company’s latest move
Sony recently released an update to its Monitor & Control app (v2.4.o). With this update, the company has locked the popular feature of its smartphone behind a paywall. Yes, using certain features of the application now requires users to pay $4.99 a month. This move has frustrated the users of the Xperia devices.
On Reddit, multiple users have expressed their disappointment with the update. The dissatisfaction is understandable, since it is one of the key selling points of the Xperia devices. A lot of users bought the devices to use this feature and to complement their experience with Sony’s Alpha camera. But sadly, they’re now forced to pay a monthly subscription just to use the feature.
Sideloading and using the older External Monitor app seems to be the only bypass for now. However, the company has already stopped the development of this app, and its device compatibility is already limited.
#Sony #Locks #Key #Xperia #Feature #Paywall
