Sony opts to remove faulty feature over fixing it, leaving some fans frustrated

Sony recently announced plans to remove the Hearing devices settings menu from their Xperia 10 V and Xperia 10 VI smartphones rather than fix its functionality, sparking frustration among users who hoped for a repair instead.

The issue arose after the Android 15 update, when users discovered the Hearing devices settings menu was incorrectly displayed within the settings menu. According to Sony’s notice, both phone models don’t actually support Android Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA), making the feature useless even when configured.

Instead of developing a fix to make the feature work properly, Sony decided to simply remove the menu entirely through an upcoming software update. The company advised affected customers to update their devices once the software becomes available, though they noted release timing may vary depending on carriers.

This decision has not gone over well with the Xperia community, with many users expressing disappointment on social media platforms like Reddit.

“Damn it Sony, why can’t you fix issues instead of ignoring/removing them?” wrote Reddit user UnionSlavStanRepublk. This frustration is something that several other fans also expressed on the thread.

Another user, Christian_1739, pointed to a pattern of unresolved problems: “It’s the same with their Fingerprint Sensor issue on the 10 V. I don’t know what’s causing it to randomly stop after just a few minutes of charging only to work again after a restart. But that they aren’t even considering to fix it, is just stupid.”

This isn’t the first time Sony has faced criticism over its software approach. Many Xperia owners have praised the hardware while lamenting what they see as subpar software support. What makes the situation particularly frustrating for some users is that independent developers working on LineageOS, an open-source operating system for smartphones, have apparently implemented the hearing aid connectivity feature more effectively than Sony’s own engineers.

Sony apologized for any inconvenience in their announcement but didn’t address why they opted to remove the feature rather than make it functional. For now, Xperia users await the update that will remove the non-working menu, while some are questioning their loyalty to the brand going forward.