Xperia Z will be replaced by Xperia X. Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Android

Sony’s decision to launch a brand new Xperia X smartphone series makes a little more sense today after the company confirmed it is killing off the Xperia Z lineup.

The announcement comes just five months after Sony unveiled the Xperia Z5, and just two weeks after it went on sale in the U.S.

Android M running on an Xperia. Photo: Sony

You no longer need a Nexus device to get your hands on Android M early. Sony has made the Developer Preview available on a dozen Xperia devices, including the flagship Xperia Z3, but you’ll need to flash it all by yourself.

Sony’s new Xperia Z4 looks just like last year’s Xperia Z3. Photo: OnLeaks

It’s been more than six months since Sony announced its Xperia Z3, which means a new version must be right around the corner. And thanks to the leaked image above, we already know what it’s going to look like.

Sony at Mobile World Congress 2014. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Sony’s been showing off its latest devices at Mobile World Congress for years, and that’s not going to change when this year’s event kicks off on March 2. But whether the Japanese company will have new devices to show off at its booth is looking increasingly unlikely.

Sony’s smartphone division continues to shrink. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

While recent reports have suggested Sony is preparing to ditch its ailing smartphone division, it seems it won’t give it up without a fight. In a last ditch effort to turn it around, the Japanese company is set to shed another 1,000 workers by March 2016.