Sony signalled its return to the global mobile phone market on Sunday with the unveiling of two new Android-based handsets – the Xperia P and Xperia U at an event at Mobile World Congress 2012.
Both smartphones will come under the banner of the Xperia NXT range, alongside the Xperia S, when they go on sale in the middle of the second quarter, Sony said. The company, however, did not reveal any details on pricing.
Specification-wise, the Xperia P and Xperia U boast razor-sharp clarity displays powered by Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a 1 GHz dual-core processor with 16GB flash storage, cameras with unique fast capture, HD recording and Sony technology to capture 2D and 3D panoramic images.
The phones will launch with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), with upgrade to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) available in the summer.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after Sony Communications completed its €1bn (£850m) takeover of Ericsson’s 50 per cent stake in the former Sony Ericsson joint venture.
Speaking at MWC in Barcelona, Sony President Bert Nordberg said: “For the first time, we’re hosting a press conference as Sony Mobile Communications. The acquisition of Sony Ericsson was completed just 10 days ago, and here we are on stage 100-percent Sony .”
“The Xperia smartphone is a fundamental part of the Sony strategy to deliver a connected entertainment experience,” he added.
“Sony is a real content powerhouse… so I think it’s clear that the content will be a differentiator. What makes Sony different is a unique user experience.”
