The official Sony blog published an update today, detailing the progress on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) upgrades on Xperia smartphones. As noted yesterday, the Xperia Play has been removed from the upgrade list. All other upgrades are proceeding as previously announced.
Sony Mobile has announced its first LTE handsets powered by Qualcomm’s fast Krait-based Snapdragon S4 dual-core processors. Capable of download speeds up to 75mbps, the Xperia GX and SX will also be the first Sony Xperia handsets to launch with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of the box. Sony also claims that the smaller of the two phones, the Xperia SX is also the world’s lightest LTE smartphone at just 95 grams.
More details, including a newly spied photo, have emerged about two forthcoming Sony Xperia smartphones originally listed on the leaked Sony 2012 smartphone roadmap. The LT29i Hayabusa, pictured, will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 and will center on a 4.55-inch HD Reality display. The LT29i will is also expected to be just 7mm thin, yet still pack a high capacity 2200mAh battery.
Images anonymously sent to Greek site Techblog have revealed an as yet unannounced addition to Sony's Xperia lineup. Codenamed Tapioca, the Android 4.0 device appears to be a budget-level addition to Sony's handset offerings.
ST-Ericsson on Monday backed out of core app processors in an attempt to streamline its work. Research and development, and the matching staff, would be transferred to STMicro. In turn, STMicro would license back the technology it develops so that ST-Ericsson could implement it in modem-equipped processors for smartphones and tablets.
Sony's split with Ericsson is as much a cultural break as a corporate one, and the Xperia S on the surface reflects that. It's a showcase for the company's design and technology. But with the split just months old, has Sony's mobile team learned its lesson? Our Sony Xperia S review will decide whether Sony can hold its own, or if pressure from HTC, Samsung, and Apple is still fierce.
Sony has made good on its promise made last month and launched the PlayStation Suite SDK beta for developers. Any interested party can download the software, letting them create software for all PlayStation-certified hardware. This includes the PS Vita console and the Xperia line of phones and tablets.
Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has announced the Nasne, a sophisticated network attached PVR that ties together a number of its frontline consumer electronics products. The device combines a multi-channel tuner that can receive digital and satellite TV signals with 500GB of storage. Recordings can then be viewed using an owner's PS3, Vaio PC, PS Vita, Tablet S/P, or Xperia handsets.
Sony wrapped up the week with official word that its Android 4.0 upgrades had started. The Xperia arc S, Xperia neo V, and Xperia ray are getting the modern OS today, starting with Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and the mobile division's home of Sweden. More countries that carry those three phones should get the update over the next four to six weeks.
Canadian carrier Rogers has dates both official and semi-official for two of its highest-end Android smartphones for the spring. A leak to MobileSyrup of internal Rogers info has put the HTC One X release date as April 20. The provider had already confirmed that its version, which has the same 4G LTE and Snapdragon S4 as the future AT&T model, should cost $170 on a three-year contract.
The Sony Xperia Sola has been approved by the FCC in a filing published today, with AT&T-specific 3G in tow. Sola is an Android smartphone with “floating touch technology,” a proximity sensor which allows for touchscreen control by hovering your fingers above the 3.7-inch display.
Last summer, leaks and images of a higher-end dual-core processor Sony phone, the Xperia Duo emerged. At the time, the phone was reported to be on its way for released September, but that did not happen. Recently, however Sony applied for a trademark with the USPTO for the Duo name, hinting that the smartphone could become a reality in the not to distant future.
Sony's Xperia S smartphone has been plagued with an issue with its screen, Crave has found. When the phone gets too warm, its screen emits a yellow tint. Sony is aware of the problem, stating that only a "limited number" of Xperia S phones are affected when they reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Sony has just announced that it will begin rolling out the Android 4.0 update to its 2011 Xperia smartphones starting in mid-April. The first phones to get the update will be the Xperia arc S, Xperia neo V, and Xperia ray. The phones will get updated over the course of four to six weeks, depending on their carrier and market they're sold in.
Sony finished the week by providing an Android 4.0 beta for owners of the Xperia Play. The release requires users unlock the bootloader on their phone, taking the device at least temporarily out of warranty, but will give the interface boosts and support for apps like Chrome for Android. Most of the obstacles are the risks of some games not being fully optimized as well as the absence of officially blessed Google apps, including Face Unlock, Gmail, and Google Maps.
On Wednesday, Sony announced that it would begin shipping its Xperia S smartphone worldwide. It now appears that the first North American carrier to get the device will be the Canadian provider Rogers. Although it has not given any specific date, Rogers has posted a teaser on its site advising its customers that the phone will be "Coming Soon."
Sony has just revealed that its PlayStation-certified Xperia S smartphone has begin shipping across the world on Wednesday. Local retailers and providers will soon get all the pricing and information for the device, which runs on Android 2.3. An update to Android 4.0 is promised for later this spring.
The first Sony handset to ship with Android 4.0 onboard will be the Xperia Neo L MT25i, the company revealed in China on Tuesday. A successor to the Neo and Neo V, the phone will sport a four-inch, 480x854 touchscreen, HSDPA 3G, 512MB of RAM, and a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
ST-Ericsson is expected to unveil its plans to restructure its operations within the next two weeks. Reuters sources now claim that the reorganization of the joint venture between Sweden's Ericsson and France's STMicroelectronics is in line with the company's plans to be acquired by another chipmaker. Potential buyers named include AMD, NVIDIA, Intel, and Texas Instruments.
Sony has added the Xperia sola to its growing portfolio of Android-powered smartphones. The new mid-range device centers on a 3.7-inch 854x480 LCD Reality Display that also incorporates a new ‘floating touch’ interface. The Xperia sola will sense where a user’s finger is above a display and track it like a mouse, even allowing a user to highlight a weblink without actually touching the screen.
An official image of Sony's MT27i smartphone, codenamed the Pepper, has made its way to the public eye. The Chinese blog IT168 has posted a photo of the entry-level smartphone. Although news of the Android device was leaked shortly before the CES show in January, Sony has divulged no planned date for its release.
As part of the same Sony event that showed the Xperia P and Xperia U, Sony also showed at once universal and very specific accessories: the Smart Headset and the Xperia SmartDock. We had a look at both on the floor. Read on for impressions, including for a headset that might bear notice even if you're an iPhone user.
Perhaps the most interesting of Sony's new smartphone line unveiled tonight was the Xperia U, which we got to try at the event. It's aiming to be the ever-elusive youth phone and has a unique light-up transparent area as well as an unusually powerful dual-core, 1GHz NovaThor chip inside. Read our hands-on to see whether it will give other Android makers, and Apple, a reason for pause.
Sony is holding its Mobile World Congress 2012 event on a warm Barcelona evening. We're expecting the Xperia P, Xperia U, and possibly other surprises. Visit our live coverage page for in-person updates from Palau Sant Jordi.
Sony is working hard to turn around its image as an Android laggard to the leading vendor when it comes rolling out Android updates to its mobile phones. Now known as Sony Mobile Communications, the company has posted a page on its website allowing Xperia users to officially unlock their bootloader and follow the posted instructions on how to install Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) on their handsets. So far, the beta ICS ROM is available for the Xpera arc S, Xperia ray and Xperia neo V and suggests that Sony is on track to make good on its promise to have ICS updates for its 2011 smartphones starting this March.
The upcoming Sony Xperia U, sporting model number ST25i and Kumquat codename, has once again shown up on the web in photos. This time, it's compared to the Xperia S and is much smaller than the already known model, which gets a 4.3-inch screen. The 3.5-inch Xperia U could get a user-removable battery, unlike the S.
Sony at early Thursday Japanese time formally completed its buyout of Ericsson's stake in Sony Ericsson. The move now leaves Sony Mobile Communications as a completely Sony-owned company. Bert Nordberg would still be CEO of the mobile group, which it revealed had about 100 million euros ($130.3 million) in stated working capital.
Sony has made a filing with the US Patent and Trademark office for Xperia Sola. ‘Sola,’ which can mean ‘alone’ or ‘only,’ could be be a new device, or it could be a revelation as to what the ‘S’ stands for in its recently unveiled Xperia S , Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) smartphone. The filing, which was made on January 30, covers mobile phones as well as accessories.
Sony has quietly released Bridge for Mac, a software utility that makes it easier for Mac users to to sync its Xperia line of smartphones. Mac users have long been overlooked by Sony, with its syncing software for smartphones and other devices previously limited to Windows machines only. The software will allow users to sync music, movies, podcasts and playlists across from iTunes, much like DoubleTwist for Android, as well as photos from iPhoto.
More details from AT&T's escaped roadmap have shown in two leaks Wednesday afternoon. The new BGR tips point to a new, $410 Sony tablet known as the Crystal. While it could be something new, it's most likely to be the long-delayed Tablet P (S2), a dual-screened Android tablet with HSPA+ 3G.
Sony's promised Android 4.0 update for tablets could be more comprehensive if a news tip reflects reality. Both the Tablet S and Tablet P were expected by The Verge to get the OS update in the spring. The two would get some "really cool unique bits" along with the underlying speed and interface changes, a source said, although what those were hadn't been mentioned.
The PlayStation Certified program will soon get a number of new titles, according to a number of new ESRB ratings. Thus far, the program, which was designed to bring legacy PlayStation games to PlayStation Certified devices such as tablets and smartphones, only offered a few PS1 titles. The Entertainment Software Rating Board names a number of other PSP titles that will be made available on Certified Devices.
Sony started off the week by unveiling a new camera sensor that may be a clue as to both Sony and Apple plans. The backside-illuminated CMOS sensor stacks the pixel layer over the signal chip, shrinking the overall size. Image quality also benefits: with the two layers formed independently, and the pixel layer not having to compete for space with an analog logic chip, both the pixels and the signal chip layer can each be focused more on their respective tasks.
One of the phones spotted in a Sony 2012 roadmap may have been caught live. The ST25i seen by Xperia Blog, better known by its Kumquat nickname, has the same squared-off Iconic Identity of the Xperia ion, Xperia S, and LT22i Nypon but has a smaller display. Based on icon sizes and earlier rumors, the phone would have a roughly 3.5-inch, 480x854 display.
Sony’s forthcoming Xperia S and Xperia Ion phones will support both GLONASS and GPS, the result of using the latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. According to Sony’s Magnus Persson, existing Xperia phones that use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S2 or S3 chipsets also offer support for the Russian equivalent to GPS. By using both systems in tandem, Sony’s Xperia smartphones can get a position lock in half the time it would normally take using GPS only.
The lid has been lifted on what looks like most of Sony’s smartphone roadmap for 2012. A list of model codenames has leaked out of a Sony sales report for the Indian market. However, of the three codenames that have previously been spotted (Kumquat, Nypon, Pepper), and which appear set for an April release, another eight have not yet been sighted until now.
Sony Japan has just released a teaser video touting a new Dot Switch feature or technology. It may be related to smartphones interacting with home entertainment gear such as TVs and receivers. Dot Switch is being dubbed as "new entertainment from Sony" in the clip.
At a special event ahead of CES, AT&T has announced that it is set to launch six new LTE devices early this year. The offerings include Samsung's Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD and Exhilarate; Pantech's Element and Burst; and Sony's Xperia ion. The Note, a 5.3-inch device that fits somewhere between smartphones and tablets, was the subject of several recent leaks.
One of Sony Ericsson's rarely mentioned other 2012 smartphones was leaked in earnest on Saturday with photos and detailse. The MT27i, or Pepper, is expected by XperiaBlog to be a direct sequel to the Xperia neo V with a much more squared-off look that's consistent with the Nozomi and likely other models. Performance may be the biggest leap, as it should jump from its single-core chip to a dual-core 1GHz chip, most likely the ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8500.
Sony Ericsson Germany is teasing an upcoming Xperia smartphone it will bring to CES through its Facebook page in Germany. Unlike the already expected Nozomi, this phone has an off-center rear camera, so there could be two new Xperias getting official reveals in Las Vegas next week. The new handset could be the LT28at leaked earlier through a Bluetooth SIG listing.
The Sony Ericsson Nozomi smartphone that's expected to be made official at CES has been benchmarked and the results shared by ITProPortal. The test confirmed some specs of the device, including its 720x1280 touchscreen and dual-core, 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. A 12-megapixel camera is also confirmed, as is 1GB of RAM and 8GB of integrated storage space.
Sony Ericsson posted a clearer teaser of its smartphone plans for CES. Posting what could be small photos of the device itself, it suggested a very strong camera photos with a dedicated button and HD video recording. A look at the camera app shows a familiar interface relative to earlier Sony Ericsson Android phones like the Xperia arc.
Sony Ericsson has filed to establish trademark protection for the term "Xperia ION", hinting at the company's upcoming branding. Although the US Patent and Trademark Office documents do not shed light on a specific product, the filing was tied to the cellphone market and is expected to be used for one of the company's flagship devices.
OnLive on Thursday night brought its live play Android app (free, Android Market) to Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play. The already gaming-oriented phone can stream games and get full access to the physical gamepad, making it a much better fit for console and general action games. Gamers can now skip playing the touch-optimized adaptations if they prefer the hardware feel.
Sony Ericsson's codenamed LT28at phone, possibly a cousin of the Nozomi, has had some of its details escape through a Bluetooth SIG listing and photos. The phone will center on a 4.55-inch, 720p screen but also carry one of the first 13-megapixel cameras on a phone in the US. It should run on both HSPA and LTE, a strong sign that it's likely destined for AT&T or at the least a carrier like Rogers in Canada.
Sony Ericsson has, for the first time in its history, publicly released an alpha ROM of firmware for its phones. Android 4.0.1 for the Xperia arc, Xperia neo V, and Xperia ray is meant for experienced developers who know it might not work as an everyday OS. Some major features, such as phone calls and data, don't work at all.
Sony Ericsson is reportedly reworking its Xperia Play gaming handset, after the original version is believed to have achieved lackluster sales numbers earlier in the year. The second-generation model is said to be named "Xperia Play 4G," suggesting a 4G radio will be one of the primary upgrades, however further details remain unclear.
Sony Ericsson's upcoming flagship phone, the Nozomi, has now been spotted once more in photos shared by GSM Arena. It is expected to be officially launched at CES, where it will likely carry a different name, likely to be Xperia Arc HD. The photos reveal that the battery probably isn't user-removable and that it uses a micro SIM card slot like the iPhone 4S or the Motorola Droid RAZR.
Regional carrier C Spire is now offering the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play smartphone. Its version is similar to that on Verizon and centers on a slide-out gamepad to let it play ports of older PlayStation games and newer titles. It continues to center on a four-inch, 480x854 display and a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon.
Sony Ericsson's North America President Paul Hamnett in an interview Monday (video below) teased plans for smartphones at CES. Although the full integration with Sony wouldn't show for some time, he hinted that there would be "signs by CES" in January of what Sony's complete control would mean. Among those would include PlayStation certification on "most" of Sony's phones in the future.
