Sony Mobile Xperia Mayhem - Six New Phones: Ion, Acro S, Go, Neo L, Miro & Tipo (Updated with Video)
Sony Mobile today announced a total of six new Xperia phones, featuring a mixture of devices with different form factors for different target audiences. Here's a quick preview of what to expect from the mobile company come Q3 2012.
Sony Mobile Xperia Mayhem
The last time Sony Mobile made a show of its products was back in February, during the massive annual Mobile World Congress 2012 event. Fast forward to June, six Xperia phones, with estimated Q3 launch dates, have made its debut in Southeast Asia, bringing Sony Mobile's total portfolio to nine within a span of less than a year. If you were to consider the other phones launched earlier under the Sony Ericsson branding, the company has far more smartphones in retail, giving consumers a dizzying variety of choices. But for now, let's focus on the newer Sony Mobile Xperia phones.
Yay! Six more phones, six more choices!
While the phones announced today are missing the transparent band seen on the Xperia S, P, and U, they share many physical similarities with their cousins as you would see later in our article. All phones will come with Android 4.0 out-of-the-box, with the exception of the Xperia Go (Android 2.3 upon launch with ICS update in Q3 after its launch). Without further ado, here's the lowdown on today's Xperia event:
You probably need a discerning eye to tell the differences between the six phones but do let us spoon-feed you just this once. From left to right: Xperia Ion, Xperia Go, Xperia Acro S, Xperia Neo L, Xperia Miro and Xperia Tipo. Phew!
Sony Xperia Ion
The Sony Xperia Ion was first unveiled during CES 2012, alongside its other flagship device, the Xperia S. Like its 4.3-inch cousin, the Ion is outfitted with a huge 4.55-inch HD 720p touchscreen with a 12-megapixel camera (both rear and front-facing cameras can deliver HD recording capabilities). Clearly, the phone is targeted towards those who primarily use their smartphones for watching multimedia and taking photos. The Android 4.0 device comes with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM which will contribute to a sufficiently smooth user experience. However, while it was announced to come with LTE capabilities at CES, it is incompatible with our local 4G networks. As such, the version coming to Singapore is without LTE support.
The Xperia Ion features a 4.55-inch screen with its Mobile Bravia Engine technology which comes with 1280 x 720p resolution. Most of the recent flagship phones like Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X also sport similar screen specifications.
Key highlights of the Sony Xperia Ion
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The Xperia Ion is huge but is pretty sleek at just 10.8mm thin. The right side of the phone is crammed with small controls as you can see above, including the volume rocker, the shutter and power on/off buttons.
We are not big fans of its USB/HDMI protective cover's design as it feels a little tacky-looking and is relatively challenging to remove.
Sony Xperia Acro S
4.3-inch HD Reality Display touchscreen aside, the Acro S's main selling point would be in its PlayStation certification and its extra level of durability and protection. The former allows users access to Sony Entertainment Network and PlayStation Network on top of games offered in the stock Google Play app market (just like the Xperia Play smartphone). On the durability front, the Acro S is virtually waterproof and dustproof according to Sony. Quick demos at the launch further sealed this point as photographed below, so those needing a device that is a tad more resistant to nature, looks modern and features a wider range of gaming options - you're definitely in for a treat. Is it a worthy buy? You'll have to wait for our full review of it when the device is available.
Key highlights of the Sony Xperia Acro S
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Sony Xperia Go
While ultra rugged devices such as the Panasonic ToughPad A1 sport bulkier chassis due to their durability requirements, dust and water resistance features, Sony proves that stylish designs are still possible on smaller devices like the Xperia Go (and the Xperia Acro S). In fact, the Sony Xperia Go is one of the most aesthetically-pleasing rugged smartphones we've seen so far with its bright colors and sleek profile of 9.8mm thin. However, do take note that the yellow variant seen below is only available in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Key highlights of the Sony Xperia Go
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For a more visual overview of the cool phones featured on this page, check out this mini video clip to highlight the key aspects of each device:-
The Mainstream Stylish Troupe
Sony Xperia Neo L
Like its predecessor, the Xperia Neo, the Xperia Neo L comes with an ergonomically-curved body, making it easy to hold while calling or handling the phone. The Xperia Neo L gets a screen size upgrade from 3.7 inches to 4.0 inches but gets its camera downgraded from 8.1- to 5.1-megapixel sensor. We see this as a phone for those who are planning to transition to a phone with a mid-sized screen but do not require the high-end specs that usually accompany phones with 4.3- to 4.6-inch screens.
4.0-inch touchscreen aside, the Xperia Neo L comes with Sony's xLoud technology which supposedly boosts the audio quality.
Key highlights of the Sony Xperia Neo L
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The Xperia Neo L features a curved back and glossy finish that's quite unlike the rest of its peers.
Sony Xperia Miro
Sony today strengthens its Xperia portfolio with two entry-level smartphones, the Xperia Miro and Tipo. At launch, Ola Lilja Molen, the Head of South East Asia Markets reaffirms the company's commitment to manufacturing smartphones. These two devices are aimed squarely at first time smartphone buyers and emerging markets such as Indonesia. Do not discount these Xperia phones as they run on Android 4.0 out of the box, unlike some of its previously announced and higher-end siblings which will ship with Android 2.3.
As one of the two entry-level Android 4.0 smartphones introduced today, the Sony Xperia miro is targeted at first time smartphone users.
<img width="200" height="200" alt="" title="Sony Xperia Miro
" src="http://cue1.cue-prd.sphnet.com.sg:8080/webservice/escenic/content/6904321"> | Key highlights of the Sony Xperia Miro
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Sony Xperia Tipo
Similar to the Xperia Miro, the Xperia Tipo is catered for first-time smartphone buyers who are looking for a simple and easy-to-use device. Like the recently announced HTC Desire V, the Xperia Tipo also comes in a dual-SIM edition for users who prefer to switch between SIM cards to save costs depending on the call region. Consumers in Singapore and Malaysia will only be getting the dual-SIM version while Indonesia will get the standard and dual-SIM edition of the Xperia Tipo.
The button located beside the volume controls enables you to switch between the two SIM cards in the Xperia Tipo (dual-SIM), as well as differentiates between both dual-SIM and single SIM versions. Quite handy, isn't it?
Key highlights of the Sony Xperia Tipo /Tipo (Dual-SIM Version)
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Despite its entry level status, the Sony Xperia Tipo will come with a 1500mAh battery. Removing the battery will allow you access to the dual-SIM card slots for that particular version for the handset.
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