Sony Ericsson

Sony Mobile Passes HTC, Lands 2nd in UK Android Sales

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 7, 2012 | 1 comment

A big part of the slow turn around story for Sony is hinged upon the success of Sony Mobile, the division responsible for smartphones, tablets, and VAIO computers. Thanks to increased sales of their Xperia smartphones, Sony was able to raise their revenue to $3.9 billion, more than double of their previous quarter. This resulting in Sony posting a much lower loss of $198 million last quarter. With an increased focus on mobile and the fall of HTC and LG in smartphones, Sony Mobile was elevated to the number 3 in global smartphone sales with Samsung and Apple definitively leading the number one and two spot.

Now, Sony Mobile has passed another milestone. Beating our rival Android smartphone maker HTC in UK has propelled Sony Mobile to become the number 2 Android smartphone in the country. Mobile Today reports that in Q3 of 2012, Sony was able to move 500,000 Android smartphones while HTC shipped 440,000 in the UK. While both numbers combined still pale in comparison to Samsung who shipped 3.2 million, it’s still a healthy sign for Sony Mobile.

Many, including Sony itself, credit the rise to the promotional boost their device received with the release of Skyfall, the latest James Bond film. The Sony Picture film helped create some cross promotional advertisement for their sister division and even saw to it that James Bond used a Sony ~~Ericsson~~ Mobile phone. What UK MD of Sony Mobile, Pierre Perron had to say, after the jump.

Sony Mobile Sees ‘Hardware Innovation’ as Savior

by Sohrab Osati | May 30, 2012 | 31 comments

Sony Mobile Chief Marketing Officer, Steve Walker knows that the ailing electronic giant has a long way to go to establish itself as a dominant player in the mobile wars in which Apple and Samsung own nearly all the market share and profits that go along with them. Mr. Walker believes that the first phase for Sony which is now behind them was to separate themselves from Sony Ericsson.

“With Ericsson, we were affiliated with the rest of the Sony group. Now, we’re fully integrated.”

Walker went on to talk about the integration and the roll the Xperia phones play with services like PlayMemories Online which can share your photos across a number of Sony devices:

“Being fully integrated makes a big difference. You don’t need to release something ‘exclusive’ to grab a customer’s attention, you have to offer a connected experience.”

With Sony beginning to integrate their services across their products, the company sees hardware innovation as the next step to battle the likes of the iPhone and Galaxy S. After the jump, Mr. Walker talks about the innovation needed.

Sony Mobile to Drop Old Sony Ericsson Logo?

by Sohrab Osati | May 9, 2012 | 22 comments

It wouldn’t be Sony without a leak showing off their products weeks or months in advance. In our latest case, a new Sony Xperia smartphone picture seems to have leaked, dubbed the ST26i. What’s most interesting about this particular leak however isn’t a new handset from Sony despite the company just announcing the Xperia GX and SX. Instead, all eyes should focus on the devices back which no longer houses the Sony Ericsson logo, pictured below. Instead, the device simply states Xperia on the back and Sony on the top front.

It’s still unclear if this is just a prototype or a true indication of where the company is headed. Of course, Sony will need a lot more than logo changing to get back into the mobile race but that’s a whole other topic.

Sony Releases New Xperia PLAY Firmware for Verizon

by Sohrab Osati | May 1, 2012 | 20 comments

Seemingly out of the blue, Sony has released a new Xperia PLAY firmware, previously thought as the PlayStation Phone. The new firmware which build on the current Android 2.3 Gingerbread build takes the phone to Android 2.3.4 by giving it continuous autofocus while recording in 720p. To make the act of taking photos even easier, Sony has now assigned the right trigger button as the camera shutter key. Curiously, this Xperia PLAY firmware is only for Verizon owners despite the phone being available on AT&T as well. Other things to look forward to are new Verizon apps like VZ Navigator and Verizon Video-on-Demand (yay?). This update is now available and can be downloaded over the air. More, after the jump.

Sony Mobile Patent Points Towards Xperia Play with Dual Keyboards

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 30, 2012 | 11 comments

A new patent listing from Sony Mobile, the division of Sony in charge of smartphones, tablets and VAIO computers under new CEO Kunimasa Suzuki points towards a new keyboard concept. The PlayStation Phone which ultimately ended up as the Sony Xperia Play was an Android smartphone with an emphasis on gaming with a slide out gamepad. This meant that users could use the phones touchscreen for everyday use like texting and navigating the phone while saving the gamepad for just a game session. With a new patent, Sony aims to take the concept one step further by having a dual keyboard accompany what looks like the next generation Xperia Play. Tucked behind the gamepad, a second full QWERTY keyboard awaits, giving you yet another option to interact with your phone. Of course, a new patent listing should never be taken as an indication for product release but it does help stir the imagination.

Sony Xperia U Lands at the FCC

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 26, 2012 | 16 comments

Do you know about the Sony Xperia U? Yea, the same one that just got delayed along side of the Xperia P till late May for the UK has just landed at the FCC, the final step required before a device with wireless capabilities can go on sale. Of course, like always, the fine folks at the FCC did their best to tear apart the Android smartphone and reveal to us in graphic detail the innards of the handset. Though no big shocks, parts baring the old Sony Ericsson name were found. After the jump, a few more pictures for you.

Sony Xperia P and Xperia U Get Delayed Till Late May

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 23, 2012 | 5 comments

Sony’s always had ambitious plans for their Xperia line of phones. With a glut of Android phones available to the consumer, credit must be given to Sony for designing a line of phones which stand out from the crowd and yet follow in a similar pattern to help build a brand look and feel for Sony. With Kunimasa Suzuki appointed as the new President and CEO of Sony Mobile, which now oversees Sony’s smartphone, tablet and VAIO division, many (including Sony) thought that the company would be turning a new corner with the release of the Xperia ion, Xperia S, Xperia P, and Xperia U. This had even prompted the company’s new CEO, Kaz Hirai, to announce that the electronic giant would launch Xperia phones twice as fast to meet consumer demand and fight of competitors like Samsung and Apple. Now it seems, before the company can start releasing future handsets with twice the speed, it must first work on releasing its current announced lineup which will see the Xperia P and Xperia U delayed till late May.

Future Sony Xperia Phones Will Launch Twice as Fast

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 20, 2012 | 19 comments

It’s no secret that Sony’s been slow to the smartphone races. Like Microsoft who sat back during the crucial first three to four years, Sony has been slowly building up their portfolio with a new breed of Android smartphones to combat Apple and Samsung. Part of Sony’s strategy to get back into the mobiles war entailed for the company to break off their 10 year joint venture with Ericsson and bring all mobile operations in house under Sony Mobile which they’ve now done. Under new Sony CEO, Kaz Hirai, Sony also appointed Kunimasa Suzuki as the new President and CEO of Sony Mobile which now oversees Sony’s smartphone, tablet and VAIO division.

While in 2011, Sony released a wide array of phones, they companies line seemed too vast and sporadic, instead of a unified line of devices which built upon each other. With us nearing the half way mark in 2012, it’s clear that Sony Mobile is headed in a different direction with the Xperia ion, Xperia S, Xperia P, and Xperia U which all share similar design traits and features. Unlike previous years which each Sony smartphone different from one and other, Sony can now better leverage their unified design to help reduce costs and share components, something much harder in years past. Even though the Sony Mobile of today seems on paper drastically different than the Sony Ericsson of the past, Kaz Hirai thinks they need to do more, a lot more.

“I talked about some of the initiatives that we’ve embarked on in the time-to-market area where we are literally cutting by half the time to market for the Xperia smartphones“

Sony Mobiles Transition to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Begins Today

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 13, 2012 | 2 comments

Despite downplaying Ice Cream Sandwich with an article which pointed out some reasons why users may want to stay away from the latest Google, Sony has begun the transition to Android 4.0. Earlier, we had reported on Sony’s timeline to transition their entire 2011 and 2012 smartphones to ICS which would start in mid April and end sometime past June. Now, starting today, April 13th, the first batch of phones can receive ICS in Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Norway. So lets talks phone eligibility.

Sony Xperia P Lands at the FCC

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 6, 2012 | 21 comments

Remember the Sony Xperia P, the little brother of the Xperia S? For those in need of a recap, the Xperia P sports a 8-megapixel camera, 1080p video recording with 16GB of internal memory. Coming with a 4-inch multitouch screen, the Xperia P also uses Sony’s exclusive “White Magic” display which is designed to give better viewing during outdoor usage. We still don’t know exactly when the Xperia P be available in the US and which carrier with offer the phone. However, with the FCC approving products with wireless technology for the US, a launch window cannot be far behind. So what has the FCC revealed?

Sony Continues to Clean House, Announces Kunimasa Suzuki as Sony Mobile CEO

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 4, 2012 | 2 comments

It’s hard to believe that Kaz Hirai has just taken over as CEO of Sony and yet under his eye, he and his small group of advisers have already started to clean house at Sony. Under a new plan called ‘One Sony’ Kaz has highlighted the three strongest pillars of Sony: digital imaging, games, and mobile. These three departments, which will be the new core of Sony, will see continued support and resources invested to further strengthen and expand them. Jack Tretton will continue to lead the PlayStation division where Kaz previously served for five years and is most credited for turning around the then-ailing division, while Michael Lynton was named CEO of Sony America which encompasses Sony Music Entertainment, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. With Kaz looking to turn his personal attention to Sony’s troubled TV business, Kunimasa Suzuki (pictured left) has been named President and CEO of Sony Mobile where Bert Nordberg previously lead.

Sony Announces Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Timeframe for Smartphones, Includes Some Delays

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 30, 2012 | 2 comments

It wouldn’t be a Sony software or hardware release without some form of delay. Sony, who originally wanted a slew of their smartphone handsets from last year and this year to be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich by the end of April, is now pushing back the time frame by nearly a month. The rollout which is now set to start at the end of April will take Sony past June to complete and will not feature an OTA (over-the-air) update. Sony reasons that, due to the big departure from Android 2.3 and potential performance hiccups, the company want users to consciously download the update instead of flipping a switch and then flipping out from the end results.

Because this update is a significant revamp of some of your phone’s features, we want to make sure you take a conscious and informed decision to upgrade, so that you continue to enjoy optimum experiences from your Xperia smartphone.

Therefore, we’ll only be making it available for download via PC Companion and Bridge for Mac (i.e. not over the air via 3G or WiFi), and you also won’t receive any update requests or notifications.

Now, let’s talk time table and phone eligibility.

Sony Mobile Applies for ‘Navigation Using a Headset’ Patent

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 29, 2012 | 21 comments

Just last week we revealed a new patent from Sony’s mobile division which would help you navigate your phone with simple head gestures like nodding to answer a phone call while doing Night at the Roxbury with your head would send the perfect text message to your lover. Now, thanks again to the United States Patent & Trademark Office, we’ve been able to discover another patent by Sony, filled in September 2010, which aims to make your life and cell phone navigation easier by determining the direction you are facing so that your phone’s GPS can give you more accurate directions.

Meet the Sony Xperia neo L with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. We Have Specs and Pictures

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 21, 2012 | 2 comments

Sony’s ever growing line of Android smartphones for the US and Europe which include the Xperia ion, Xperia S, Xperia P, and Xperia U all have one thing in common, and that’s the lack of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest from the internet search giant Google. But before fans get their pitch forks out and head to Sony’s HQ, it should be noted that ICS will be pushed to all mentioned devices in the near future. So it’s a bit of a surprise to hear that Sony has announced a new smartphone, the Sony Xperia neo L (MT25i) for China and it will be rocking Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich from day one in white or black. If the name sound familiar, that’s because Sony also produced the Xperia neo under the Sony Ericsson moniker, though in this case, it’s more of a recycling of the name than a true predecessor.

Sony Mobile Looks to Patent ‘Head Control’

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 19, 2012 | 0 comments

Companies like Sony often apply for patents that may never be used though they help give you insight in the direction the company might be moving towards. In the case of Sony Mobile, which acted under the name of Sony Ericsson in 2010, the company had applied for a ‘head control’ patent which would help users navigate their smartphone with different head movements. The patent, which has yet to be approved, would be based on a new generation of Bluetooth headsets with motion-sensing technology. Then, the user could create their own custom commands like nodding to answer a phone call while a left to right head movement could indicate the closing of a program.