Sony launches Xperia ™ PLAY

 

Sony Ericsson has unveiled a new Android-based smart phone that doubles up as a PlayStation.

 

Stirring the war in the hypercompetitive smart phones market further, Sony Ericsson has unveiled its new offering, Xperia ™ PLAY, a PlayStation smart phone. The first PlayStation certified Android smart phone comes with a host of features such as graphics, sound and real game controller. Xperia™ PLAY supports multiplayer gaming. In addition to the pre-loaded games, there is also an ever-growing selection of additional titles available for download. According to the company, games such as Asphalt Adrenaline 6, Bruce Lee, Star Battalion, The Sims 3, and Tetris will come pre-loaded on the phone. “The Xperia Play’s unique gamepad also delivers robust control in The Sims 3 bringing a whole new life simulation experience to fans of the franchise,” said Travis Boatman, VP of Worldwide Studios for EA Mobile, in an interview.

 

The latest smart phone from the Sony Ericsson stable, a 50:50 joint venture between Sony and Swedish major Ericsson, which was officially unveiled yesterday at the Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona, Spain, promises to take the smart phone war to a new level with the integration of its highly popular video game console, PlayStation. The Xperia Play will compete with rival Windows Phone 7 which offers Microsoft's Xbox Live, another popular game console, besides taking on Apple’s iPhone and the Blackberries. However, contrary to popular perceptions, Sony’s main rival will not be Windows Phones but the most envied Apple’s iPhone and iPad which lead the mobile gaming market. 

“Xperia Play will forever change the way people think about smartphones and mobile gaming,” Rikko Sakaguchi, executive vice president and chief creation officer at Sony Ericsson, was quoted as saying. The reactions from experts too are encouraging for Sony Ericsson which has lagged behind rivals such as Apple, RIM and Samsung in the fast-growing smart phones. “The Xperia Play offers something refreshingly different amidst a sea of homogenous Android devices. Sony Ericsson needs to maximize its first-to-market advantage before the inevitable rush to join the PlayStation party,” Geoff Blaber, an analyst at CCS Insight, said in an interview.  “Xperia Play and PlayStation Certified gaming are great examples of the kind of innovation that’s possible in the open Android ecosystem,” Andy Rubin, vice president of engineering at Google, was quoted as saying.

The Xperia Play will go on sale from April this year. That means the fans will have to wait for a while before they grab their much aspired PlayStation phone.  

Scroll down to see exclusive pictures of the new Sony Xperia ™ PLAY Phone:

 

Features of Xperia™ PLAY

The latest Google™ apps on your Android mobile

 

Never get lost again. Explore cities and sights with 3D maps. Use Google Voice Search™ to call, text and more. With your Xperia™ PLAY Android mobile, there's no need to type. Just speak. Want more? Get the apps you need from Android Market™.  

"So, is this the PlayStation™ phone?"

Once a fantasy. Now a reality. The first PlayStation certified Android smartphone gives you incredible graphics, great sound and real game controller. This phone is not actually named "the PlayStation™ phone" though - we call it Xperia™ PLAY.

Xperia™ PLAY - geared up for immersive gaming

What's your thrill? Slide out the controls of your Xperia™ PLAY and get behind the wheel of a race car. Or jump into a street fight. Challenge your friends: Xperia™ PLAY supports multiplayer gaming. In addition to the pre-loaded games, you'll find an ever-growing selection of additional titles available for download.

Technical Specifications

Screen

- 854 x 480 pixels
- 4.0" 16,777,216 colour TFT

Memory

- Phone memory up to 400MB
- microSD™ (supported to 32GB)

* Actual free memory may vary due to phone pre-configuration.

Networks

- GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
- UMTS/HSPA 800/850/1900/2100
- UMTS/HSPA 900/2100

Available colours

- Black - White (Possible limited market availability)

Sizes

- 119.0 x 62.0 x 16.0 mm
- 4.7 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches

Weight

- 175.0 gr
- 6.2 oz

Please note that local variations may apply.

Source: sonyericsson.com

Amy, Chief Editor