Last week we were very lucky to get our hands on two sets of exclusive images of Sony’s incoming Xperia i1 ‘Honami’ handsee – one showcasing the handset and a second set which showed off the phone in a size comparison with the Xperia Z and the Honami’s camera interface.
Well if that wasn’t enough proof to assure you that the 20 megapixel camera sporting Android handset was coming our way then a new listing in the FCC database should back up our images and the numerous leaks of Sony’s incoming flagship smartphone.
Normally when the FCC has a handsets for testing it means that the device is not far away from falling in our hands as consumers, as the phones have to go through a testing process to allow the usage of the radios and signal systems in the US.
The FCC certification was submitted on July 23rd where the filing includes a confidentiality request through to September 30th, which suggests that the handset will be made live just as this period ends.
This matches up with the rough expected release period we’ve had for the handset since it first started appearing online. The upcoming IFA event in Berlin is coming early September and we had expected the Xperia i1 ‘Honami’ to make an official appearance.
What we already know about the handset is that it shares the design of its Xperia sibling the Xperia Z and it is likely to sport a massive 20MP rear camera and features focused around this camera including an advanced camera UI and augmented reality features.
The FCC The testing report has also stated that the phone will be running on GSM, UMTS and LTE signals as well as having an 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi receiver and Bluetooth (EDR and v4.0) support on board. Mostly standard connectivity but also the latest in terms of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, meaning support for the latest and fastest routers and also the new crop of Bluetooth 4.0-sporting wearable gadgets, such as health monitors.
We cannot wait to get our hands on the Xperia i1 and to see just what the camera can do. Can you?