At this year’s Mobile World Congress Sony has three new handsets on offer targeting three different markets. There’s the high-end S, the mid-range P and the lower-end U.
The U is the budget of the bunch and is smaller than its new mid-range and high-end cousins. The U features a 3.5-inch FWGA display with 854×480 pixels, a 1Ghz dual-core processor and a 5 megapixel camera.
The handset is coming with the same Android version as the U & P – meaning it will be loaded with the Android 2.3 gingerbread – but it will be updated to Ice Cream in the latter half of 2012. It would have been good to see these new handsets come with new Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, but there’s no such luck.
The Xperia U comes with the same 1Ghz dual-core processor that will be used the mid-range P – with performance on par with last year’s nippy Xperia Arc.
The Xperia U comes with a mid-range 5 megapixel camera, unique fast capture, HD recording and Sony technology to capture 2D and 3D panoramic images. Sony have also included new sound technology xLoud and 3D surround technology meaning mp3 playback should be very good.
The handset will be available in a choice of white or black, with pink and yellow exchangeable caps for the base of the smartphone are included in the box.
Besides the launch of two new handsets, Sony also announced the completion of its takeover of Sony Ericsson. Sony’s next CEO, Kazuo Hirai, showed up at the event and talked about the company’s plan to leverage its current gaming and entertainment assets for its mobile phones.
He said that they would “spare no effort to ensure its (Sony Mobile) success”.
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