At the IFA expo in Germany, Sony is previewing its Xperia T and Xperia V Android phones, which build on the company’s former flagship smartphones, the Xperia arc and Xperia arc S. Both Xperia models boast a 1.5GHz dual core Qualcomm processor, 13MP camera that goes from sleep mode to snap in just over a second, 720p HD front camera, and 1080p HD video recording.
The Xperia T (pictured) is the larger of the two with a 4.6″ HD Reality Display, while the Xperia V is 4.3-inches. Both models feature Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA display technology. (For a comparison of Mobile BRAVIA vs Samsung’s AMOLED technology, check out this video).
The Xperia V also adds support for 4G LTE networks, and Sony claims it is splash resistant to accidental splashes or quick dunks in water. Even so, it’s never a sure thing to leave any device around water unless you have it protected by a special water-resistant case.
Although the Xperia T and V voth run Android version 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), Sony says they will be upgraded to Android version 4.1 (Jelly Bean) following launch. The devices are PlayStation Certified, and you can use the Xperia TV Dock’s MHL to HDMI converter and charging connector to see photos and videos on an HDMI enabled TV.
Sony is trying to capitalize on its reputation for strong audio products by including a “Walkman” branded application that aims to improve sound quality and offers access to the music you might have stored on your computer, a list of songs “liked” by your Facebook friends, and songs available through Sony’s cloud-based digital streaming music service, Music Unlimited.
Sony also includes an “Album” application that lets you view, sort, share, and consolidate photos posted on social media sites, and a Movies application that plays movies and provides a synopsis of the movie you’re watching using Gracenote. And if you have home digital media servers, you can also remotely view photos and movie content stored on them.
The Xperia’s take NFC beyond the traditional uses such as eticketing and payments by letting you share your music and photos across other NFC-enabled Sony devices, by simply touching one to another to establish a wireless connection using the phone’s ‘One-touch’ function. For example, Xperia T and Xperia V users can stream music wirelessly with ‘One-touch’ to the new Sony SRS-BTV5 NFC enabled speaker, which the company also announced at IFA.
The Xperia T and S will be available in black, silver, or white. Sony has hinted that the phones will start to ship at the end of September, although it stopped short of giving official dates. In some markets, the Xperia T will be known as Xperia TX. Sony says that those who buy a new Xperia through the end of the year will get a free 60 day trial of its Music Unlimited service.
Engadget posted a great hands-on video of the Xperia T:
