Sony announce the Xperia S

Blimey, this one looks a bit tasty, and here in the UK Three have already confirmed they will be selling the device.

Xperia S, the first smartphone from the new Xperia NXT series – next generation smartphones from Sony, was today announced at Sony’s press conference ahead of the 2012 International CES show in Las Vegas. The new Xperia S is an Android smartphone that delivers a stunning viewing experience with a high resolution screen, Sony HD experiences and a 12MP camera that takes pictures in just 1.5 seconds from standby. Xperia S also comes with a powerful 1.5GHz dual-core processor for faster performance.

The new Xperia S enables easy connectivity with multiple screens for consumers looking to share and enjoy content on whichever screen best suits their situation, whether it’s TV, smartphone, laptop or tablet. Consumers can watch their favourite content from the Sony Entertainment Network by connecting their Xperia S through HMDI to TV or share photos wirelessly with just one touch. Xperia S is also NFC (near field communication) enabled to allow consumers to share content with each other as well as enjoying an increasing number of NFC applications and services.

Xperia S will be able to access the richest entertainment experiences from Sony Entertainment Network. Music Unlimited offers a global catalogue of 12 million unique songs while Video Unlimited has the latest Hollywood blockbusters and TV shows from all major studios.

Xperia S is also PlayStation Certified, guaranteeing a high quality smartphone gaming experience and access to the PlayStation Store.

Xperia S showcases a new design approach referred to as “Iconic Identity”. The design will be replicated across the Xperia NXT series and creates a simple strong look that is instantly recognizable. The transparent element at the base creates an iconic silhouette where the display is emphasized and underlined. In addition, it provides illumination effects and integrates the antenna components.

The user interface has been redesigned to match the minimalistic design of the hardware. The home screen has a new colorful flow background making full usage of HD Reality Display and dual-core processing power.

Xperia S will be available to consumers globally from the first quarter 2012. Launching on Android platform 2.3 (Gingerbread) Xperia S will be upgraded to Android platform 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) during the second quarter 2012.

Xperia S Specifications

4.3 inch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine
HD resolution screen (1280 × 720)
Front (720p) and back (1080p) cameras for HD recording
1.5GHz dual-core processor
32GB flash storage
12MP back camera
Sony Exmor RT for mobile
Fastest Capture to take shots in just 1.5 seconds directly from standby mode
NFC (Near Field Communications) enabled to access growing range of NFC applications and services as well as Xperia SmartTags
With HD sharing through DLNA, HDMI and using BRAVIA Sync for controlling your Xperia S with your TV remote control when connected to the TV