Target Sony
Sony Ericsson Smartphones - are They Still the Best?
For years, Sony Ericsson made the best top-end mobile phones money could buy. Their smartphones dominated the world. But is that still the case? In 2008, are they still king of the hill?
The history of Sony Ericsson smartphones - rise to domination
Sony Ericsson were actually one of the earliest manufacturers of mobile phones to release a smartphone, along with Nokia and that famous mobile phone company, erm, IBM. The Sony Ericsson model was the eponymous R380, the first EVER Symbian-powered mobile phone. That's some heritage, right there, as that phone is the direct ancestor of one of the most well-regarded Sony Ericsson smartphones ever made: the P800. This king of mobile phones (for the time, anyway) holds a special place in my heart, since it was my first smartphone, and compared to the other mobile phones available on the market at the time, the Sony Ericsson P800 was just frighteningly advanced. It led on to the later P-Series mobile phones: the P900, the P910, the P990 and finally, the most recent model, the Sony Ericsson P1. And yes, I've owned every single one of those, in the past.
But that's the past, what about now? How do Sony Ericsson mobile phones fair against today's competition? Unfortunately, not very well... Mobile phones like the Nokia N95 8Gb and the Apple iPhone 3G have eaten into Sony Ericsson's market share, and toppled the famous brand from its seemingly unimpeachable position as best smartphone maker. How on earth are they going to stop themselves from falling by the wayside?
Sony Ericsson X1 - the Windows contender
2008 is something of a landmark year for Sony Ericsson, as it marks the first time they've ever collaborated with Windows Mobile. The resulting mobile phone is that powerhouse known as the Sony Ericsson X1. As things stand at the moment, that's Sony Ericsson's heaviest hitter, and that's before it's even been released. Mind you, as heavy hitting mobile phones go, it's not a bad one, since it has the newest version of Windows Mobile, a totally new 'panel interface' over the top of it, and features like GPS, WiFi and HSDPA, as well as a 3 megapixel camera, to wow the crowds. It's clear from Sony Ericsson press releases that the X1 has a specific target in mind: America. Yes, we in the UK will get it, but with it being Windows Mobile, it gives them a better chance of cracking the USA. There's no denying it's powerful, but... well, it's going to have its work cut out for it, thanks to three little words (and yes, I hate to admit this): Apple iPhone 3G.
So, if the Sony Ericsson X1 isn't the new hope for 2008, what is?
Sony Ericsson 'super-mobile-phone-that-is-so-secret-it-doesn't-officially-have-a-name'
There is a new hope for Sony Ericsson, if rumours are to be believed, as a phone is due to be announced that'll gleefully tower over other mobile phones (yes, even the iPhone). And it's so secret, no-one even knows what it's called yet. Oh, sure, we have the Sony Ericsson development codename (well, we have three - Hecaro/Hikaru/Hikaro - one of 'em has to be spelt right!), but other than that, nothing official. However, if the rumoured specs of this mobile phone are true, then Sony Ericsson have a huge winner on their hands. 8 megapixel camera. A massive touchscreen. The slickest interface in history. HSDPA. GPS. Between this and the Sony Ericsson X1, the old king of smartphones looks to be making its big comeback. If it's as good as I hope, the world of mobile phones will never be the same again!
About the Author
Expert on mobile phones, having worked in the industry for over 7 years.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 Review
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