A Guide to Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Range, In the Present and the Future

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia brand has expanded to include several new models this year, so to keep you fully up-to-date, here is a rundown of the entire range and their key features, plus some speculation on the future:

Xperia X1.

The first of the series released in late 2008, the Xperia X1 had a side-sliding QWERTY keyboard and a distinctive X design for the softkeys below the 3″ touchscreen.  A 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash could be found on the rear of the handset, a 3.5mm headphone port was on the top and it was a 3G phone with GPS and Wi-Fi.

A 528MHz processor with 512MB ROM and 256MB RAM could be found inside, completing an impressive spec list.  The Xperia X1 was blighted by running Windows Mobile 6.1 and the company’s own Panels user interface, neither of which did justice to the hardware underneath.

Xperia X2.

The X2 has a troubled history, becoming something of a joke after it took so long to arrive following extensive leaks, pictures and its final announcement.  It finally became available at the beginning of 2010, but the UK was denied a release following problems with network support, however it appears to be on sale now.

The X2 follows a very similar design concept to the X1, with a slide out QWERTY keyboard and a touchscreen, this time slightly increased in size to 3.2″.  The processor and memory all stayed the same but Windows Mobile was changed to version 6.5 and Panels received an update.  Despite strong features and an improved specification, the X2 suffers from being a 2009 phone in 2010; it just doesn’t meet modern requirements.

Xperia X10.

Also known under the codename Rachael and briefly, the X3; the Xperia X10 is the first of our announced-but-unreleased Xperia phones.  It’s a gorgeous looking phone, with a massive 4″ touchscreen with a 480×854 pixel resolution and slim hardware buttons below it, with a choice of a black or white colour scheme.  The specification is equally attractive, with 3G, HSDPA and HSUPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, an 8 megapixel camera with touch focus and an LED flash, plus the super-fast Snapdragon processor inside.

Perhaps the only slight disappointment with the X10 is the initial installation of Google Android 1.6, an OS that has been succeeded several times since the X10’s announcement, and something we hope can be upgraded soon after its release.  We’re still expecting the X10’s release date to be made public, but it can’t be far away!

Xperia X10 Mini.

Our second unreleased Xperia handset and the first to be announced in 2010.  Unveiled at Mobile World Congress, the X10 Mini feels like a return to the old days, when Sony Ericsson made very small mobile phones with plenty of power and features.  The X10 Mini weighs just 88 grams and has a 2.5″ touchscreen and Android 1.6 installed.

Don’t let its size fool you though, as it still has 3G, HSDPA and HSUPA, plus Wi-Fi, GPS, a 3.5mm headphone port, a microSD card slot and a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and an LED flash.  No precise release date was given at MWC, but it’s expected during Q2 of 2010.

Xperia X10 Mini Pro.

The X10 Mini Pro was announced alongside the X10 Mini at Mobile World Congress and shares the same specification list – 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5 megapixel camera, microSD and Android 1.6 – but instead of being a simple touchscreen candybar design, the Pro has a side-sliding QWERTY keyboard.

The release schedule is the same as the Mini.

Xperia Pureness.

The odd one out in the current Xperia range in that it doesn’t have a numbered name.  The Pureness is an exercise in design brilliance and was never intended to appeal to the tech crowd who love the X10, instead focusing on the fashionable buyer who wanted something  little more exclusive.

The transparent, monochrome 1.8″ display is a joy to behold, a really stunning piece of engineering, but the spec list is basic, with no camera, Wi-Fi or GPS onboard.  It does have 3G, but with a small monochrome display, you’d have to be pretty dedicated to start browsing the Internet.  The Pureness was released late last year and was available only in certain boutique stores, and in limited numbers.

The Missing Numbers.

What about the phones in-between the X2 and the X10?  Are they waiting in the wings, or are the just the product of idle speculation?  Here is what we think:

Xperia X3.

This was originally the name given to the X10 and since then, the number has been retired with no links to further devices.  It’s also being used by Nokia for their own X3 phone.

Xperia X4.

The X4 name was linked at some point to the Sony Ericsson Pureness, but obviously this didn’t play out.  The number 4 has issues in Asia, where it’s associated with death, so it’s often missed out when international products have an ascending series of numbers in their names.

Xperia X5.

The X5 is one of the few other X-series phones which has shown up in one form or another.  It has been a concept phone with a side-sliding keyboard, earned the codename of Nadine and was mentioned in a tweet from a Sony Ericsson employee as a potential forthcoming product last year.  Since then we have heard nothing, but if any of these numbers are to be used, the X5 currently seems the most likely.

Xperia X6.

Another number taken by Nokia for their own X6 mobile phone.

Xperia X7, X8 and X9.

Neither the X7 or X8 have been spoken of, but the X9 has received a little attention earlier this year, as it was associated with the codename Abelin – an Android touchscreen phone with a 5 megapixel camera.

Of course, Sony Ericsson could abandon all these numbers and go for the X20 (already a concept also known as the Scarlet), X40 and so on.  But for now, you’ll just have to enjoy the Xperia’s you can actually buy!