Sony Xperia Ion appears for pre-order unlocked
Still no sign of a release date
Published: 24 January, 2012
READ MORE: US | Sony Corp | Handset | Android
Revealed at CES earlier this month the Xperia Ion is an impressive slab of smartphone, especially for the Xperia brand, and now the unlocked version has appeared for pre-order from one retailer in the US. Negri Electronics is offering it for $569.50 but doesn't help to clarify when it's going to be released. It should indicate that it won't be very long before anyone interested in the device can get it from AT&T. This might the better option an unlocked version of the device doesn't offer much of an advantage unless the purchaser plans on using it on T-Mobile's EDGE network.
Key features include a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 16GB of internal storage and a 4.6" display. In addition to this it comes with an Adreno 220GPU, NFC connectivity and a 12mp rear-facing camera. It didn't retain the title of being the only smartphone with a 12mp camera for long at CES but it's still a rarity among handsets even if more megapixels don't necessarily amount to better picture quality. The website also confirms that while it only comes with Android 2.3 installed an updated to Ice Cream Sandwich will follow its release.
Sony's Ion marks a departure from the previous range of Xperia handsets which were generally behind the curve when it came to delivering the software experience and the specs that smartphone users really desired.
The Ion will be the first Xperia handset to drop the Ericsson part of its name now that Sony is flying solo with its handsets. Although it was said that the name change is pending regulatory approval it didn't stop press shots being distributed with just the Sony name picturing a more elegantly designed smartphone than previous Xperias.
It's expected that Xperia Ion will hit AT&T at some point during the second quarter. The carrier also hasn't confirmed how much the device is going to cost but judging by its specs and pricetag at Negri it won't be far from the higher end of its pricing points.
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