Sony Ericsson announces Xperia arc S with a 1.4GHz processor
The Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S is the fastest Xperia smartphone to date with a 1.4GHz Scorpion single-core processor and running on Android 2.3.4 out of the box.
The Xperia arc S is almost identical to its arc predecessor say for the processor. The new arc S is based on a Qualcomm MSM8255T Snapdragon chipset, which features a 1.4GHz processor, Adreno 205 GPU and 512MB RAM.
The rest of the specs are pretty much the same - a 4.2" FWVGA Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA engine, an 8 megapixel camera with Sony's Exmor R sensor, 720p video recording and the same impressive connectivity options including an HDMI port.
The Xperia arc S also preserves the original arc design and has the same measurements and size.
Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S will run on Android 2.3.4 Gingebread out of the box - the same version that will tick inside the newly announced Xperia neo V and will become available to the whole Xperia 2011 lineup later this year.
In case you've missed the news about the Android 2.3.4 update, you can learn everything about it here. It will bring USB on-the-go, Sony 3D sweep panorama for the camera, even better Facebook integration, Swype-like text input (T9 Trace), integrated screen capture, video chats via Google Talk and more.
The Xperia arc S will hit the shelves in Q4 this year, but the price is yet to be revealed.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V with Anroid 2.3.4
Sony Ericsson has unveiled the Xperia Neo V ahead of IFA 2011, following its moderately successful Xperia Neo handset that was released early this year.
There's not much to report on the Neo V front; it's largely the same handset as the original Neo - same dimensions, same weight, same display, same innards.
The one major change that we can see is that the Neo V comes rocking a 5MP camera, a step down from the 8MP affair that the older handset boasts.
Considering the "photographic punch" was one of the things we praised in our Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review, chopping this down may not have been Sony Ericsson's wisest ever move.
Downgrade
It will be the first Xperia handset to ship with Android 2.3.4, the 3D-friendly software update that Sony Ericsson also announced today with a few Facebook updates and the ability to take screenshots.
Like its predecessor, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V comes with a front-facing camera, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3.7-inch screen and HDMI support.
Unlike its predecessor, you'll be able to pick up the Neo V in a white chassis. Wow. Times they are a changin'.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V UK release date is scheduled for some time in Q4 (Oct-Dec), with pricing expected to be slightly lower than that of the original Neo, so around the £20 per month mark.
It's not abundantly clear why Sony Ericsson has bothered releasing a very slightly cut down edition of the perfectly adequate Xperia Neo; we've asked the company what the deal is, we'll let you know if and when we hear back.
Update: Sony Ericsson explains, "The Xperia neo V will be coming in below the Xperia neo and the Xperia ray, but above the Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro, so from a price point, it will be more accessible for consumers."
