Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Joins Android Fray

Sony Ericsson's new Xperia X10 phone runs Android, sports an 8.1 megapixel camera...and introduces a new signature user experience.

Struggling phone maker Sony Ericsson has made its first move into the Android camp, today announcing the Xperia X10, a new Android-based phone that features a new user experience that the company plans to roll out and develop across its entire phone portfolio. And the Xperia X10 definitely packs the features, including an 8.1 megapixel camera, assisted GPS, and a 4-inch color TFT touchscreen display.

“The Xperia X10 and the family of phones launching in the first half of 2010 underpin our commitment to an open and multi-platform strategy that maximizes choice for the consumer and delivers the best possible consumer experience,” said Sony Ericsson president Bert Nordberg, in a statement. “The reaction from our global operator partners to the Xperia X10 has been extremely positive.”

Part of the Xperia X10’s new user experience is something called TimeScape, a centralized interface for all communications needs, including text messages, photos, email, and updates from social networking services like Facebook and Twitter. The phone also features a MediaScape service that brings together the phone’s onboard and online media capabilities (including, of course, local media and popular sites like YouTube), and the phone features an “infinite button” that lets users aggregate all their interactions with a single person into one view, whether those be text messages, phone calls, or updates from the Internet.

The Xperia X10 also packs high-end features, including an 8.1 megapixel video-capable camera (with a 16× digital zoom, geotagging, and smile detection), stereo Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless networking, assisted GPS, a 4-inch 480 by 854-pixel high-resolution touchscreen display, microSD storage (an 8 GB card will come with the phone), and (of course) the full panoply of Google-based applications and features…plus access to the Android Marketplace.

The Xperia X10 will support GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100, and UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900/2100, making it operable in a wide range of worldwide markets. And that’s the rub: Sony Ericsson hasn’t released any pricing information, but the company isn’t planning to introduce the Xperia X10 until the first quarter of 2010; although the phone will be landing in Japan, the company is running a risk of missing the first huge wave of interest in Android devices and coming along after the holiday buying season as an also-ran product. But still, with that camera and a high-resolution screen, it’s a good bet some high-end phone enthusiasts will give the Xperia X10 some serious consideration.