While these photos reveal a yet unreleased Sony Ericsson phone, what model we're talking about, still remains a mystery. But as usual, along with the photos, rumors have also showed up and this phone is said to be the Shinobu, which should come out as the S500i.

First rumors regarding the Shinobu surfaced recently, and according to the information provided, Sony Ericsson was to introduce this phone, along with several other new handsets, during May.

The S500i name isn't a sure thing for the time being. Also, the family of phones beginning with the letter S has died a while back, so it's not really clear if such a name would be an option.

The photos do reveal an actual phone/prototype that should become available on the market soon. It should come out with a slider design, HSDPA, a 2.4 inch color screen with a 320 x 240 pixel (QVGA) resolution, 2 megapixel camera unfortunately without auto focus and an estimated retail price of $582. Rumor also has it that it'll be another Walkman phone, even though no Walkman branding whatsoever can be spotted in its case.

The endless number of rumors and leaked photos of all sorts of Sony Ericsson phone models will definitely lead to an official release. It's not exactly clear which handsets will be launched and under what name, but Sony Ericsson is definitely preparing to add some new products to its lineup. Since an announcement is expected from the company in May, it won't be long until the new and shiny Sony Ericsson handsets will make their official debut.