14 DAY TRIAL // Japanese-Swedish mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson is reportedly gearing up for the release of a new device powered by Google's Android operating system. The said handset emerged into the wild already under the codename of Sony Ericsson Shakira, and the latest rumors on it suggest that the manufacturer would plan making it available as the Xperia X8.
The newly spotted device has just emerged in a series of alleged press photos, so that we can make an idea on what it should look like when available. However, considering the fact that the phone's existence hasn't been confirmed as of yet, there are great chances that the photos are not the real deal, so we'll take them with a grain of salt for the time being.
According to the available information on this device, Sony Ericsson would plan on pushing it to the market as a lower-cost alternative to the high-end Xperia X10. For what it's worth, the available photos suggest that it should come in a smaller form factor than the fist Android-based device from the maker, and having it priced lower would make perfect sense.
Unfortunately, no exact information on the hardware specifications of this device is known for the time being. Rumor has it that the Xperia X8 might boast a 3-inch touchscreen display. When it comes to the platform version it could run under, Android 1.6 and 2.1 are said to be the most probable options, yet confirmation lacks. However, Sony Ericsson's own user interface should be present on top of Android, it seems.
A wide range of details regarding the Xperia X8 are still unavailable. The exact hardware configuration of the device still remains to be seen, along with the software solutions it might pack inside when released. Information on its pricing, launch date and market availability is missing too. Provided that the available photos (published on blog.se-nse.net) are legit, it shouldn't be too long before Sony Ericsson makes the phone official, so stay tuned for more.
