It will be available in Australia exclusively on this wireless carrier

Sep 20, 2011 11:31 GMT  ·  By

Australian wireless carrier Vodafone is gearing up for the release of a new smartphone from Sony Ericsson, namely the Xperia ray, which is set to arrive on shelves before the end of September.

The mobile phone will be released exclusively to Vodafone customers this month, with features and capabilities specific to the entire Xperia family of devices.

Starting with September 28th, Vodafone users in Australia will be able to purchase the new smartphone on a series of monthly plans from their wireless carrier.

Apparently, Xperia ray is expected to arrive on shelves on the $29 Cap plan from Vodafone (aproximately € 21.7 per month) , with $5 (around € 3.74) monthly repayments, but it will also be released for $0 upfront on the $49 Cap plan (about € 36.7) per month. Both require the signing of a 24-month contract agreement.

The new handset runs under Google's Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system and includes a series of applications and features that Sony Ericsson has developed specifically for its Xperia devices, including the unique Facebook inside Xperia application.

Through it, users can access Facebook from any area of the phone, and will also enjoy integration of birthdays of Facebook friends with the calendar on their handsets.

The mobile phone comes with a fast application processor inside, a 3.3-inch touchscreen display (Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine), and an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, with support for HD video recording (Exmor R mobile sensor).

Moreover, it arrives on shelves with a front-facing camera aimed at enabling video calling while on the go, as well as with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity capabilities, GPS receiver, and a slim body, being only 9.4mm (0.37 inches) thin.

Xperia ray delivers on Sony Ericsson’s promise of creating smartphones that allow users to lead a life less ordinary,” John Featherstone, managing director, Sony Ericsson Oceania said.

“We believe the smaller size of this device, combined with Sony’s world-renowned camera and screen technology, will make it exceptionally appealing to users who are looking for a smartphone that stands out from the rest.” (via)