The VAIO Phone Biz now has an Android sibling

Mar 23, 2017 10:13 GMT  ·  By

VAIO was one of the companies that invested in Windows phones and its so-called Phone Biz was quite a premium addition to the device lineup running Microsoft’s mobile operating system.

But given the collapse of Windows phones, VAIO decided to do exactly the same thing as everybody else: explore other opportunities and invest more in platforms with bigger market share.

Unsurprisingly, VAIO’s choice was Android, and recently the company took the wraps off a new device running this platform. Called VAIO Phone A, the smartphone is nothing more than an Android version of the Phone Biz launched one year ago with Windows 10 Mobile, sharing the same design and specs, Neowin notes.

Of course, it goes without saying that launching a phone with one-year-old hardware isn’t quite the best way to conquer the Android market when bigger companies invest in new-generation hardware, but VAIO is apparently betting big on this device, possibly with a compelling price tag.

Technical specifications

Spec-wise, the Phone A comes with a 5.5-inch LCD display with 1920x1080 pixel resolution and is powered by a Snapdragon 617 processor paired with 3GB RAM. It features 16GB storage and microSD card support for expanding it to 64GB, as well a 13-megapixel camera on the back.

Additionally, the device integrates a mono speaker, a 2,800 mAh battery, GPS, micro USB for charging, 4G support, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

Pricing is yet to be announced, but expect the phone to be priced in the same range as the Windows phone launched one year ago. The device originally cost $450, but eventually dropped to $290 with all the discounts.

The Android version is projected to go on pre-order on March 30, while sales will officially start on April 7 in Japan and possibly in other markets at a later time.

As for Windows 10 Mobile, VAIO hasn’t said a single thing about any other device running the platform, but there’s a good chance the focus is now on Android and the company won’t be coming back to Microsoft’s mobile OS.

This is the new Phone A model running Android
This is the new Phone A model running Android

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VAIO's Phone Biz looks similar to the Phone A
This is the new Phone A model running Android
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