14 DAY TRIAL // Today at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Last Vegas, AT&T announced the first LTE smartphone from Sony, the recently leaked Xperia ion.
The new device will become available in the United States exclusively on the airwaves of AT&T sometime in the second quarter of the ongoing year.
This is the first Xperia device to be made official under the Sony brand after the company announced last year that it bought Ericsson's stake in Sony Ericsson.
Just as previously suggested, Xperia ion packs a 4.6-inch HD display (1280 X 720 pixels) with Mobile BRAVIA Engine.
The smartphone is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, being the first dual-core Xperia handset.
On the back, the new device features a 12-megapixel photo snapper that can record videos in full HD (with Sony Exmor R for mobile sensor). In addition, it sports a 1.3 MP front 720p camera for video calling.
The specifications list of this mobile phone also includes 16GB of internal memory, and DLNA, HDMI and BRAVIA Sync for content sharing.
"With Xperia ion, we're bringing together several firsts that will take users beyond the smartphone," said Paul Hamnett, President, Sony Ericsson North America.
"Designed to deliver a seamless experience across the multiple screens we use to play, watch, listen, and share, Xperia ion is the gateway to entertainment when and – most importantly – where you want it."
The new Sony smartphone is yet another member of the Xperia family to feature PlayStation certification. This means that it is capable of providing users with high quality smartphone gaming. It can offer access to entertainment services from Sony Entertainment Network.
“Xperia ion users will be able to access the richest entertainment experiences from Sony Entertainment Network. Music Unlimited offers a global catalogue of 15 million unique songs while Video Unlimited has the latest Hollywood blockbusters and TV shows from all major studios,” the handset vendor notes.
No specific info on the availability and pricing of Sony's Xperia ion has been unveiled for the time being.