Currently sitting with a 17% share of the global Android market, Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg said on Wednesday that the joint venture is aiming to be the market share leader. The executive didn’t give a market share target or a time frame relating to this quest, but the current leader has a 23% piece of the pie.

For Sony Ericsson to achieve this goal, the company will have to step things up in terms of manufacturing. Currently, all of the joint venture’s Android phones are powered by the 1.6 build of the operating system. Most top-end phones using Google’s open source OS are loaded with Android 2.1 or 2.2. Sony Ericsson is also going to have to revise their strategy for dealing with U.S. carriers. The current flagship Xperia X10 went months between its launch overseas and its recent release on AT&T. The result was that by the time the X10 was available in the U.S. as a subsidized handset, its specs had been surpassed by many other carrier branded models.

One way that Sony Ericsson could shake things up would be to offer an Android phone with capabilities to link with the Sony PlayStation gaming platform. Recent speculation centered around such a device powered by Android 3.0, that if produced, could help Sony Ericsson take a huge slice of market share away from the other Android phone manufacturers.
source: AndroidandMe

Thanks to a tweet sent out by Sony Ericsson U.K., overseas owners of the Xperia X10 now feel comfortable that they will not be using Android 1.6 by the end of next month. It is not certain whether or not the message, which says that Android 2.1 will be due for the device by the end of September, applies to Stateside owners of the Xperia X10 on AT&T.

Originally, as we reported, the upgrade was expected sometime in Q4. As the number of high end Android models getting upgraded to Android 2.2 starts increasing, the pressure grows on Sony Ericsson to take the Xperia X10 up to Android 2.1. This would narrow the gap in functions between the flagship unit of the joint venture and other flagship models like the Motorola DROID X and the EVO 4G. The latter is currently powered by Android 2.2 while the former is expected to be upgraded to the Froyo build sometime early next month, as we have told you.
source: Twitter

It seems a little strange, but there is speculation that Sony Ericsson, a joint venture that has yet to launch any Android device with a higher build than 1.6, could soon be pushing out to market an Xperia and PlayStation branded phone that would run Android 3.0. With the focus obviously on gaming, the device would replace a slideout QWERTY keyboard with a game controller and be equipped with a screen between 3.7 and 4.1 inches with WVGA resolution or better. Some of the specs resemble what you would expect from a high-end Android device, such as a 1GHz processor and a 5MP camera.

The phone would have Android 3.0 on board and the Android Market will host games for the device in a special area that will only be accessible by this model. Eventually, other units might be allowed to download the games as long as game requirements are met. The library of titles are said to include older PSX games mixed with some new PSP titles. A release as soon as October is possible.

A device like this would be a win-win for all those involved. For Google, it would be a chance for Android to make some strides against the strong gaming capabilities of the iPhone/iPod and Sony Ericsson would get a shot at delivering a relevant, up-to-date Xperia model in the U.S. market, something that the joint venture has been unable to accomplish up to now.
source: Engadget via AndroidandMe

Variety is definitely a good thing for consumers especially when they want to purchase a handset that’s personalized to them, but thankfully Sony Ericsson is doing their part in offering a myriad of color options with their handsets. They’ve now added a gold version of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini which is actually the seventh color scheme they came out with, plus a pink version of the Xperia X10 mini pro. The gold paint job on the Xperia X10 mini will definitely add some bling to your handset and would probably make some heads turn after once seeing the handset from afar. On the other hand, the pink X10 mini pro may be rather daring especially when you factor in the handset’s overall professional persona, but siding with it will most say that you’ve got a telling statement you’re not afraid to show off. Even though Sony Ericsson is pushing out various paint jobs for both handsets, we’d imagine that current owners are still waiting for an Android 2.1 update – which is slated for release some time this quarter. As for these striking new color options, they should become readily available soon – and maybe just in time for an Eclair dessert!
via SEMC Blog

T-Mobile UK customers have known for quite some time that the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro was coming to the mobile operator, but unfortunately it’s getting pushed back just a tad bit longer. The Android powered device is being delayed until September and should be somewhat of a damper for those who are eager is checking it out – it was originally slated for a July release. However, rival carrier Vodafone UK has recently added the handset to their coming soon list – which should prove to be interesting who comes outs with the handset first. Vodafone can really pull a fast one on T-Mobile UK if they are able to launch the handset first out of the gates. Although no pricing has been mentioned by Vodafone UK, one would expect it to be slightly more than the existing X10 mini they’re currently offering for free on monthly plans starting at £20 per month. Naturally the notion of Android 1.6 being on board from the beginning easily puts it down the ladder when you take into consideration the healthy amount of Android 2.1 devices in the market. Luckily it won’t be too long as its scheduled to receive the Android 2.1 treatment some time in the third quarter of the year.
source: Vodafone UK & T-Mobile UK via Unwired View

It’s been a few months since the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 hit the market, and initially it was plagued with lagging camera interface and short battery life. The company has been talking firmware update for a while and it is now out to take care of those issues.

The update improves the responsiveness of the UX user interface and plugs the power leaks that shortened battery life in idle mode before. Sony Ericsson also throws in a free backup application with this firmware version as well as enhanced PlayNow functionalities in several countries. Nothing snazzy, but it will keep you warm until the upgrade to Android 2.1 appears on your notification bar.
via Engadget

In one of their latest posts, those evil geniuses over at iFixit have done what they do best to the poor little Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini – they have torn it into pieces. How sweet!

Nonetheless, it is indeed interesting to examine the cleverly-assembled innards of the Android-powered smartphone. Not that there’s much to look at, but you can at least see what a 600MHz Qualcomm processor or a logic board look like.

Hit the source for a full guide on how to disassemble the X10 mini. However, if we were you (who we aren’t, but still), we would rather enjoy the full four pages of your Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini Review.
source: iFixit

The recently announced Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 received some face time in a promotional video that flaunts its design and interface. Although there are probably a few more interesting devices out there that are taking precedence on video as well, this one shows off the X8’s design, interface, and paint jobs it’ll be adorning come launch. It’s tough to pinpoint it down to a nail, but there is just something about this handset that doesn’t scream an in your face attitude – it could possibly be due to its stark appearance to some of Sony Ericsson’s other handsets. Or simply that it doesn’t compete in the same level as some of the other unique looking Android handsets out there. Whatever it is, at least we’re getting a small preview of what to expect, so you can judge for yourself as to whether or not it may be something worth looking forward to.
via Daily Mobile

Sony Ericsson dropped the bomb today as it finally made official its Xperia X8 Android smartphone and Yendo Walkman. It didn’t stop there though, as the company also announced a new GreenHeart family phone – the Sony Ericsson Cedar, as well as a bunch of software updates for the Xperias.

These updates will begin to roll out starting Q3 and will include Android 2.1 updates for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, X10 mini and X10 mini pro. Additionally, Q3 will see an update for the Xperia X10, which will bring HD video recording to the smartphone. In Q4, Xperia X10 users will get the ability to wirelessly connect their handset to a television and display content, plus some Timescape and Mediascape enhancements.

So much about the software enhancements. Sony Ericsson announced the fourth Android-based Xperia handset today, in the form of the Xperia X8. Previously known as the Shakira, it proudly takes the place between the X10 mini and X10 by sporting a 3-inch touch-sensitive screen and the X10 mini’s custom UI. It is positioned as an entertaining smartphone and as such will feature a 3.5mm jack and 3.2MP camera. The X8 will be available for purchase in selected markets starting Q3.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8	Sony Ericsson Yendo

The just announced Sony Ericsson Yendo, of which we’ve seen some leaked pics, seems to be not much less entertaining than the X8 with its 2.6-inch touchscreen and the same user interface found on the X8 and X10 mini. However, the interesting part appears to be that under the custom UI, there will not be Android, but Sony Ericsson’s proprietary platform. Anyone excited? Still, the Yendo will bring along all that you love about Sony Ericsson’s Walkman phones, including the Walkman player, TrackID and PlayNow, as well as features like a 2MP camera, 3.5mm jack and 720MHz processor, and will become available in Q3, in a number of colors.

Last but not least, someone’s got to think about the planet, and that’s why the Sony Ericsson Cedar is here. This green handset is expected to come at an affordable price, equipped with goodies like a “human curvature” design, 3.5mm jack, 3G connectivity and a Widget Manager 2.0 app, which would allow users to easily access social networks.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 Specifications
Sony Ericsson Yendo Specifications
Sony Ericsson Cedar Specifications

source: Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson might’ve limped onto the Android scene as other manufacturer were steadily releasing handsets for the platform, but as of late, we’ve begun to see a huge explosion out of their camp. Most recently, we’ve seen them supplement their offerings with devices like the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8, X10 mini, and X10 mini pro. Some believed that the Xperia line would continue its brand awareness while the Walkman line looked to be declining. However, we’re now getting our first clear images of the upcoming Walkman branded Android phone – the Sony Ericsson Yendo. We’ve seen a blurry looking leaked image before, but this time around we’re getting a pretty good idea of what to expect with the handset. It’s hard to tell from these promotional pictures on how small or large the handset really is, but it does look similar to the X10 mini from afar. Seeing that it’s geared towards music, it’ll be interesting to see how this Walkman branded phone presents its multimedia features. However, we can find that there will be a sense of personalization attached to the handset as it boats a myriad of color options. Even though there is no confirmation surrounding its availability, we’d imagine for it to be announced soon with an affordable price point attached to it.
source: Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog via Unwired View