Sony Xperia SP

Available now
18th March 2013

A relatively high-end addition to Sony's ever expanding Xperia NXT range, the Sony Xperia SP is a LTE capable Android smartphone which is not a million miles away from the Xperia T in terms of specification.

Smartphones are much of a muchness these days, so the key differentiator with the Xperia SP is the physical design. Although it is a very slabby device to look at, it is carefully detailed with classic Sony Ericsson design cues, and we think that we can even detect a touch of the old T610 in there. At the bottom is a transparent section which lights up in different colours when playing music and looking at photos, and the light sequences and colours are user-customisable too.

The Xperia SP is an Android 4.1 device with a 4.6" 720 x 1280 pixel BRAVIA-enhanced display, an 8 megapixel primary camera with Sony's Exmor RS technology (capable of 1080p video recording) and a VGA-resolution front camera. Inside is a 1.7GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard flash plus a microSD slot. You can output to an HD TV via an MHL-HDMI cable or mirror over DLNA to a compatible Sony TV, and the Xperia SP also has an FM radio and is NFC-capable.

This is an LTE device with two variants with different bands, and it also supports HSPA+ along with all the usual connectivity such as WiFi and Bluetooth. The Xperia SP supports both GLONASS and GPS positioning systems. Inside is a 2370 mAh battery which is quoted as giving almost 19 hours talktime and 30 days standby. The Xperia SP weighs a fairly hefty 155 grams and measures 131 x 61 x 10mm.

All the usual Sony enhancements are here too, and although the Xperia SP isn't powerful as the flagship Sony Xperia Z, it should be a lot cheaper and more pocket-friendly too. The Xperia SP will be available in black, white or red colours from Q2 2013 onwards. No guidance on pricing was given, but we would expect the Xperia SP to retail for around €400 at launch.

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