Sony might have ambitions of climbing the Android ladder, to become second only to Samsung but, they’ve got a lot to prove – and a lot of devices to sell – before they can get there. Already this year we’ve seen four smartphones from Sony, the Xperia Z and ZL along with the more wallet-friendly Xperia L and SP, with more devices coming. Releasing a group of devices is one thing but, pricing is so important these days, everyone wants a decent, fast smartphone but, not everyone is content with paying nearly $700 for one. Of course, the Xperia SP and the L should plug that gap, in Europe at least. So, what are Sony going to do to win their place in the budget arena?
We’ve already spoken about how MediaTek’s low-cost quad-core chips could be behind more Full HD 5-inch smartphones and now, there’s rumor that Sony are definitely going to go after this emerging market. Digitimes – I know, I know – are reporting that:
“Sony also plans to roll out a 5-inch entry-level model in the third quarter, which is likely to be powered by a MediaTek quad-core processor and manufactured by Arima, indicated the industry sources.”
There are a few reasons why it’d be a good idea for Sony to introduce a smartphone like this; chief among them is the fact that Sony’s smartphones are always expensive, which is not to say that they’re not built well or aren’t worth the money but, they’re definitely on the pricier end of the spectrum. Which leaves Sony in a difficult position, high-priced devices like the Xperia Z position themselves amongst Samsung, Apple and HTC. I don’t think this is a great position for Sony right now, they’ve never been at the top of the smartphone game and they won’t be if people can’t afford their smartphones.
Releasing a Full HD device that has all the hallmarks of Sony’s design chops and quality could help them establish themselves as a smartphone brand that people are talking about, a brand that is very much on the mind of consumers. If they can sort out distribution and somehow get this thing selling in the States, even in their own online store then they could have a winner on their hands.