Phones

Sony Ericsson Contain No Carrier IQ on Xperia Smartphones

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 6, 2011 | 8 comments

By now, you’ve probably heard about the Carrier IQ controversy which has dragged companies like Apple, RIM, HTC, and Nokia through the mud. Carrier IQ is a company who offers their technology services on various devices, including iOS, Android and Windows smartphones. The company specifically provides a software called “IQRD” with “intelligence solutions to the wireless industry” which logs user data. However, without permission from carriers or hardware makers, Carrier IQ is being accused of logging Web searches and every single button that is being tapped. iOS users are the least hurt by this as only phone call and location was being logged, in which case users could have also cut off all access to the software by by simply going to Settings -> General -> About -> Diagnostics & Usage -> Don’t Send.

However, the real winner or most protected device in all this is the Xperia smartphones by Sony Ericsson. In an official press release by Sony Ericsson, the company has revealed that they do not install or support Carrier IQ on their Xperia lineup of Android smartphones. Full press release and your comments, after the break.

Sony Ericsson Will Shut Down Sync Services by December 29th

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 28, 2011 | 11 comments

And just like that, the soon-to-be-phased out Sony Ericsson will be ending their legacy, Sync services. Sony Ericsson Sync was designed to give older Sony Ericsson phones, aka not smartphones, sync abilities.

Sony Ericsson Sync service since it was meant for old generation phones and our aim is to create a more enhanced and integrated smartphone experience for you

Sony Ericsson, which will be reborn next year under the Sony moniker, recommends that users switch to alternative services, such as Google Sync, Plaxo, and UNYK. We can’t imagine that this drop of service will affect too many users while we applaud the company for dropping outdated services and letting those who are better suited to offer such services, i.e. Google, to take on the cost of development and infrastructure.

Sony Ericsson Xperia active Delayed in UK; Sony Will Offer LiveView for Free

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 22, 2011 | 2 comments

One of the things that I’ve liked about Sony Ericsson has been their attempt at creating different kinds of Android smartphones. While everyone has been busy upping their single core processors to dual core and just raising specs from one device to another, Sony has been one of the few makers who has created different smartphones, catered to different consumer groups. The efforts have also shown signs of paying off, though in our opinion, if Sony would actually properly market their products, they might be far more ahead then where they currently sit; however, that’s a topic for a different article. The Sony Ericsson Xperia active fits this bill quite accordingly. A one of a kind Android smartphone, designed for users who are well, active in their life. The Xperia active is both dust-proof and water-resistant. In fact, the phone can be kept under 1m of water for 30 mins.

Parts of Europe have received shipments of the Xperia active as early as September but UK, a major territory was left out of the launch at the last minute. Sony never confirmed the reasoning but is now targeting the end of November for a launch window. As the mantra goes, good things come to those who wait, UK owners should be pleased that Sony is sweetening the deal for them by throwing in their LiveView (£40, $63) accessory, for free. LiveView is a 1.3-inch OLED colour (128×128 pixel) display accessory with a clip which can attach to your belt, wrist band and whatever else place you can think of. With a four touch sensor display, two physical buttons and bluetooth, LiveView is designed to integrate with existing apps and display additional information for you, without requiring you to take your phone out to view the content. Examples include texts messages, email and Facebook notifications appearing right on the LiveView screen. To make finding compatible LiveView apps easier, Sony has also developed the LiveWare manager which scans the Android Market for LiveView capable apps. Now if someone would just hurry up and make a communicator badge that I can wear on my chest so that I can make calls Star Trek style, I and the rest of the geek kingdom would highly appreciate it. So would Star Fleet.

After the jump, additional pictures of the LiveView, a video overview from Sony and your chance to comment await you.

Sony Ericssons vscreens App Allows You to Stream Photos to Internet TV’s

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 21, 2011 | 10 comments

Sony Ericsson is introducing a new app for all Android 2.1 and higher smartphones which enables you to stream your pictures to a TV with a web browser with little to no setup. Android users can find the free app in the Android market, after which they simply need to surf to vscreens.com on their internet enables TV or device like the PlayStation 3 where a QRcode will appear on screen. After scanning the barcode with the vscreens app, a connection is automatically established over the air and streaming can begin. From within the app, users can then display photos they’ve taken to the streaming device, without the need for a Bluetooth connection or any other setup box or device. The free app is available now.

After the jump, additional pictures await you where of course, your comments are welcomed.

Sony Increases Smartphone Market Share and Revenue Since 2009

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 15, 2011 | 3 comments

Sony has always been extremely vocal about their smartphone strategy, insisting that they will eventually become the top Android handset maker. Traditionally, such comments tend to be grand without much to back them up, especially from Sony who has been known to be arrogant about topic matters, only to fall behind to competitors. However, if we take a step back from the quarter-to-quarter coverage of Sony’s smartphone venture and look at the company’s track record for the last three years, we might see a completely different take on the once-fledgling business venture.

When Sony released their then-flagship smartphone, the Xperia X10, the company was already playing catch up to the likes of Apple, LG, and Samsung. Even worse, when the Xperia X10 did finally launch, it came powered by Google Android 1.6, an 6-month-old OS build while competitors were launching with Android 2.1. Sony eventually announced and released Android 2.1 for the Xperia X10 but went on record that no further updates would come to the once-flagship phone. This, ironically, would leave the Xperia X10 out of Sony’s eReader bookstore, which promised wireless syncing between books purchased on Android smartphones and Sony’s Reader devices.

Months later, something changed at Sony and the company went back and stated that the Xperia X10 would indeed be getting further Android updates and eventually, Android 2.3 came to the Xperia X10. The company, from there, would actually be on the forefront of Android updates, releasing Android 2.3.4 before competitors, while the Xperia PLAY, neo, and mini received Skype 2.0 well before other Android phones would. The biggest announcement of all came in late October when Sony announced that they would buy the remaining shares of their joint venture with Ericsson and bring all future smartphone development in-house.

So, the question is: Have all these strategic decisions made a difference to the company’s bottom line and market share? In the most recent report by Oppenheimer, it seems so. According to the research, since 2009, Sony Ericsson (grey color) has been able to slowly increase its number of smartphone market shares and generated revenue. The numbers of course pale in comparison to Apple, Samsung, and HTC, as Apple alone accounts for 56% of the profits. Still, the numbers are encouraging when you account for the huge loss that Nokia continues to sustain quarter after quarter. So, although Sony still has a long road before they are to become a top Android smartphone vendor, the overall picture sheds a different light on the company’s future outlook, and, in my eyes, its a brighter one.

After the jump, view the full chart and, while you are there, share your thoughts with us.

Sony to Phase Out Feature Phones

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 31, 2011 | 100 comments

Though it’s been less than a week since Sony announced their plans to buy the remaining 50% stake in their joint venture with Ericsson, Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer is already looking beyond that. In a recent conference call which took place after the mentioned announcement, Mr. Stringer went on to note that Sony will phase out all feature phones from their lineup, like the W995 (pictured below,) and, nigh-on, the entire Walkman range of handsets.

We’re phasing out feature phones.

Sony Ericssons current CEO, Hans Vestberg, who many believe will head Sony’s mobile phone operations, once the buyout is completed also commented on the matter and further confirmed Sir Howard Stringer’s strategy.

First of all, Sony Ericsson has gone through a big transformation. They will take the decision they need to make for the company to succeed. And I guess it’s a question for the company more than for us.

To be clear, feature phones are non-smartphone models; think pre-iPhone. Such a move will have Sony Mobile focus and create strictly smartphones, which currently comprises of Android OS, though there have always been rumors that Sony may embrace Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS as well.

Kaz Hirai Dances Around Subject of Sony Buying out Ericsson and Bringing Mobile Operations in House

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 25, 2011 | 2 comments

At AsiaD, Sony’s executive deputy president, Kaz Hirai, discussed a wide range of business in which Sony has a stake. Over the last few months, Sony has continously stressed the importance of the mobile landscape and pointed to its success in that market as an integral part of their strategy. Many have always pointed towards the joint venture between Sony and Ericsson as a dysfunctional partnership, due to cultural and corporate differences. This has also lead Sony from falling into 6th place position in smartphone sales worldwide. The constraints of the joint venture has also made Sony uncompetitive compared to rivals at HTC and Samsung, let alone Apple and their iPhone juggernaut.

Many critics, including us, have pointed towards the synergy Sony can have by bringing their mobile operations in house, which would see software and hardware produced in one location. This would not only allow them to put out more cohesive products, but Sony can also better align product features and launches with other products which made benefit from each and enhance the experience between the two. Kaz Hirai was asked about rumors of Sony buying out the remaining shares of their Ericsson joint venture and bringing all operations in house.

Hirai: I’m not going to comment on the speculation. After April, when Sony made its latest reorganization, one of the things I’ve done with Sony’s CEO and Sony Ericsson’s CEO is recognize that Sony Ericsson is an important part of Sony’s overall strategy, and that the two are in lockstep, whether it is a joint venture or not. That’s one of the things we are embarking on.

“Those are the kinds of things we need to work on to make sure it is a seamless experience.”

We’ve pointed out that we believe Kaz is a smart guy and he gets it. Also, if such a report were not true, then Sony could simply deny all claims. Instead, when Kaz was asked about it again by Walt:

Walt: So, are you going to buy out Ericsson in the cellphone space?

Again, Hirai says he won’t comment on speculation. The most important thing is that we are able to work a lot closer with the folks at Sony Ericsson.

Kaz ever so slightly confirms in our view that this is indeed the strategy that Sony is going forward with by confirming the fact that they need to work a lot closer with the folks at Sony Ericsson. Can’t get any closer than bringing them in house, right?

Sony Ericsson Profits Drop for Q3, Ships 22 Million Handsets

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 14, 2011 | 4 comments

Sony Ericsson has just posted their 2011 Q3 earnings report with a mixed bag. The joint venture between Sony and Ericsson has had a rough time in the past few years against the onslaught of the iPhone and bitter rivalry in the Android community which had current CEO, Bert Nordberg reflect on the last few years. With profits dropping though, this could potentially play favorable for Sony who is looking to buy the remaining shares of Ericsson and bring the entire mobile operation in house.

Though profits have dropped, the company was actually able to break even for the quarter, versus the previous year which saw the company bleed out €50 million. This was mostly due to higher taxes, €17 million versus last years €12 million. Net profits were also down to zero, compared to last years €49 million ($67.26 million) during Q3 but better that Q2 of 2011 €50 million loss ($69 million).

Sales were also down for the year, to €1.59 billion ($2.18 billion) from €1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) last year. However, some things are starting to go right for the company which was able to shift 80% of its business to Xperia smartphones with 22 million units shipped. The company was also able to raise the average selling price of each phone to €166 ($230) versus €154 ($213) for Q3 2010 which should help the company reach a profitability faster. Units shipped were also down 9.5 million verse the high of 10.4 million for Q3 2010 but much improved when compared to 7.6 million for Q2 2011. Sony Ericsson CEO, Bert Nordberg had this to say;

“We will continue to invest in the smartphone market, shifting the entire portfolio to smartphones during 2012.”

After the jump, full PR and your chance to comment awaits you.

Read More ›

Sony to Buy Ericsson, Bring Mobile Operations In-House

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 7, 2011 | 1 comment

Sony Ericsson is the joint venture between Sony Electronics, based in Japan, and Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, to manufacture mobile phones. Established in October of 2001, the joint venture was meant to bring Sony soft and hardware design with Ericsson’s knowledge in telecommunications to produce world class phones. As we discussed in our previous post, such venture from the company worked and worked well pre iPhone. Since then, Sony Ericsson has lost its lead as a top handset manufacture which has the company barely treading at 6th place.

Now, Sony is looking at what it should have done years ago, to bring mobile handset manufacturing in-house by purchasing the remaining shares of the handset manufacturing from Ericsson. According to inside sources, talks are currently ongoing, though things are fragile and could break down at any point.

A deal “could amount to a huge financial burden on Sony,” said Hideki Yasuda, a Tokyo-based analyst at Ace Securities Co. with a “neutral” rating on the stock. “There could be a costly fee for using patents reserved by Ericsson.”

If the deal goes through, it’s expected to cost Sony 1.4 billion euros ($1.9 billion). However, the biggest obstacle currently is not the price tag (which is no small amount of money, especially for the cash-stripped Sony) but the more than 4,000 patents that Sony Ericsson controls, which is currently a 50/50 partnership.

One can imagine that if such a deal were to go through that the Ericsson name would be dropped and the Sony moniker would be the only name to appear on the phones, thus making it a simpler branding experience for consumers. By bringing all production in-house, Sony will also be able to better align future handsets with their product strategy and integrate their services without the need of split decisions and split design ideals.

On the Eve of iPhone 4S, Sony Ericsson CEO Reflects

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 6, 2011 | 15 comments

Did you know that once upon a time, Sony Ericsson was one of the top smartphone makers in the world? Things were much simpler pre 2007, specifically, pre iPhone. At that time, Sony Ericsson made a slew of custom UI smartphone and models that ran on Palm and Windows Mobile variations. Sure Blackberry was still king back then but only in the corporate world. Others and more importantly, the everyday public which was a large and untapped market, didn’t want bulky phones with Exchange and spreadsheets. Things were indeed good in those days where a products spec sheets still ruled the world and determined how a buyer would know if a product was worthy. With a name like Sony which has enjoyed a long heritage of quality products on the box, it was hard not for the joint venture between the two companies to be on top of the sales charts.

Now, the world is different. Sony Ericsson is no longer on top of the sales charts and has a hard time even cracking the top 5. So how does current CEO, Bert Nordberg see all this? We should also point out that Mr. Nordberg was not the CEO of Sony Ericsson, during the times mentioned. For one, he is happy with picking Android as the OS to use in their smartphone category and while others like HTC, LG and Samsung have also backed Windows Phone.

“At this point I wouldn’t feel comfortable investing in a platform that isn’t as good as the one that we currently use,” he said. “Therefore we have remained with Android, but I am quite curious about Windows Phone.”

Only in the last year alone and under Nordberg’s eyes, we’ve seen a plethora of Android powered phones from Sony Ericsson. Their current lineup includes though not limited: Xperia arc, arc S, neo V, Live with Walkman, mini, mini pro, Active and PLAY (for those playing at home, Sony does indeed use funky capital and none capital letters throughout their lineup). With nearly 15 Android powered phones in their current portfolio, Sony Ericsson has shifted a majority of their business practices from the traditional “dump phone” to the more lucrative and ever growing smartphone centric market. With so many phones at their disposal, it’s hard to imagine why Sony has yet to see real success from their shift to Android until you realize their lack of focus on the US.

Sony Ericsson has long been a power house in Asia and Europe. To this day, the majority of their sales comes from the international market and not the United States. Much like Nokia, Sony was slow to see the US as a growing and maturing market. With the launch of the iPhone, the entire mobile landscape would change. Traditionally exclusive to AT&T, the iPhone changed how people viewed smartphones. The demograph which was once only the business men in suits would soon change to teens, coaches and moms and dads. The iPhone would change the trajectory of the mobile landscape, leaving those who were slow to the realization of the new market and profits behind it to fall victim to loss of market share and profits.

Nordberg said, “it’s safe to say that Sony Ericsson should have taken the iPhone more seriously when it arrived in 2007.”

Taking the iPhone seriously however was only part of the problem. Sony, like every other manufacture relies heavily on OS makers to provide them with the software needed to power their phones. In the first two years of the iPhone, Google and their Android software were still in incubation while others can argue that Microsoft is still there. With no other software makers in the market, it’s hard to imagine thing’s being different had Sony taken Apple and iPhone seriously. However, in the last two years where other manufactures like Samsung, Motorola and HTC have taken advantage of the free OS provided by the folks in Mountain View, Sony has stumbled and continued to lose market share. This ties directly to Nokia’s problem as well which failed to see the US as a strong player. While both companies continued to sell their phones through channels like select retail stores and online domains, other handset manufactures were quick to cut deals with US providers like Verizon and AT&T. These partnerships would result on advertisement for their handset and dramatically reduced prices on the phones while Sony Ericsson had no marketing in place and full priced phones which were all between the $450-800 range.

Nordberg is hopeful that the current promotions on the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY will win over consumers as the company under his leadership begins to create more partnerships and promotions with US carriers.

Discuss:

How do you see Sony Ericsson in the mobile landscape? Are their offerings exciting while they lack the proper promotions and partnerships or is the problem somewhere else?

Verizon Offers Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY for Free (limited time)(updated)

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 5, 2011 | 5 comments

We’re not entirely sure how long this deal is good, though October 6th (tomorrow) is the date we keep hearing tossed around, which has Verizon Wireless offering the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY for free with the traditional two-year contract. Previously AT&T had offered the Xperia PLAY 4G for only $49 which made it a steal and left Verizon with a $199 price tag. Now, Verizon has outdone the folks at Ma Bell by offering this PlayStation Certified, Android 2.3.4-powered smartphone for nothing. So if you enjoy gaming, like the folks in red, and Android is your OS of choice, we highly recommend jumping on this deal.

Updated:

The deal has now expired which has Verizon offering the Xperia PLAY for $49; still not too shabby.

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Receives HD Video Capture

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 4, 2011 | 6 comments

Hot on the heels of Sony Ericsson’s release of Android 2.3.4 for the Xperia arc and Xperia PLAY, we’ve learned of an additional improvement for the Xperia PLAY which was not announced as an updated feature. Though the Xperia PLAY has always been equipped with a 5 megapixel camera, the lack of HD video recording and lone support of 480p video capture has been baffling. Now, the latest Android update from Sony Ericsson has unlocked the smartphone’s 720p video capture capabilities.

Android 2.3.4 Now Available for Sony Ericsson Xperia arc and Xperia PLAY

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 3, 2011 | 5 comments

If you own a Sony Ericsson Xperia arc or Xperia PLAY, it’s time to fire up your phone and check for a system update. Sony Ericsson is one of the first Android partners to be rolling out Android 2.3.4. The new OS update is designed to give Xperia arc and Xperia PLAY owners:

Video Google Chat
3D panorama camera feature
Swipe text input system
Screen capture
Enhancements to Facebook inside Xperia

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY 4G Now Available on AT&T for $50

by Sohrab Osati | Sep 20, 2011 | 20 comments

Verizon was the first company to get the previously thought of as PlayStation Phone but as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. AT&T would soon followup and announced the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY 4G, an upgraded model from the Verizon counter part and the first 4G Sony Ericsson Xperia phone on AT&T, capable of tapping into their newly rolled out 14.4Mbps HSPA+ network while the Verizon version is limited to 3G. Equipped with Android 2.3.3, this PlayStation Certified phone will also be priced at $49.99, versus the $199.99 price tag of Verizon. If this doesn’t make you ready for a purchase, checkout our previous coverage on the Xperia PLAY and then head to your local AT&T store for a purchase, because its now available for your gaming and business pleasure.

Discuss:

With a $49 price tag, are you willing to try out the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY?

[Via AT&T]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Active to Launch on September 30th

by Sohrab Osati | Sep 15, 2011 | 0 comments

While a majority of Android handset makers have been all too busy attempting to clone the iPhone, Sony Ericsson has taken a different approach by creating unique Android smartphones that cater to specific and unique needs like the Sony Ericsson Xperia Live with Walkman which targets music lovers. Smartphone owners who wanted to take their Android device on the go while still having a durable and rouged phone were treated earlier this year to Sony’s Xperia Active. The Android 2.3 phone which targets the active and sport enthusiasts out there is both dust-proof and water-resistant. In fact, the phone can be kept under 1m of water for 30 mins.

Till now, the phone always had a Q3 time table attached as a release date. Eventually, Sony Ericsson would set September 9th as the official release date for the UK. With that date come and gone with no phone released yet, we’ve learned that Sony Ericsson will be launching instead on September 30th. No reasons were given for the delay but a minor one is something that we can live with. No word yet for the rest of Europe or the United States though all mentioned territories will receive this phone. If you want to know more about this phone, you can read our previous Sony Ericsson Xperia Active overview.

[Via unwiredview]