LAS VEGAS—Sony Ericsson has learned its lesson. The new Xperia Arc phone, being debuted at CES, takes a new approach to Google's Android OS for the company: it's running the latest version of Android, 2.3 "Gingerbread," and the OS hasn't been heavily hacked, unlike with previous Android devices the company has had. Sony Ericsson is also leveraging various Sony technologies to make a very impressive smartphone. I came away quite liking this new device.
First, though, the lesson: after having trouble upgrading previous phones, Sony Ericsson is conscious that they need to keep up with the latest version of Android at all times, the company's North American head of marketing, Peter Farmer said. All of the company's 2011 Android phones will run Android 2.3, he said. The Xperia Arc is first, but more phones will come out on Sunday, February 13th at Mobile World Congress.
The Xperia Arc is a big (4.2-inch screen), slim (only 8.7mm) slab phone running Android 2.3 on a 1Ghz Qualcomm second-generation Snapdragon processor. With a metal band around the edge and an unusually rich 16.7m-color screen, it feels fancy and expensive. Performance seemed to be on par with other gigahertz-class Android phones.
I was very impressed by Sony's blending in several technologies from its TVs and digital cameras here. The 8.1-megapixel Exmor R camera sensor actually does take much better low-light photos than the standard camera phone; I tried it in the CES hall, and the shots looked unusually bright and sharp. The camera's face detection also kicked in quickly.
The LCD screen had terrifically rich colors, but my mind was blown a little when I plugged the phone into an HDMI out and started controlling it with the TV remote. This feature, called Bravia Link, actually works with any HDMI TV, Sony Ericsson reps told me. The Xperia Arc can pump any video through its HDMI out—even games and streaming media—and by using the TV remote, you can actually lean back and watch it.
Sony Ericsson's previous Android phones were heavily altered, with the custom "Timescape" and "Mediascape" social networking and media interfaces really dragging down performance. The company has replaced Timescape and Mediascape with apps and widgets that you can choose to add or remove—if you don't like them, poof, they're gone. That will also make the phone much easier to update when new versions of Android come out, Farmer said.
Now, that doesn't mean Sony Ericsson kept its hands off Gingerbread entirely. There are some minor, useful hacks here—an "overview" mode so you can see all the widgets on all of your home screens, and different options for sorting your apps, for instance. But hopefully Sony Ericsson had enough of a light touch that when Ice Cream comes along, the Xperia Arc will get a taste.
Sony Ericsson didn't have a US release date or price for the Xperia Arc. I won't hold my breath.