The handset has a 4″ WVGA (800×480) (233ppi) display and gets a free 30-day pass into the Sony Entertainment Network, so you can enjoy streamed music via the Sony WALKMAN app and test out that 100dB speaker fully. Like the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra the E1 will also have a dual-SIM version. This is powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU and comes with 512MB RAM plus 4GB of storage. It’ll be available in black, white and purple and will come with a 1700 mAh.
No pricing as yet, but expect to pay around £145 SIM-free. Cheap.
Full press release below. More details as we get them..
Introducing Xperia™ E1 – simply the best smartphone in its class1
Incredible music with a super-clear 100dB speaker and 30 days free access to millions of songs through the Sony Entertainment Network2
Blaze through apps and the internet with the fastest processor in its class and fast data speeds
Experience all of this through the bright and clear 4” WVGA display encapsulated in the latest Sony design
14th January 2014, London, UK – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces Xperia E1, a new Android smartphone that brings Sony’s leading audio technologies together with expertise in display, design, performance and content to create a smartphone independently recognised as the “best smartphone in its class”.
“Xperia E1 combines the best of Sony’s audio technologies with a premium design and great hardware to create a smartphone for people who want to express themselves out loud.” said Calum MacDougall, Director of Xperia Marketing at Sony Mobile Communications. “It’s a new, music focused player in our Xperia line-up that is underpinned by the best of Sony’s design, display and content offers.”
The best in its class
Xperia E1 is mid-tier smartphone with seriously premium credentials. A solid feel, fast processor and vivid 4” display combined with fast data speeds provides an all round performance that is unrivalled by any other phone in its class, whilst its audio experience and content offer provides real differentiation.
Great music everywhere
Sony’s audio heritage can be clearly heard in Xperia E1 as key technologies come together with the 100Db (with 100Db on your Xperia™ E1, even a motorcycle won’t interrupt your music), speaker to produce a louder, cleaner sound that can hold its own in any environment. With ClearAudio+ mode, instantly enhance your listening experience and optimise the balance of frequencies whilst xLOUD ensures that your tracks sound as good as they should – loud and crystal clear.
Intuitive WalkmanTM controls
Sony’s WalkmanTM technology hails from more than 30 years of premium audio experiences and Xperia E1 builds on this. Shake-to-shuffle controls and a dedicated “long press to launch” WalkmanTM button ensure that loading and navigating your tracks couldn’t be easier, whilst the latest generation of Sony’s “WALKMAN” App makes short work of combining on and offline music, creating playlists, as well as playing and sharing tracks. To top it all off, Xperia E1 comes pre-loaded with a 30 day pass for Sony’s Entertainment Network2 music streaming service so that you can explore the full functionality of the “WALKMAN” App and enjoy almost any song, almost anywhere.
Crystal clear 4” display
All of this is controlled from the vivid 4” touchscreen. Drawing on Sony’s background in TV technology, Xperia E1 incorporates expertise from across Sony’s digital display technologies to provide an immersive visual experience. Whether watching movies or viewing photos, the display looks both vibrant and clear.
The heart of your Sony experience
Xperia E1 connects via Bluetooth™ to Sony’s extended eco system so whether it’s through the SBH20 Stereo Bluetooth™ Headset for those who prefer to keep their music to themselves or the Bluetooth™ music receiver BM10 for those who need an even louder experience, Xperia E1 remains at the heart of your connected Sony music experience.
Dual SIM, no compromise
Also available is a new dual SIM smartphone, a variant of Xperia E1 which offers a new experience through the incorporation of Sony’s latest generation of dual SIM technology. You can set up both SIM cards independently with custom ring tones and instant, simple switching between SIMs before making calls or sending texts, whilst Sony’s dual SIM management technology means that you can keep both SIMs active, never missing a call, even when talking on one of them.
Xperia E1 features (& Xperia E1dual)
· 4” WVGA (800 x 480) display
· Fast 1.2 GHz dual core processor with 512 MB RAM and 4GB storage
· WalkmanTM key, shake to shuffle and hardware controls for easy music control
· Fast data speeds with Cat 14 HSPA+
· Available in white, black and purple