Sony Ericsson 2012 roadmap surfaces with a dozen Android devices
Sony Ericsson does not appear content to sit behind Samsung, Motorola, LG, or any other player.
Sony Ericsson has some pretty big plans for 2012, including a dozen Android smartphones slated before October. That is, of course, providing that the newly leaked roadmap proves to be correct. GSMArena received a copy of what looks to be a list of codenames, prices, and respective launch dates for a number of Android products.
Things got underway in a hurry for Sony Ericsson as they announced the Xperia S and Xperia Ion at last week's CES in Las Vegas. The roadmap lists the Xperia S and taps it with a March release which matches up with the stuff we heard out of Sony just a few days back. April should see no less than three models (Kumquat, Nypon and Pepper) released with prices that range from approximately $335 US to $475 US. Details are light for the trio however the Nypon is rumored with a 4.0-inch "WhiteMagic" display whereas the Pepper should feature a 3.7-inch Reality Display.
The summer months warm up with the Olive I, Hayabusa, Tapioca, Tapioca DS and Lotus arriving. Judging by the accompanied prices we can surmise that the Hayabusa (approx: $632 US) should be a large flagship release. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the low-cost Tapioca ($188) and Tapioca DS ($208) indicate that we could be in for follow-up models to the Xperia X10 Mini and Xperia X10 Mini Pro.
Sony has a handful of models on tap for the end of summer including the Atlas I, AFFM and Mint I. Considering the $720 US sticker price for the Mint I we should be in for a real treat as it's in line with today's top Android models. As our friend Nick from AndroidAndMe points out, this would cost more than importing a penta-band GSM Samsung Galaxy Nexus or Samsung Galaxy Note. It's tough to imagine where we'll be at this point in the year but we cannot wait to see what's on the horizon.
Keep in mind that we may not see all of these models come to the United States, especially with a carrier partner. Our gut tells us that Europe and Canada will see more that we do however we're still optimistic. After ditching the Ericsson half of the partnership we imagine Sony will want to test the new branding in the United States.
Would you buy a Sony Ericsson?
Have you ever considered a Sony Ericsson handset for yourself? Why or why not? Leave a comment below.
Also See: Androinica
Scott founded AndroidGuys on November 5, 2007 and has been hooked ever since. His other mobile efforts can be found on AndroidAtlas (CNET) where he covers Google's mobile platform. When not obsessing over phones and tablets, Scott can be found listening to house music, watching the Green Bay Packers, or catching the latest movie.