Sony Xperia S Unboxed!

Sony Philippines launched the new line of Xperia smartphones a few weeks ago. Leading the charge was their flagship model, the Sony Xperia S. There’s a lot of pressure on the shoulders of this device since this is the first major handset launch by Sony after their separation with Ericsson. Is it a breakthrough device or just a dud? We’ll find out soon since we currently have a review unit with us to play around with for a few days! We’ll kick things off with our usual unboxing article and follow through with a full review later on.

Sony Xperia S Spec Sheet

• Dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU (Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon)
• 1 GB RAM, 32 GB storage
• HSDPA, 14.4 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.8 Mbps
• 4.3 inches display (Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine) , 720 x 1280 pixels (~342 ppi)
• 12-megapixel camera, 4000×3000 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
• Records video — 1080p@30fps, continuous autofocus
• OS: Android OS, v2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradeable to Android 4.0 ICS, Timescape UI
• Standard battery, Li-Ion 1750 mAh
• NFC (Near Field Communications) technology enabled
• Comes with NFC chips

Pretty solid specs especially if you zero in on the screen, the camera, and the novel way they are using NFC. Only downside really at an initial glance is that it’s still using Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Hopefully the ICS update is just around the corner.

Read on for our unboxing. Don’t forget to read the captions in the photos!

Packaging

The Sony Xperia S comes in a squarish box. It’s definitely your usual packaging for smartphones! I guess they wanted to make it look different when put side-by-side in store shelves? Anyway, as you can see in the photo the box is quite big but note that it’s not really thick. Opening is easy just flip the top part open and pull out the white carton box inside.

Opening the white carton box reveals the gorgeous Sony Xperia S and several storage compartments. The review unit we got was color white and it’s definitely a looker! The 4.3-inch screen is awesome to look at even if it’s turned off, hehe. This phone looks “taller” because of it’s slightly longer form factor.

What else is in the box? Opening the other compartments reveal the charger, micro-USB to USB cable, earphones, and a bunch of manuals. I think this box was supposed to come with NFC chips but we didn’t get that (maybe because this is just a demo/prototype unit).

Hardware

One of the biggest selling points of the Xperia S is the screen. It’s actually supposed to be better than the iPhone 4S’ Retina Display since it has more pixels per inch. You’ll know what I mean when you turn this thing on. The screen is bright, detailed, and just bursting with life and depth! Sony really did a good job integrating their Bravia technology into this handset.

The thin transparent strip you see at the bottom is the signature look of the new Xperia line-up. The icons for the Android controls are there (back, home, and menu) and they’re obviously touch-based. Note that you don’t actually have to press the icons on the transparent strip. You press the black space above it.

The curved back reminds me a lot of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S. It’s definitely solid to hold but the edges are actually a bit sharp. All the controls and ports can be found at the sides, top, and bottom of the handset. Be careful when opening the cover of the micro-USB port since it’s a little bit flimsy (I was afraid I broke it after opening it, hehe).

Our over-all first impression of the Sony Xperia S is positive. We’ll see how this thing fares though once we aggressively put it through the paces. We’ll be using it as a primary day-to-day phone and see the performance.

Pricing and Availability

The Sony Xperia S is now available for Php27,990. Just go to Sony concept stores (there’s one in SM Megamall Cyberzone) or any of their distributors and dealers.

Full review coming next week. Watch out for it!