Hasta La Gadget!

Sony finally got one mostly right when it came to tablets last year, but the Japanese company has struggled more with phones. The Xperia Z is the closest thing it’s had to a success, and ultimately, it left us wanting more. So, we were excited when we first saw the Xperia Z1S, which on paper looked like a champion. A 20.7MP camera without a bulbous backside? Tell us more…

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It has almost been a couple of months since Google finally released Android 4.4 KitKat to the public, however it will take quite some time before distribution stats show KitKat taking the lead. A number of major devices, ones that dominated the market in 2013, are yet to be updated to Android 4.4. So one can imagine how long it would take for low-end devices to receive the update. Most low end devices might not be compatible with the new update at all, but those who own a Sony Xperia Tipo are in luck. An unofficial CyanogenMod 11 custom ROM with KitKat goodness baked in has been released for this smartphone.

The Sony Xperia Tipo is a bonafide low end device. Announced in mid-2012, it has a 3.2 inch display and an 800 MHz Cortex A5 processor. Even with its relatively modest specifications, its able to run this unofficial Android 4.4 KitKat custom ROM. It should be kept in mind though that not everything in functional in this ROM. The camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and even GSM don’t work so forget about using it as your daily driver for now. Though it shouldn’t take long though for the developer to iron out these issues and make this ROM fully stable. Those interested in flashing this custom ROM on their Sony Xperia Tipo can follow the instructions given by the developer here.

Sony Xperia Tipo Android 4.4 Unofficial Custom ROM Released original content from Ubergizmo.

There’s a collection of Android 4.4 KitKat software updates coming to the likes of Sony Xperia devices soon, with Sony suggesting which will get what where this afternoon. Sony’s upgrade schedule includes both updates to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean as well as Android 4.4 KitKat, so you’ll want to pay close attention to which device […]

Word has it that Sony is preparing a media event in Shanghai next month, something that is expected to be the unveiling point for two new Xperia handsets, the Xperia Z1S and the Xperia Tianchi. Though nothing is official yet, the phones are likely heading to China first, after which point their other destinations — […]

Samsung and Apple stand firmly at the stop of the smartphone heap, and players like HTC and LG continue ride their way up the market share rankings. But what of Sony? You know, the Japanese stalwart that occupies a significantly strong (if not dominant) position when it comes to other sorts of consumer tech?

It’s still gunning for that vaunted number three spot behind the folks in Seoul and Cupertino, but it’s preparing to tighten its focus a bit. Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai confirmed to Reuters (among other news outlets) that the company will focus building its smartphone business in Europe and its native Japan before attempting to crack the massive Chinese and U.S. markets in earnest.

It may seem like a surprising concession — Sony is a globally-known brand after all — but it isn’t exactly a stranger to abandoning tough-to-crack market segments. Earlier this year Sony Xperia Product Manager Stephen Sneeden remarked to CNET that the company was considering getting out of the low-end Android smartphone racket entirely because thanks to some especially fierce competition. The (then-tentative) new plan? To focus squarely on pushing premium smartphones that are truly representative of Sony’s mobile vision.

Hirai also added that future expansion in the U.S. would start “gradually”, which is no surprise — that’s basically the tack Sony’s already been taking for the past few years. Sony was arguably more prominent in the U.S. mobile market before it very publicly split with joint venture partner Ericsson back in 2011. Since then, Sony Mobile has released only a handful of smartphones into the U.S. by via of carrier tie-ups — there was the Xperia X10 and Xperia ion on AT&T, the reasonably new Xperia Z on T-Mobile, and the immensely curious Xperia Play on Verizon. In fairness, Sony also sold its share of unlocked gadgets through its own online portal but I’d wager the domestic demand for pricey non-contract phones has never knocked Sony’s socks off.

Still, this whole thing does seem shrouded in question marks. Sony is surely waiting on the right time to push back into China and the U.S., but its more nimble, financially oblivious rivals aren’t going to sit idly by and wait for them to construct a viable expansion plan. There’s a very real chance that Sony will get out-innovated or out-marketed no matter when they decide to enter the fray, which is really a shame. From my perch, it looks like Sony is finally hitting its stride with smartphones — the Xperia Z was an awfully impressive piece of kit when it debuted, and more recent efforts like the Z1 prove that the company is willing and able to compete on specs with the best of them.