Sony Ericsson Challenges iPhone With W52S

With the iPhone inching ever closer to launch it was inevitable other handset makers would need to come up with some strong challengers...



This is exactly what Sony Ericsson has done with the 'W52S': it may not have such a sexy name as Apple's golden child – but then again nothing Sony is involved in ever does!

Instead the attraction comes from the features of the device itself and with a huge 2.7in 240 x 432 resolution screen the W52S immediately catches the eye. This is not just a music device however, the handset can display video in landscape mode and features Sony's RealityMax image enhancement technology – something already implemented in Bravia HDTVs.

A hefty 2GB of onboard memory is also built into the W52S and a Memory Stick Micro M2 expansion slot is there should this not prove enough. Finishing off the multimedia aspect are a 2MP camera and large external speaker – the latter guaranteed to make you supremely popular on public transport.

Unlike the iPhone, SE's mobile has a dedicated keypad courtesy of its slider format but this does add some chub onto the device (suspiciously, dimensions and weight were not revealed). Talk time is a reputed four hours, though again we are left in the dark about its audio and video playback stamina.

Blue, pink and white units will initially be available when the W52S launches in Japan next month. Sony has a good record of bringing most handsets out globally, so fingers tightly crossed on this one...