Sony Ericsson overiew

Press conference

Sony Ericsson kept its tradition of holding a press event right before the start of MWC and doing its announcement business there. This year we got the Android-running XPERIA Neo and XPERIA Pro, plus the full specifications of the gaming-centered XPERIA Play. The XPERIA Arc also made it on some of the slides, even though its official announcement came more than a month ago.

Photos from the Sony Ericsson MWC event

We pretty much knew what to expect way before the event with previews of all newly announced handsets spreading online like wildfire. As we anticipated the side-sliding XPERIA Play was the star of the show, while the other two headed for the lower market segments.

Many of the Sony Ericsson partners also appeared on stage, praising the XPERIA Play gaming potential and declaring their support for the project.

By the way all three new devices run Gingerbread, which comes to show that Sony Ericsson has learned a valuable lesson with its X10 flagship last year. Now they are going for the latest and greatest that the Google OS offers even if that means dropping a few of their home-backed apps.

Photos from the Sony Ericsson MWC event

Probably the most surprising part of the event was the announced partnership between Sony Ericsson and Verizon. The CDMA-loving US carrier get the XPERIA Play, somewhere in April.

The Verizon deal came as a shock to many

Some other markets will be luckier though, getting the new Sony Ericsson as early as next month.

Sony Ericsson also used the occasion to remind us all once again that their goal is to become the number 1 Android manufacturer in the world and the newly announced handsets are just another step towards completing the plan.

Well at least you can’t blame them for lack of ambition.

Sony Ericsson Booth at the MWC 2011

And now for the really interesting part – the hands-on photos of the new handsets. We are starting with the XPERIA Play right after the jump.