RIP Timescape, Long live Socialife

Timescape has been a feature of Sony Xperia Android handsets from the very beginning. It was one of the headline features announced for the Xperia X10 back in late 2009 and has appeared in every phone since then. Timescape integrates social media services and gives users a quick glance on their Facebook and Twitter streams.

However, its inclusion divided opinion. Many people simply did not use it given the performance and battery issues on early Xperia devices. Back in early 2011, we conducted a poll on the issue and found that over 80% of people did not use Timescape.

However, with the launch of the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL handsets it looks like Timescape’s reign is over. Timescape will be replaced by Sony’s Socialife app in all future Xperia smartphones. Up until now, Socialife was only featured in Sony’s tablet offerings. The basic premise of Socialife is similar to Timescape – it offers a way to manage your social streams through one viewer.

The app is divided into three main areas: 1) My Stream – this is the home screen that gives you an overview of your Facebook and Twitter activity plus any subscribed news feeds. 2) Discovery – presents popular articles based on your preferences and 3) Favourites – allows you to store favourites articles for later reading.

We have attached a few screenshots below showing the Socialife app in the app tray of the Xperia Z along with what the app looks like on the Xperia Z (the content has been blurred). However, if you want a better look at Socialife then check out the video below which has a short eyes-on of the app. So will you miss Timescape? Let us know in the comments below.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5m0VVxeJxQ&start=193