2011 is about to draw to a close and whilst we’re excited to see what 2012 will bring, it’s also a chance to reflect on the year gone by. It has been a busy year for Sony Ericsson, releasing nine different Xperia handsets (eleven if you include the Xperia arc S and Xperia neo V). Each of these handsets serve a different segment of the market and one handset in particular, the Xperia PLAY, created a new one altogether. SE’s flagship Xperia arc handset will go down as a classic in mobile design in and the Xperia neo was a wonderful all-rounder.
Then you have the Xperia mini family for those that go against the ‘bigger is better’ mantra and the Xperia active for the sporty types. The Xperia ray arrived later in the year, a chic handset with superb pixel density and features. The Xperia pro probably launched a little too late to be widely distributed, which was a shame as it was high on many people’s wish lists when it was announced. Lastly you have the Xperia acro, a best seller in Japan, marrying the design of the arc with some extra features that are important to the Japanese public.
Choosing a ‘winner’ out of all these handsets is not easy as everyone’s needs are different and the diverse 2011 Xperia range mean there is a smartphone for almost everyone. However, if we were to pick our favourite, it would probably be the Xperia neo. This may surprise some given the competition in the form of the luscious Xperia arc and the unique Xperia PLAY.
Considering that the original 8MP Xperia neo carried all of the features of the Xperia arc but also added a front-facing camera and arguably a more ergonomic design (it certainly sat easier in our hand than the Xperia arc) meant it pipped the Xperia arc for us. The Xperia neo is neither the prettiest phone nor one that has super-high specs, but for the price, we thought it offered great value for money. Perhaps Sony Ericsson thought the same, which is why they gimped the phone for the neo V release and gave it a 5MP camera instead. Despite this, the neo V remains a well-built handset and should be high on your list if you don’t need the larger touchscreen (and design) of the Xperia arc.
Anyway, please vote for your favourite Xperia model of 2011. We’d also love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
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