Sony Australia has today announced the Sony Xperia M for the Australian market. The budget level device is aimed at the lower end of the market but still retains many of the design aesthetics from the former 2013 flagship device the Xperia Z.
Launched by Sony back in June, Sony are definitely focusing the Xperia M at a ‘new market and price point’ but even at the cheaper price point, the Xperia M still packs quite a punch. Hardware wise, the phone comes with a 4″ 854×480 display that is powered by a 1GHz Dual-Core Qualcomm MSM8227 CPU, with 4GB of storage included as well as a microSD Card slot that will support up to 64GB cards, most entry level smartphone owners should not want for storage. As with most Sony Xperia devices these days, the focus is on NFC which is aimed at encouraging new smartphone owners to pair with all the latest Bravia TVs as well as Sony branded NFC enabled accessories such as the Sony SBH20 wireless stereo headset and Smartwatch 2.
Sony provides many of the worlds leading camera sensors and this has been paired with a dedicated shutter button on the side of the Xperia M, just like the higher end Xperia devices, Sony has inlcuded a 5MP rear facing camera which includes a HDR mode to capture what are sure to be some decent quality shots.
John Featherstone, Managing Director of Sony Mobile Communications Oceania describes the Xperia M as being aimed at customers looking to enter the smartphone market for the first time, specifically with an Xperia device
Consumers looking for their first steps into the world of Xperia smartphones, would be well-advised to look at Xperia M. The Xperia M benefits from Sony’s proven innovation and engineering expertise, and is perfect for those who want the premium technology and experiences often only associated with high-end models.
The Xperia M will run Android 4.1 but will feature many Sony customisations, such as the ability to tailor notifications from incoming calls, texts and alarms to different colour changing illuminations. The Xperia M also comes with the Sony ‘Walkman’ apps to provide music and movies from a single Sony store.
The Xperia M is available now for purchase as a pre-paid device from Vodafone for $199. But can be purchased outright through Sony direct channels for an outright price of $249. The Sony Website currently only lists the Xperia M in Black and White, however Purple and Yellow variants are possibly on their way soon.
Checking the Sony site, the Australian model is the Xperia MB, and is only available in black or white. Wonder what, besides colours, has been diked out of the Australian model of the Xperia M