Sony’s Xperia TX: this phone is Bond’s, James Bond’s, at least in Australia

It’s no secret that the new James Bond flick “Skyfall” is one of the biggest films of the year, and Sony wants you to know that the phone used by 007 himself is a Sony Xperia handset, which should be arriving in stores shortly, though probably not by parachute.

Launched by Sony this week to coincide with this week’s opening of “Skyfall” starring Daniel Craig, the Xperia TX upgrades Sony’s first high-definition smartphone from earlier in the year with a slightly bigger HD screen, an extra megapixel for the camera, and Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich,” something we haven’t seen on a Sony handset to date.

“Now, Australians can own the same handset as 007,” said Sony’s John Featherstone, Managing Director for the company’s Mobile Communications division in Australia. “This product integration strategy for Sony Xperia smartphones is a key element of Sony’s smartphone strategy to demonstrate an outstanding user experience across devices, enabling consumers to easily and quickly access the world of entertainment that Sony delivers.”

What is essentially an update to the Xperia S, the TX features a 4.6 inch 720p HD display with the BRAVIA engine for better colour and contrast, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 13 megapixel rear camera with Full HD 1080p capture, a 720p front camera, and support for Near-Field Communication to pair the handset with other devices supporting the new wireless technology.

PlayStation Certification is included out of the box, allowing you to grab games as they become available for download on the PlayStation app for Android, and wireless streaming to your TV is also provided, using Miracast, the same technology appearing in LG’s upcoming Optimus G.

It’s a little different from the Bond phone being marketed overseas, which omits the “X” from its name, and takes a few other changes.

In America, the Xperia T features similar specs – Android 4, 13 megapixel camera, 1.5GHz dual-core chip – and a similar name, but a slightly smaller screen (4.55 compared to 4.6) and a different design.

Sony's Xperia T on the left, the Xperia TX on the right.

We spoke to a representative of Sony about this, who told us that the “Xperia T and TX are sister products that share the same platform and features” and that “they are planned differently in design, material and colour in order to meet different market preferences.” Despite the difference, both are apparently James Bond phones.

So Bond carries slightly different phones depending on where he is around the world. We wonder if Q is on top of all of this.