Xperia S: Sony’s first smartphone arriving in April

We’ve seen Sony Ericsson phones for some time, but with Sony ditching the Ericsson brand, the first true Sony phone is about to hit the shelves, completely with a unique look and solid specs.

Announced earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Xperia S has been set for Australian release in April.

The handset will feature a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4.3 inch HD (720×1280) screen, near-field communication technology (NFC), and a 12 megapixel rear camera. The Xperia S will run on Google Android, and from what we hear, the now dated Android 2.3 “Gingerbread”, though we haven’t confirmed what version the Australian version is shipping with.

Sony's Xperia S features NFC, possibly making it your future digital wallet.

Sony’s design of the phone separates itself from competitors by offering a simple black or white block with an illuminating transparent strip at the bottom of the handset. This is one handset that you’re not going to confuse with an iPhone, that’s for sure.

Availability for the Sony Xperia S is confirmed for April 11 across most carriers, with Optus stocking the black model, Vodafone carrying the white, and Crazy John’s taking both colours.