Sony Ericsson is no longer being coy about its intentions to launch a gaming-focused smartphone running Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android platform. The company unveiled an advertisement for the Xperia Play, which has been dubbed the "PlayStation phone," during last night's Super Bowl.
In the minute-long ad, Sony Ericsson took the wraps off the phone, which it said will be formally announced Feb. 13. The commercial shows Google's Android robot being given fingers for gameplay. There also are images of the smartphone, which appears to have a slide-out controller panel.
The Xperia Play is expected to be the first smartphone that meets the standard's of Sony's PlayStation Certified license program for hardware manufacturers. That certification promises software development support and logo licensing to guarantee quality gameplay experiences across the Android device ecosystem.
Sony Ericsson has long hinted it will debut the Xperia Play and numerous leaked images and videos of the smartphone have flooded the web in recent months.
But Sony Ericsson was not the only wireless company taking advantage of the high-profile Super Bowl advertising time. Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) touted its forthcoming launch of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 4 with a slight dig at AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) in a commercial that highlights Verizon's call quality with its "Can you hear me now?" spokesman. AT&T suffered numerous public relations setbacks due to iPhone users' perception that the carrier had poor network quality in some areas. AT&T shot back with its own Super Bowl ad that highlighted its ability to make simultaneous voice calls and surf the web on the iPhone, which users cannot do on Verizon's CDMA network.
Additionally, Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI) took jab at Apple's iPad with a teaser ad for its forthcoming Xoom tablet, which runs on version 3.0, or Honeycomb, of Android. The tablet, which will initially launch on Verizon's EVDO network, will require a monthly rate plan, the ad noted: 1 GB of data for $20; 3GB for $35; 5 GB for $50 and 10 GB for $80. A Motorola spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
For more:
- see these ad videos
- see this WSJ blog post (sub. req.)
- see this Engadget post
- see this paidContent article
- see this Engadget post
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