Sony Xperia Ion launched

[CES 2012] After years of creating phones under the Sony Ericsson brand, Sony has finally dropped the Ericsson from its name with the launch of its new Android powerhouse device – the Xperia ion. Unveiling the device at CES today, the phone is one of Sony’s most impressive creations to date. It will feature LTE connectivity – the first ever for a Sony phone.

The Xperia ion features a 4.6″ HD (1280 x 720) display (Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine), a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a 12-megapixel rear camera with Sony Exmor R (featuring Fastest Capture which lets the phone take shots in just 1.5 seconds from standby and 1080p video recording capabilities), a front facing camera (capable of 720p video).

The phone also packs NFC capabilities, HD sharing via DLNA, HDMI, and BRAVIA Sync, and will come preloaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. However, an update for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is promised, and seeing how Sony has been doing pretty well with its updates, we’re pretty sure it’s a promise it’ll keep. The Xperia ion will be available exclusively in the US with AT&T this spring.