Sony's Cheap Android Phone Now Shipping: Sony Ericsson Xperia X8

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This news is a few days old, but still notable. Sony’s mid-range affordable Android phone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8, is now shipping. The phone is set to be less costly than the flagship X10 series and offers lesser hardware for a better price. But, it still carries the critically acclaimed TimeScape UI of the top X10 phones.

We first learned about the Xperia X8 when it was leaked to the tech blog echo chamber via spycam photos. Back then, it was known by it’s codename “Shakira“. On the inside, it’s packing a 600MHz processor, 128MB of RAM, 2GB of storage and a 3-inch touchscreen.

Like all the Xperia phones, it’s only shipping with Android 1.6, which cues the screams of “fragmentation” from the iPhone-using Engadget-reading anonymous commentators. Like the Xperia X10, Sony Ericsson promises that an update to Android 2.1 (not 2.2) is coming “soon”. Whether or not we’ll ever see these alleged updates, who knows.

According to Sony, they want to be the #1 Android manufacturer in the world. While us tech geeks get excited over the fat screens and big processors, these manufacturers will sell a ton of low-end and middle-range phones, too. Hence, the Xperia X8.

Speaking of pricing, nothing official was announced in the Sony Ericsson blog, but at the inital product unveiling, the phone was said to be selling unlocked and contract free for €259 ($358). For that price, you could almost expect the X8 to be offered by a carrier for just $100 or $50, maybe free three months down the road.

Does this phone interest you? Tell us what you think in the comments section.