Sony Android Tablets To Reach UK In September

Sony’s answer to the Apple iPad is expected in the UK sometime during September. The rumour comes as Sony released a two minute teaser video of the devices.

In April Sony unveiled its first two tablet PCs, dubbed S1 and S2.

Both are said to run Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and have both Wi-Fi and WAN (3G/4G) compatibility.

The more conventional S1 has a 9.4-inch display, making it only slightly smaller than Apple’s iPad 2. However, it is shaped like a wedge, which according to Sony makes it easier to hold and improves stability.

September Release

The S2 meanwhile is a clamshell-design that has two 5.5-inch displays that can fold closed. This makes it small enough to fit into the inside pocket of a jacket for example. The two screens can either be used together as one large screen or separately, allowing users to watch a video on one screen and input commands on the other, or check email on one screen and use the other as a soft keyboard.

When Sony was showing off these devices it did not officially confirm a release date, although it did say they would arrive in the Autumn.

And this release date seems increasingly likely after the Engadget blog said that it had seen “a private note sent from Sony’s marketing group” that gives a release date of late September for at least one of Sony’s tablets.

According to the note, the UK retailers of the Sony tablets will be Sony’s online retail arm (Sony Direct), the department store John Lewis, and a third still-unconfirmed retailer at launch. It will apparently offer the tablets to other retailers after the Christmas holiday.

Teaser Video

Meanwhile Sony is offering potential buyers a somewhat criptic teaser video on YouTube, which whilst interesting to watch, does not reveal a great deal of information about the final look and feel of the device.

Sony is joining the tablet party relatively late, although it has previously stated its intention to become the number two tablet provider behind Apple.

However Sony has its work cut out, as there are a host of rival tablet offerings from other vendors. Research in Motion has recently launched its Playbook based on the QNX operating system, Motorola has its Xoom, Acer has its Iconia Tabs, Asus has its Eee Pad Transformer and HP has its webOS-based TouchPad. And of course not forgetting Samsung’s range of Galaxy Tabs.

Production Cuts

But such is the sheer domination of the Apple iPad, that other tablet makers have announced plans to scale back their production numbers. Acer for example recently slashed its tablet shipment targets by almost 60 percent.

And earlier this month JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz suggested in a research note that Samsung, Motorola and other manufacturers were reducing their build plans for their respective tablet offerings, following a lukewarm reception by consumers and businesses.

Meanwhile Gartner has warned that the iPad and tablets will hurt PC sales, and other analysts remain locked in a debate over how much of an impact the tablet is really having.