Sony Launches Sleek But Rugged Xperia UL Android Smartphone

In some aspects, Sony's Xperia line is beginning to feel like BlackBerry's line of products a few years ago: we're seeing a new model number, but honestly, everything looks largely the same. Sony's design chops are certainly laudable, but the Xperia UL sure looks just like every other Xperia smartphone to ship in the past year or so. That aside, it seems that the UL is a thicker version of the Xperia Z, with a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, a 5" 1080p touch panel, and a killer 13MP rear camera.


Bluetooth, NFC and Wi-Fi are all onboard, and the phone is fairly rugged despite its style. It's built to resist a moderate amount of dust and shock without looking like a tank, which may save you a few bucks on a case that you'd otherwise buy. The phone is slated to ship first in Japan, with white / black / pink to start.