Why Sony’s Xperia Play is the most important Android phone to date

I’m an fandroid - knee deep in android handsets, I’ve owned three and soon I’ll be on my fourth. But like everyone else that is honest I’m genuinely confused and bewildered by the line-up of HTC phones, let alone the plethora of other options by other manufacturers.

The root of confusion, lies in the irony that despite talk of fragmentation and one-upmanship these handsets are all pretty much the same. With the exception of slide-out keyboards, the most different thing about them is the location and order of the 4 main buttons. This is so retarded it’s worthy of it’s own blog post - Google couldn’t even get this sorted between the Nexus One and the Nexus S.

Then came Xperia Play, which granted isn’t a phone I’m likely to own (you’ll have to look to Sony’s record of Android updates for one reason why), but it is important.

It is important because it’s the first phone that tries to be something other than just another android handset. It’s a gaming device with an android stack. It’s a device with a genuinely novel and substantial software layer the redefines what the device actually is.

So bring on the android phone that’s more camera than phone, or the one that’s more media player than phone, more GPS navigator than phone, and let’s stop this meaningless spec bragging and start making interesting diverse devices with an android stack at their core.

Now, I already own far too many gaming devices, and nowhere near enough free time to devote to one of them, so I won’t be buying this bad boy. But plenty will, roll out a CyberShot with some good glass and android stack for GPS/data and calling and you’ll have me dead keen.