Xperia Play UK networks revealed

By Fred Dutton Published 7 February, 2011

April launch hinted for PlayStation phone.

Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile and O2 will all offer Sony Ericsson's gaming-centric Xperia Play smartphone when it launches in the UK later this year.

According to an Engadget report, O2 broke the news via its Twitter feed, while Pocket-lint then got confirmation of the other carriers' support.

Both Orange and T-Mobile stated that the device will be available from them in April, though didn't discuss pricing or contract details.

Of the main UK operators, that just leaves Three to declare its interest.

Sony's worst kept secret finally went public at the weekend in a brief promo aired in the US during the Super Bowl. Full disclosure of what the gadget actually does is expected at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona this weekend.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #1 1 year ago

    Id be interested to see what Playstation store content they've got ready for launch.

  • captain_Carl #2 1 year ago

    My current T-Mob contract ends in June.

    Sorted.

    WELL so long as the plans aren't too bad and i can get something like the unlimited texts, unlimited internet and 800 mins for £20 i get atm
    Edited by captain_Carl at 07/02/11 @ 17:32

  • SilentTristero #3 1 year ago

    I'd imagine at least £30, if not £35 p/month - although that may drop by June.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #4 1 year ago

    SIM free for me - do we know the price of the device yet?

  • Mkwone #5 1 year ago

    Doubt it'd be 20 quid a month, closer to 30/35 i'd say.

  • ielisdave #6 1 year ago

    Its also coming to Vodaphone so pretty much everyone's covered. Woop!

  • captain_Carl #7 1 year ago

    No no, i didn't mean i expect it to be £20 a month. I meant if there's something which offers good value like the contract i have at the minute.

  • monkfishjoe #8 1 year ago

    just locked into a 24 month contract with a nexus s. D'oh

  • i5killz #9 1 year ago

    Pass.

  • TFM_Excalibur #10 1 year ago

    Just got an htc hd 7 too, can see that getting sold just shortly....

  • vizzini #11 1 year ago

    monkfishjoe: just locked into a 24 month contract with a nexus s. D'oh

    I thought Nexus used Gingerbread (a.k.a Android 2.3); ie the target platform for Sony's smartphone independent Playstation Suite. Well unless you want the Exmor camera feature, Bravia screen and design of the Xperia Arc.

    Either way, contracts have now become a non-viable option for me.

    I won't go above £30 a month for 24months(£720 total or £360 a year), and at that price they won't give you this calibre of phone with 400 X-net minutes, 100 texts and 1GB/month of free mobile broadband. So it is better value to buy a phone without the custom network firmware and run a sim only deal cheap(;that can sold or contract cancelled on a month by month basis).

    Every since the Spanish company Telefonica bought O2 and they had the exclusive iPhone deals the contracts have been very poor value across the market imo.

  • Nuronv #12 1 year ago

    I will be in the market for a Sim Free phone at that point so I'm very much tempted. I will need to see how exactly the purchasing works and what is available for it. For example is this tied to my main PSN account, if i buy the PS1 game is it usable on my PS3, PSP and the Playstation Suite? What about those cloud saves we have been hearing so much about?

  • KayJay #13 1 year ago

    "Sonys worst kept secret"

    I thought that was the PSP2! ? :/

  • TheBrotha #14 1 year ago

    I only bought a Desire HD last December. Looks like I'll have to settle for the PlayStation Suite instead.

  • Kinkster #15 1 year ago

    Am I right in that it only plays PSOne games? (Along with android ones, obviously). Without a proper Analogue stick?

    If so, why be excited by it? You can already do that on a PSP?

  • monkfishjoe #16 1 year ago

    @Vizzini

    It does run 2.3. The advantage of the Xperia is buttons and a D-Pad.

    To be honest, I'm not sure if I'd play PSone games on it anyway. Not many of them stand up these days (unless they release THPS2 - awesome game).