Sony Corp. will launch a flagship smartphone for its Xperia brand next month that features imaging technology developed for its cameras and ultrahigh definition TVs, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The new handset will be unveiled Sept. 4 before the start of the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, the people said, asking not to be identified because the details haven't been disclosed.
Xperia smartphones are part of Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai's plan to revive Sony with handsets, TVs and game consoles that connect with the company's entertainment content. To lure customers from Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., the Tokyo-based company is using "X-Reality" picture-enhancement chips developed for its Bravia TVs and sensors for its Cyber-shot cameras, the people said.