It's set to be the year of the Android phone and two of the biggest upcoming releases in Australia are the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc, and the Samsung Galaxy S II.
Read our detailed previews of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc and the Samsung Galaxy S II, and check out our roundup of the best upcoming smartphones in 2011.
Both of these Android phones have a huge emphasis on design — the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc is just 8.7mm thick at its thinnest point and utilises a unique curved case. It also has a large, 4.2in 'Reality' display, a 1GHz processor and a hefty 512MB of RAM.
The Samsung Galaxy S II on the other hand possesses a large 4.3in Super AMOLED Plus display, an 8-megapixel rear camera that doubles as a 1080p HD video recorder, and a 2-megapixel front camera for video calls. The Samsung Galaxy S II is also just 8.49mm thick, making it thinner than the iPhone 4 and likely the thinnest smartphone in the world.
So how does the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc compare against the Samsung Galaxy S II when it comes to specifications?
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc vs Samsung Galaxy S II: Specifications
| Feature | Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc | Samsung Galaxy S II | Verdict? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system (OS) | Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) | Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) | Draw |
| Display size | 4.2in | 4.3in | Galaxy S II |
| Display technology | Capacitive LED-backlit LCD ('Reality display') | Capacitive Super AMOLED Plus | Unknown |
| Display resolution | 480x854 pixels | 480x800 pixels | XPERIA Arc |
| Multitouch | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| Camera | 8 megapixels, LED flash, autofocus, geotagging, image stabilisation, face and smile detection, Exmor R CMOS sensor | 8 megapixels, LED flash, autofocus, geotagging, image stabilisation, face and smile detection | XPERIA Arc |
| FM radio | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| Internal memory | 320MB | 16GB or 32GB | Galaxy S II |
| Expandable memory | microSD card slot | microSD card slot | Draw |
| Dimensions | 125 x 63 x 8.7mm | 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5mm | Galaxy S II |
| Weight | 117g | 116g | Galaxy S II |
| Application store | Google Android Market | Google Android Market | Draw |
| Processor | Scorpion (1GHz) | ARM Cortex A9 dual-core (1.2GHz) | Galaxy S II |
| 3G networks | HSDPA 900/1900/2100 | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 | Galaxy S II |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11a/b/g/n | Galaxy S II |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 with A2DP | 3.0 with A2DP | Galaxy S II |
| NFC (Near Field Communication) | No | Yes | Galaxy S II |
| HDMI-out | Yes | Yes (via MHL) | Draw |
| Quoted talk time | Up to 7 hours | Unknown | Unknown |
| Quoted standby time | Up to 400 hours | Unknown | Unknown |
| Adobe Flash support | Yes | Yes | Draw |
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc vs Samsung Galaxy S II: Design
One of the most lauded features of the XPERIA Arc is its design, which Sony Ericsson says is more ergonomic than competitors due to its distinctive shape. The handset is thinner in the middle (just 8.7mm thick) and then gradually gets slightly thicker towards the edges. This has been designed to make it easier to hold and slip into a pocket. The XPERIA Arc Android phone is constructed from a combination of gloss and matte plastic.
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc Android phone is just 8.7mm thick and gradually gets slightly thicker towards the edges. This distinctive shape makes it more ergonomic than competitors.
