<s>
The	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
is	O
a	O
smartphone	B-Application
with	O
elements	O
of	O
a	O
handheld	B-Application
game	I-Application
console	I-Application
produced	O
by	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
marketshare	O
for	O
dedicated	O
handheld	B-Application
game	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
diminishing	O
into	O
the	O
2010s	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
rapid	O
expansion	O
of	O
smartphones	B-Application
with	O
cheap	O
downloadable	O
games	O
,	O
Sony	O
attempted	O
to	O
tackle	O
the	O
issue	O
with	O
two	O
separate	O
devices	O
;	O
a	O
dedicated	O
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
console	I-Device
with	O
elements	O
of	O
a	O
smartphone	B-Application
,	O
called	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
,	O
and	O
a	O
smartphone	B-Application
with	O
elements	O
of	O
a	O
handheld	B-Application
console	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
rumored	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
"	O
PlayStation	B-Application
Phone	I-Application
"	O
,	O
the	O
device	O
shed	O
the	O
"	O
PlayStation	B-Device
"	O
branding	O
in	O
favor	O
of	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Device
brand	O
,	O
running	O
on	O
the	O
Android	B-Application
operating	I-Application
system	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
device	O
is	O
a	O
horizontally	O
sliding	O
phone	O
with	O
its	O
original	O
form	O
resembling	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
X10	I-Application
while	O
the	O
slider	O
below	O
resembles	O
the	O
slider	O
of	O
the	O
PSP	B-Operating_System
Go	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
slider	O
features	O
a	O
D-pad	B-Device
in	O
an	O
indented	O
area	O
on	O
the	O
left	O
side	O
,	O
a	O
set	O
of	O
standard	O
PlayStation	B-Device
buttons	O
(	O
,	O
,	O
and	O
)	O
in	O
an	O
indented	O
area	O
on	O
the	O
right	O
,	O
a	O
long	O
rectangular	O
touchpad	B-Application
in	O
the	O
middle	O
,	O
Start	O
and	O
Select	O
buttons	O
in	O
an	O
indented	O
area	O
on	O
the	O
bottom	O
right	O
corner	O
,	O
a	O
Menu	O
button	O
on	O
the	O
bottom	O
left	O
corner	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
shoulder	O
buttons	O
(	O
L	O
and	O
R	O
)	O
on	O
the	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
device	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
form	O
has	O
a	O
long	O
rectangular	O
touchscreen	B-Device
,	O
and	O
four	O
buttons	O
below	O
,	O
for	O
Back	O
,	O
Home	O
,	O
Menu	O
,	O
and	O
Search	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
device	O
features	O
a	O
1GHz	O
Qualcomm	B-Architecture
Snapdragon	I-Architecture
processor	O
,	O
a	O
Qualcomm	O
Adreno	O
205	O
GPU	O
,	O
a	O
TFT	B-Device
LCD	I-Device
display	O
with	O
a	O
resolution	O
of	O
854×480	O
(	O
FWVGA	O
)	O
capable	O
of	O
16,777,216	O
colors	O
,	O
a	O
5.1-megapixel	O
camera	O
,	O
512MB	O
RAM	B-Architecture
,	O
400MB	O
internal	O
storage	O
and	O
a	O
micro-USB	B-Protocol
connector	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
supports	O
microSD	B-Device
cards	O
,	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
the	O
PSP	B-Operating_System
consoles	O
,	O
which	O
use	O
Memory	O
Stick	O
variants	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
,	O
which	O
uses	O
a	O
custom	O
,	O
proprietary	O
flash	O
storage	O
medium	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
device	O
runs	O
on	O
the	O
Android	B-Application
2.3	I-Application
"	I-Application
Gingerbread	I-Application
"	I-Application
operating	O
system	O
,	O
with	O
early	O
prototypes	O
running	O
Android	B-Application
2.2	I-Application
"	I-Application
Froyo	I-Application
"	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
device	O
is	O
compatible	O
with	O
Android	B-Application
software	I-Application
downloaded	O
from	O
the	O
Google	B-Application
Play	I-Application
store	I-Application
,	O
with	O
some	O
games	O
featuring	O
optimization	O
for	O
use	O
with	O
the	O
device	O
's	O
additional	O
gaming	O
controls	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
streaming	O
service	O
OnLive	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
device	O
was	O
said	O
to	O
feature	O
games	O
graphically	O
within	O
the	O
range	O
of	O
similar	O
portable	O
devices	O
and	O
plays	O
these	O
games	O
via	O
an	O
application	O
known	O
as	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Mobile	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
changes	O
the	O
interface	O
of	O
the	O
device	O
from	O
that	O
of	O
a	O
phone	O
to	O
the	O
XrossMediaBar	B-Device
,	O
closely	O
resembling	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
dedicated	O
section	O
in	O
Google	B-Application
Play	I-Application
specifically	O
for	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
allowing	O
users	O
to	O
download	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
go	O
is	O
also	O
added	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Titles	O
shown	O
off	O
internally	O
on	O
the	O
device	O
include	O
PSP	B-Operating_System
games	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
God	O
of	O
War	O
and	O
LittleBigPlanet	B-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
older	O
PlayStation	B-Device
games	O
;	O
there	O
were	O
also	O
plans	O
for	O
future	O
games	O
incorporating	O
augmented	O
reality	O
similar	O
to	O
Invizimals	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
prices	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
were	O
expected	O
to	O
be	O
under	O
US$10	O
,	O
considerably	O
lower	O
than	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
's	O
price	O
range	O
of	O
less	O
than	O
US$40	O
per	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reports	O
of	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Device
smartphone	B-Application
have	O
existed	O
as	O
early	O
as	O
2006	O
when	O
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
filed	O
a	O
patent	O
for	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Application
Phone	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rumors	O
of	O
such	O
a	O
device	O
resurfaced	O
again	O
in	O
2007	O
when	O
a	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
executive	O
announced	O
that	O
they	O
were	O
developing	O
a	O
device	O
for	O
gaming	O
,	O
and	O
plans	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
XrossMediaBar	B-Device
in	O
its	O
devices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
2007	O
Games	O
Convention	O
,	O
Peter	O
Ahnegard	O
,	O
an	O
executive	O
at	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
,	O
further	O
fueled	O
rumors	O
of	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Application
Phone	I-Application
,	O
when	O
asked	O
about	O
the	O
device	O
he	O
said	O
that	O
"	O
It	O
's	O
obviously	O
something	O
that	O
we	O
're	O
looking	O
at	O
but	O
right	O
now	O
I	O
ca	O
n't	O
really	O
comment	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
early	O
2008	O
,	O
the	O
official	O
Sony	O
Magazine	O
reported	O
that	O
"	O
a	O
new	O
PSP-style	O
phone	O
is	O
apparently	O
in	O
development	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
2009	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
reported	O
that	O
plans	O
for	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Application
Phone	I-Application
has	O
been	O
cancelled	O
as	O
Sony	O
were	O
unwilling	O
to	O
license	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
brand	O
to	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
unless	O
Sony	O
would	O
produce	O
the	O
handset	O
independently	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2009	O
,	O
rumors	O
of	O
such	O
a	O
device	O
arose	O
once	O
again	O
when	O
then	O
head	O
of	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
,	O
Hideki	O
Komiyama	O
,	O
told	O
the	O
Financial	O
Times	O
in	O
an	O
interview	O
that	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
his	O
recovery	O
plan	O
for	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
,	O
he	O
would	O
like	O
to	O
combine	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
brand	O
with	O
their	O
phones	O
similar	O
to	O
how	O
they	O
had	O
created	O
the	O
Walkman	O
and	O
Cyber-shot	B-Device
lines	O
of	O
mobile	O
phones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
2009	O
,	O
The	O
Nikkei	O
reported	O
that	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
were	O
developing	O
a	O
"	O
cellphone-game	O
gear	O
hybrid	O
"	O
as	O
a	O
competitor	O
to	O
Apple	O
's	O
iPhone	B-Device
,	O
combining	O
the	O
functionality	O
of	O
a	O
mobile	O
phone	O
and	O
a	O
handheld	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
device	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
2010	O
,	O
the	O
Wall	O
Street	O
Journal	O
reported	O
that	O
Sony	O
was	O
getting	O
ready	O
to	O
release	O
a	O
smartphone	B-Application
able	O
to	O
download	O
and	O
play	O
video	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
solid	O
details	O
about	O
the	O
phone	O
came	O
via	O
Engadget	B-Application
in	O
August	O
2010	O
,	O
reporting	O
many	O
leaked	O
details	O
about	O
the	O
device	O
including	O
that	O
it	O
runs	O
Android	B-Application
,	O
it	O
is	O
a	O
sliding	O
phone	O
with	O
a	O
button	O
configuration	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
PSP	B-Operating_System
Go	O
,	O
with	O
some	O
technical	O
specifications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pictures	O
of	O
the	O
device	O
were	O
leaked	O
to	O
the	O
internet	O
when	O
Engadget	B-Application
released	O
pictures	O
of	O
a	O
prototype	O
running	O
Android	B-Application
2.2	I-Application
,	O
a	O
PSP	B-Operating_System
Go	O
like	O
form	O
factor	O
with	O
a	O
touch	O
pad	O
and	O
microSD	B-Device
card	O
support	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
sites	O
however	O
,	O
have	O
questioned	O
the	O
legitimacy	O
of	O
the	O
images	O
of	O
the	O
device	O
in	O
question	O
,	O
though	O
Engadget	B-Application
has	O
rebuked	O
these	O
theories	O
and	O
shown	O
their	O
proven	O
track	O
record	O
of	O
leaked	O
devices	O
which	O
include	O
the	O
iPad	B-Device
,	O
2010	O
MacBook	B-Device
Air	I-Device
and	O
the	O
Nexus	B-Application
One	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
More	O
images	O
of	O
the	O
device	O
were	O
released	O
by	O
Engadget	B-Application
on	O
October	O
29	O
,	O
2010	O
,	O
showing	O
the	O
device	O
running	O
Android	B-Application
2.2	I-Application
Froyo	B-Application
and	O
showing	O
its	O
model	O
as	O
"	O
Zeus	O
"	O
,	O
it	O
adds	O
that	O
there	O
are	O
several	O
of	O
these	O
devices	O
in	O
internal	O
testing	O
stages	O
with	O
at	O
least	O
one	O
device	O
running	O
Android	B-Application
2.3	I-Application
Gingerbread	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
showed	O
the	O
device	O
running	O
Android	B-Application
2.3	I-Application
,	O
and	O
reported	O
that	O
the	O
device	O
's	O
final	O
name	O
would	O
be	O
the	O
Sony	B-Application
Ericsson	I-Application
Z1	I-Application
though	O
this	O
has	O
not	O
been	O
confirmed	O
by	O
multiple	O
sources	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
far	O
clearer	O
,	O
showing	O
the	O
device	O
clearly	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
PlayStation	B-Device
"	O
icon	O
on	O
the	O
phone	O
which	O
displays	O
a	O
XrossMediaBar-themed	O
interface	O
when	O
selected	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
January	O
5	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
Engadget	B-Application
published	O
more	O
photos	O
of	O
what	O
seems	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
final	O
design	O
for	O
the	O
device	O
as	O
it	O
bears	O
both	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
Xperia	B-Device
brands	O
which	O
were	O
n't	O
on	O
the	O
prototypes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
January	O
10	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
a	O
video	O
showing	O
the	O
device	O
playing	O
original	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
games	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
it	O
is	O
unclear	O
whether	O
the	O
games	O
were	O
being	O
played	O
through	O
official	O
software	O
or	O
an	O
emulator	B-Application
of	O
the	O
original	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
February	O
6	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
created	O
an	O
event	O
for	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
on	O
their	O
Facebook	B-Application
page	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
18	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
4G	B-Architecture
was	O
released	O
for	O
AT&T	O
,	O
it	O
features	O
HSPA+	O
for	O
faster	O
speeds	O
and	O
it	O
comes	O
in	O
a	O
Stealth	O
Blue	O
color	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
US	O
,	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
was	O
initially	O
available	O
only	O
on	O
the	O
Verizon	B-Application
network	O
,	O
until	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
4G	B-Architecture
on	O
AT&T	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
8	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
Sony	O
Ericsson	O
confirmed	O
that	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
,	O
and	O
all	O
Xperia	B-Device
phones	O
released	O
in	O
2011	O
,	O
would	O
receive	O
an	O
update	O
to	O
Android	B-Application
4.0	I-Application
"	I-Application
Ice	I-Application
Cream	I-Application
Sandwich	I-Application
"	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
on	O
May	O
25	O
,	O
2012	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
stated	O
that	O
following	O
beta	O
testing	O
and	O
discussions	O
with	O
developers	O
,	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
would	O
not	O
receive	O
an	O
update	O
to	O
Android	B-Application
4.0	I-Application
,	O
citing	O
stability	O
concerns	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
Xperia	B-Application
Play	I-Application
runs	O
on	O
Android	B-Application
,	O
the	O
device	O
may	O
install	O
apps	O
for	O
playing	O
homebrew	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
commonly	O
used	O
to	O
run	O
emulators	B-Application
for	O
older	O
game	O
systems	O
such	O
as	O
Atari	B-General_Concept
2600	I-General_Concept
,	O
MAME	B-Device
,	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
SNES	B-Application
,	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
,	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
,	O
Nintendo	B-Device
DS	I-Device
,	O
Sony	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
many	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
