When the Sony Xperia ion was announced at the start of the year, it was the first Xperia LTE device to hit western shores. That particular handset was bound for AT&T (LT28at), but then a RoW version popped up (LT28i) still with LTE support. Since then, Sony has released a HSPA+ version (LT28h) of the Xperia ion.
All of this gave us hope that perhaps we might see a HSPA+ version of the Sony Xperia V (LT25i) in markets where LTE isn’t so prevalent. At one point, there certainly was a LT25h on the roadmap, but we’re now hearing that this version has been canned. The situation isn’t definitive, however, given the strong demand in South America.
If a HSPA+ version of the Xperia V has been cancelled, it will be a shame as this is a phone that many Sony Xperia fans are looking forward to. In markets with no LTE, operators are unlikely to carry the phone, despite the fact that it would still be compatible with the 3G networks sans LTE. For those who really have this high up on their wish list, there’s always the option of importing the phone, but this isn’t necessarily straightforward or cheap. In the meantime, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that Sony changes its mind.
Leave A Comment