Sony C3 to be Sony’s first Mediatek phone?

Robin MaxwellMay 6, 2013

Are Sony about to launch their first low-cost Mediatek based handset in China? Purported Sony C3detailsleaked.

A few months back we reported that Sony along with HTC and other big name brands were planning to enter the Chinesephonemarket with their own Mediatek based phones. It makes perfect sense that they should want to too as the Chinesephonemarket is the fast growing in the world and MTK phones are the most popular and cost-effective.

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Apparently Sony will be entering the MTKmarket soon with a handset currently know as the Sony C3. Details are thin on the ground, but it is thought that the phone will be powered by a quad-core MT6589 processor or the updated 1.5Ghz MT6589T.

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About the author
Robin Maxwell
Hi, Robin Maxwell here! Mobile technology is my passions, and while I've been known to dabble with iOS devices I'm a firm Android convert, currently waiting for the Oppo Find 5 to launch!!

darkwing
May 6, 2013
I don’t think it is going to happend. Rumors of “big brands” using mtk processors are just that, rumors. I was prone to believe that xiaomi would use such processor, but no, so i bet sony wouldn’t use it, specially when from what i’ve seen, mtk performs just as a high end dual core.
- May 6, 2013
  Who told you big brands don’t use Mediatek. LG recently launched L5 II. It is a MT6575 phone.

faizan
May 6, 2013
i am in love with this shape, if this is going to happen in the price range of mediatek processor, i will be one to buy this , sony just come soon

Jan M
May 6, 2013
The phone scene is moving up and forth at an amazing pace in China ATM. It is possible, but I won’t be holding my breath. Sony has been known to come out with some great low.budget sets though. They’ve cut costs by building several ranges and “eras” of phones on a single platform. All their android sets in 2010 was Snapdragon S1, all in 2011 Snapdragon S2 (all but the Arc S @ 1GHz) – mostly just differences in RAM/ROM and displays etc. The SoC’s themselves arent that expensive, especially when you factor in buy many millions of the same SoC.
Since it became “Just Sony” (not S/E), it seems like every android set they’ve made so far, and every set announced so far in 2013, is Snapdragon (S4 pro7plus for Q2).
They could possibly be doing a region-tailored unit for China/Asia off a MediaTek platform – but it would seem they are in pretty deep with Qualcomm, and this “one common platform”-strategy seems to be working pretty well for them.
- faizan
  May 6, 2013
  though i am not 100 % sure abt it, but if using quadcore cortex A5 chip from qualcom like samsung will limit them to 5 mp camera while MTk supports 13mp, and sony might come with 8mp in response to galaxy win
  - Jan M
    May 6, 2013
    Only Snapdragon 200 and previous is A5. S4 Play (low-budget version) is 8mpx. The rest of the S4 range is 20mpx/stereoscopic 3d capable. The 200 is 8mpx, 400 is 13,5mpx, Beyond that the numbers reach up towards 55mpx capability with the 800.
    Most of us don’t really print out images in large format anymore, atleast seldom so. Don’t worry too much about megapixels. The quality of optical parts and CMOS sensor is the big culprit with cellphone cameras. High-end parts in this section are more expensive than the SoC.
    - faizan
      May 6, 2013
      are you saying that samsung galaxy win soc is capable of 8mp? then why they have left their chance to compeat with others in this department?, they could have used better camera which actually made it an entry midrange smartphone rather it could be all in one medium rnge smartphone for low budget customers?
      - Jan M
        May 6, 2013
        Just speculating – but considering their already immense sales in mid plus/high end range – they probably just cheaped out… My impression from what I’ve red about the Win, they should never gone that way. Its a nasty stain on a otherwise (mostly) clean shirt. Do it properly or don’t do it at all – samsung should know better.
Evgenij
May 6, 2013
looks nice, but one thing that disappointed me in sony handsets is the scratchable screen. almost as plastic. they cheaped out on gorilla and now they absolutely require the screen protector. i’m basing my experience on owning ion.
- anony
  May 6, 2013
  Those aren’t actually the real screen but a kind of built in screen protector to hold the glasses underneath it together if they break.

anony
May 6, 2013
- Jan M
  May 6, 2013
  If you want high specs at a low cost, you can’t look at global mainstream brands/phones.
Arnold
May 6, 2013
It could be true, LG already has a smartphone with an MTK processor (LG L5 II).
- faizan
  May 6, 2013
  L7 II and L3 II as well but point is quadcore, upto dual core have been used previously by LG and only other company in international market is alcatel with scribed hd
  - Arnold
    May 6, 2013
    No, L3 II and L7 II both use Qualcomm processors. Only the L5 II uses an MTK CPU.
    - faizan
      May 6, 2013
      sorry i was having alcatel phones in my mind and wrote abt LG, Alcatel 997D and one i have myself is alcatel 992D