Sony Ericsson sells Xperia Ray design, looks to new smartphone users

At a time when smartphone makers are rolling out bigger screens, faster processors and 3D capabilities, Sony Ericsson bucked the trend when it unveiled the Xperia Ray in June 2011.

A smaller screen than most high-end rivals and a lack of a dual-core CPU, for example, surprised many phone buffs looking for a more souped up model to contest Samsung’s Galaxy SII or HTC’s Sensation.

The reason, Sony Ericsson executives told reporters from the region yesterday, was to reach out to large groups of users not served by the latest and greatest – feature phone users who desire a small, familiar device, ladies who want a more compact phone and commuters with one hand on the train’s handle bar and another on the phone. …