Sony's Xperia: A gateway drug of a product?

Sony unveiled its latest smartphone, the Xperia Z, at CES 2013. We got to spend some time with the the 5-inch Android-powered phone and came away very impressed.

Sony is expected to launch a new line of smartphones at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The battle over smart phone market share has taken some interesting turns this past year. The majority of attention has been focused on Apple (AAPL) versus Samsung (SSNLF.PK) and whether Nokia (NOK) and Blackberry (BBRY) can regain relevance.

In January, Sony Mobile of Japan unveiled the world's thinnest 10" tablet in the form of the waterproof Xperia Tablet Z. At the time I was certain it would launch stateside alongside Sony's Xperia Z smartphone, and today at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Sony has confirmed it will indeed hit U.S. retail this Spring.

Sony, which has fallen off the face of the earth as far as influential consumer tech is concerned, is trying to mount a comeback. And one part of its comeback is releasing a credible Android smartphone.

By TechCrunch: By Chris Velazco

Investment U submits: By Tony D'Altorio Sony Ericsson, the joint venture between Sony (SNE) and Ericsson (ERIC), never did enjoy significant mobile phone sales in the United States.