Sony has sent out press invites for its event scheduled for Sept. 4, where the company could reveal the hotly-anticipated 5-inch Honami superphone.
Rumors of Sony's Honami camera phone have been doing the rounds very frequently but the company has remained silent about the upcoming device. The Honami (also dubbed i1 Honami) will be launched as a high-end smartphone and it is expected to compete with other handsets with top-end camera capabilities such as the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and the upcoming Nokia Lumia 1020.
"You are invited to the IFA 2013 Sony press conference and exciting booth unveiling," the press invite simply states.
Sony unveiled three smartphones at the IFA event in 2012: Xperia T, Xperia V and Xperia J, along with other devices. The company has already launched a few high-end devices in 2013, including the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL and the Xperia Z Ultra. It now seems that Sony plans on launching the Honami on Sept. 4, which is around the same time Samsung is expected to reveal the Galaxy Note 3.
Apple, meanwhile, launched the iPhone 5 in Sept. 2012 and rumors suggest that the next-generation iPhone will also make its appearance in August or September this year.
The Honami may face stiff competition from other upcoming handsets as well as currently available smartphones. However, its rumored camera capabilities may make it stand out from the crowd.
Leaked specifications of the Sony Honami suggest that the handset will have a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 Triluminos, OptiContrast, X-Reality Engine, 2000:1+ Contrast Ratio display.
The Honami is also rumored to have "2/3 20/13 MP Exmor RS camera with Sony G lens, Cybershot Camera UI, Camera shutter key, Interchangeable lenses." The handset is further expected to tout Xenon + Dual LED Flash, Mobile BIONZ Image processing and a 1080p Exmor R front-facing camera with 2.2-megapixel sensor.
A top-end camera phone with powerful Xenon + Dual LED Flash suggests that it would need a bigger battery and the upcoming handset is expected to have a 3,000mAh battery.
The Honami is also protected against those occasional water splashes or dust as it is expected to have IP 55/58 certification for dust- and water resistance. The handset it reportedly shock-proof as well.
With September just a couple of months away, it shouldn't be long until Sony makes an official announcement. Until then, take rumros with a grain of salt.
