Is the Android Walkman replacing the X?

[glove4]

Having read some stuff about these android walkmans coming out this year, I wonder if this is the reason for discontinuing the X series. Is it still getting an X anyway? I am really looking to get a touch screen player and am thoroughly disillusioned with the Zune HD at this point. My Sony E series tops it by a mile in SQ, but the price of the X has always turned me away. Wifi is no big deal for me at this point and in waiting for this android walkman to arrive, I wonder if its worth getting an X--is it a player worth keeping for the long haul even after being discontinued?

[decapitor]

June 8th, 2009:
Rumors hit every tech site saying that Sony was working on an Android pmp and pnd. When you google walkman android you'll see a ton of theses articles from this date. I've been periodically searching the net for hints of this since then and have come up with almost nothing at all. The X series seems to be discontinued at many sites, so one would think this might be right around the corner. I sure hope so; I'd be all over it.

[blockednose]

Hmmm yeah I think without making a big move, Sony is still nowhere near as recognized on the market as the ipod. The I know no-one with a Sony Walkman, and have never seen anyone with an X series Walkman ever. I would seriously love to have an android walkman though, still the X series is a great sounding player, will still decent if you only have music playing on your mind, if internet and apps is ur thing it might be better to wait.

[meetooman]

Rumors about a new an Android Cowon D3, an Android next Walkman are jokes. I think your next Android music player has 99% more chances to be a phone.
Android needs some CPU power, certainly more than needed for a music device. Android is an OS for multi-connected devices (cellular-wifi-blutooth). For example the Archos Android device is a tablet not a music player. There is no point making today an expensive Android device that can't even make a phone call. There is no market for that.
The Walkman brand is already associated with Sony-Ericsson phones. I think that's where it will return for the next touch Walkman.

[glove4]

http://www.livesony.com/forum/f28/an...n-walkman-413/

Judging by the above link, posted a month ago, it seems that there could be an Android Walkman announced soon, but it may also be a phone as well. Hard to tell what the rumor they are reporting on is saying, Walkman or Walkman phone.

[Szadzik]

Originally Posted by meetooman

Rumors about a new an Android Cowon D3, an Android next Walkman are jokes. I think your next Android music player has 99% more chances to be a phone.
Android needs some CPU power, certainly more than needed for a music device. Android is an OS for multi-connected devices (cellular-wifi-blutooth). For example the Archos Android device is a tablet not a music player. There is no point making today an expensive Android device that can't even make a phone call. There is no market for that.
The Walkman brand is already associated with Sony-Ericsson phones. I think that's where it will return for the next touch Walkman.

All these arguments are valid for iPhone OS and it still is used in iPod Touch with great success.

[Adub]

Sony already has an android phone currently out meetooman, and as we have seen with the itouch/zunehd, high end do it all players DO have a market and the cost to have a 500+ mhz processor which runs android very well isn't hard to produce or overly expensive.

An android media device would be great imo, with all the options for 3rd party OS releases and what not and the fact that android is still growing and far away from it's peak makes me interested.

[meetooman]

The ipod Touch is a coming from the company who already owns the mp3 market. It's an upgrade for the people who are already trapped into the ITMS. The same device from anybody else would not sell.

Of course Sony makes an Android phone the X... (oh surprising name!). Sony was even producing Palm OS devices at a time. But if the X walkman is dead it is because it was not selling well. If it was a successful product you would have already seen the X-2080 64Gb and all over the forum you would be reading people threatening Sony that they will not buy it unless this stupid company give them the 128Gb version they asked for, you know posts like: My music collection can not fit a small 64Gb space can't Sony understand that?

The Zune is still to be seen as worldwide product. It's a great example, because with no content delivery business prospect, Microsoft will never launch it elsewhere than North America. If it was such a profitable hardware it would already be sold in every market. Everybody loves a wide user base!

So how Sony already failing with a good player will make the same wrong bet twice? They are still struggling with the online game delivery business-model on the PSP Go which is a failure too!

Sony can make products for the US only, for example the E345 that is the "crippled-dumb" version of their Walkman line specifically for the US market. That means now, people from the US will only get the cheapest Walkman to fit the low-prices market space left. Forget the most beautiful A+++ series. Too few are interested.

An Android device is a computer, more often a computer-phone. Sony makes music and video players with their own great firmwares. Why would they look for a more miserable life for them with an Andro-Walkman and the support for it (upgrades, etc)?

Times are difficult, you don't make products for the sake of hi-tech only.

[Adub]

Indeed that is the other side of the coin, i am curious to see which side Sony lands on.

[The DarkSide]

Hopefully Sony will land on the 64gb DAP side, as all I personally need is that as my sweet spot capacity. If it runs Android & still rocks the great Sony sq, beautiful. If it still has the regular Sony UI that's fine w/me as well.

I just want a 64gb Sony that has an English menu.

[Adub]

I would like to use an android sony, or an itouch hacked with android which isn't too far away. Some people (me) don't really need or want a smartphone, and an all in one media device that is pocketable would be great.

With how good android is getting someone releasing a solid device that can compete with the itouch would be great.

[bob123]

I've never seen the point in discussing what one company should or shouldn't do in terms of their overall strategy etc. The companies seem to be a mind unto their own.

I'm a bit of a Sony fan but i'm starting to wonder about Cowon. Nothing against Apple - but the ipod's sq is crap. I have sony's X and the new A series. Have never loved the x's design - bit chuncky for my liking - new A series much better but i'd prefer touch screen.

If Sony does bring something new, all i'm hoping for is:

- improved SQ (even if it is slight) and like Cowon more EQ options
- deleting songs on the player
- on-the-go playlists
- more customization of the UI - such as being able to set what the home screen is (eg. I only use player for music so I would love it if when I pressed the home button I was presented with the music options such as artist, album, folder etc.
- a reasonably thin device with a good sized touch screen

Sony usually does a pretty good job making their UI userfriendly. Like The Darkside i'd be happy if they did all the above with the same UI or Android or whatever.

[decapitor]

Yikes I had a dream last night that I saw a new android walkman on the front page of engadget. I've been thinking about this too much I guess. Make it happen Sony!

[Curiouss]

wouldnt it be cool if Sony made a Sony Walkman "Xa", a= android? It could have android 2.2 (froyo ), and with the regular icons from Walkman except on the Android homescreen