Rumor: Sony i1 Mini may outpower other ‘mini’ Android phones

By Andy Boxall August 19, 2013

Sony Xperia Z review back left angle

Releasing smaller versions of popular high-end smartphones has become very popular over the past year. Samsung started the trend with the Galaxy S3 Mini, then followed it up with the Galaxy S4 Mini, and subsequently HTC has joined in with the One Mini. Apple has been linked with a mini (read: cheap) version of the iPhone, while even less well-known firms like Oppo have been forced to comment on rumors of small editions of larger, more expensive phones.

Today, it’s Sony’s turn, as it’s equally unofficial Honami smartphone – also known as the Sony i1 – could be followed by the Honami Mini. However, in a break from tradition, the Honami Mini may only shrink in size and not performance. Justified or not, this has long been a criticism of Mini phones. The screen, processor, and camera all get smaller, while the design remains the same, making some view them as cash-ins.

If the report published by GSMInsider is correct, the Honami Mini will keep the Snapdragon 800 processor said to be featured inside the i1, plus 2GB of RAM, but the screen size will drop to 4.3-inches with a 720p resolution. The Sony i1 may have a 5-inch plus screen with a 1080p resolution. Even more surprising is the Honami Mini could also retain the rumored 20-megapixel camera, which is expected to be the i1’s standout feature.

So, excited? Yep, us too; except not only is the Honami Mini not official yet, but neither is the phone on which it’s supposedly based. While it all sounds reasonable, as the specs are very close to each other, this could be a case of crossed wires and the two phones are one and the same.

We may not have long to wait until the i1 is officially confirmed though, as Sony has a press event scheduled for September 4 where it may make its debut. As for the mini version, we’ll just have to wait and see.

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Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

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