Android-based Sony Xperia Touch projector launches, but its price is sky high

One of the most unusual Android devices that has ever been revealed is finally on sale in the US. The Sony Xperia Touch projector, based on Android 7.0 Nougat, is available on Amazon now, but its price is very high at $1699.99.

Sony first showed off a prototype of what it would later call the Xperia Touch way back in February 2016 during the Mobile World Congress trade show in Berlin. At the 2017 show, Sony revealed it would go on sale in Europe in the spring, so it’s taken quite a while for the projector to finally make its way to the US. In addition to Amazon, it will be sold at the company’s own Sony Square store in New York City. You will also find it at some T-Mobile retail stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami.

So what’s so cool about this device? Well, the projector in the Sony Xperia Touch can place images on a table, floor or a wall that range in size from 23 inches to 80 inches, with 60 fps and a resolution of 1366 x 768. The key difference, in comparison to other projectors, is that you can interact with that projected image from the Xperia Touch thanks to its camera and infrared sensor, just like you would use a touchscreen Android smartphone and tablet. Yes, the future can be yours, but for a rather large price.

Inside, the two pound Xperia Touch has a 13 MP camera, along with stereo speakers and a microphone that can even accept voice commands via Google Assistant. It also has a built-in battery but unfortunately, it only lasts up to an hour on a single charge, so this product is not meant to be highly portable.

While having an interactive screen that can be placed on nearly any surface sounds like it comes straight out of Star Trek, the truth is that the Xperia Touch’s high cost will likely keep it from reaching a mass audience. We will have to see if Sony can come up with a second generation version that’s lighter, lasts longer with its battery, and is cheaper than the current version.