Vaio to launch an Android smartphone: Report

Within a year of spinning-off from Sony, laptop maker Vaio is planning to enter the smartphone market, in turn taking on its former owner. According to a report in Nikkei, Vaio, which is now owned by Japan Industrial Partners, is working with telecom operator Japan Communications to launch an Android smartphone.

Nikkei writes that the smartphone will include a 5-inch display and come pre-loaded with an app that can manage emails and phone calls together. Other specifics of the smartphone are unclear at this moment.

The production of the phone will reportedly be outsourced to an ODM and Japan Communications will handle the marketing.

There is no word on the pricing, but the first Vaio smartphone t is likely to be mid-range. We don’t expect it to be available outside Japan for the near future.