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Sony Ericsson switches phone connectors, goes for USB 2.0 - nearly!

One of the surprises of the Sony Ericsson "Walkman" phone launch was the discovery that the connector on the bottom of the W800 has changed. Disappointment, of course, for all those who have accessories, but could it be for the bet?

According to Steve Walker - seen demonstrating the prototype phone here - the new interface is not just a sneaky way of making all our expensive add-ons obsolete, but a big step towards speeding up the Sony Ericsson range.

The new interface is nearly, but not quite, USB 2.0 standard. "It's most of two-point-oh," said Walker, "but doesn't yet run at full speed, partly to save battery power - the faster it runs, the more battery it uses."

By the time the phone is launched, it may be that the issues with speed and power are at least partly resolved, he hinted. "The new interface will allow charging from the USB port when you plug the phone into your PC," he said. "Obviously, once you have power from the PC, you can theoretically run the interface much faster, and maybe that will be something we can announce later."

Walker said he "wasn't the right person to ask" about why the connector had to change physically, as well as electrically, but he gathered that it was necessary to have some extra connectors.

He was also unable to say whether some old accessories might be able to clip onto the new connector. "It looks as if it might be possible," he conceded. "I haven't tried, myself."