Sony Xperia XA2 prototype turns up with some very curious engravings

Multiple photos of a Sony Xperia XA2 prototype device have been uploaded to Reddit sparking a conversation about it and its curious engravings. The images show that this particular unit has the words “PSP PlayStation Portable” engraved on one of the edges while the Walkman logo and brand name has been engraved on the top edge (letters legible facing the display side). The original poster of the images has suggested that the phone is an “incredible discovery” and a “hidden gem of mobile technology”.

It is suitable that a phone with an OEM codename of “Pioneer” may once have been considered during the development phase as a phone, Walkman unit, and PSP device all rolled into one. The Sony Xperia XA2 prototype even has some PS1 and PS2 emulator apks loaded on it to offer that further suggestion of legitimacy. However, as much as many Sony fans would love to believe the company that has seemingly almost given up with its Xperia line was once supremely innovative, it is more likely that the engravings were added at a later date, possibly to “spice” the XA2 prototype up.

Taking relevant timelines into account helps clarify what has probably turned up here. The Xperia XA2 phone, which came with a Snapdragon 630 and 3 GB RAM, was released in February 2018. At this point, Walkman Phones and the PlayStation Portable had ceased production. The main W series of Walkman Phones ran from 2005 until 2011, while the PSP was discontinued in 2014. There would be no reason for an XA2 prototype to feature these engravings, and if Sony had been working on such a hybrid device it seems more likely that the at-the-time powerful Xperia XZ2 would have been the more suitable contender.