Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) vs Apple iPhone Air (256GB)
Side by side comparison between Sony Ericsson Xperia Play vs Apple iPhone Air phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
4"
LED
LED
480x854
5
MP
MP
0.3mp
512MB
RAM
RAM
Single-core
1500
mAh
mAh
(Removable)
vs
6.5"
OLED
OLED
1260x2736
48
MP
MP
18mp
12GB
RAM
RAM
Hexa-core
3149
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Apple iPhone Air (256GB)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
5 Advantages 
31 Advantages | 14 Common items in both devices |
| Only digital zoom |
| Autofocus / PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| Accelerometer |
| Ambient light sensor |
| Compass |
| +7 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Model | Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) |
| Other model names | Sony Ericsson Xperia Play R800i, R800a, SE Zeus | iPhone 17 Air (A3260, A3517, A3518) |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) | (Global, International) |
| Brand | Sony Ericsson | Apple |
| Release date | 4/1/2011 | 9/19/2025, Announced: 9/9/2025 |
| Depth | 16 millimeters (0.63 inches) | 5.6 millimeters (0.22 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 62 x 119 millimeters (2.44 x 4.69 in) | 74.7 x 156.2 millimeters (2.94 x 6.15 in) |
| Weight | 175 grams (6.13 ounces) | 165 grams (5.78 ounces) |
| Build, materials | feature not registered | Titanium frame, glass front and back Back: Ceramic Shield |
| Protection against water and others | Not supported | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Display type | TFT LED-Backlit LCD | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Screen size | 4" inches | 6.5" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~59.8% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~88.8% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 480x854 pixels | 1260x2736 pixels (19.5:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 245 PPI | 463 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 1 billion |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Not supported | Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | 120Hz |
| Display features | feature not registered | 1000nits[typ], 3000nits[peak] Dolby Vision/HDR10 Always-On Display Oleophobic coating screen True-tone Wide color gamut |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| System version | Android 2.3 Gingerbread | iOS 26 |
| Firmware update | Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread | feature not registered |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 | 64bit: Apple A19 Pro (3nm) |
| CPU | Single-core, 1 processor: 1x 1GHz Scorpion (Single-core) | Hexa-core, 2 processors: 2x 4.26GHz P-Core (Dual-core) 4x 2.2GHz E-Core (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 205 | A19 Pro GPU (5-core) |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | AnTuTu: 2000993 (v10) Geekbench: 9682 (v6.5) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| RAM memory | 512MB LPDDR2 | 12GB LPDDR5X |
| Internal storage | 1GB (400MB available) | 256GB (230GB available) NVMe (SSD) |
| External storage | Until 32GB microSD, microSDHC (dedicated slot) | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) Standard mini-SIM (2FF) | e-SIM (Eletronic) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 7.2/5.76 Mbps | 5000/1024 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | R800a version: UMTS 850/1900/2100 R800i version: UMTS 900/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | Not supported | LTE Cat20 VoLTE A3517 (International): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 53, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) A3260 (USA): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 53, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) A3518 (Canada, Mexico, EMEA): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 53, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | A3517 (International): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 77, 78, 79) A3260 (USA): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79) A3518 (Canada, Mexico, EMEA): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79) |
| Primary data network | CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6, mmWave |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 5 megapixels | 48 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 2592x1944 pixels | 8000x6000 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | HD (1280x720) 30 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | Dual-LED flash |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | f/1.6 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | 1/1.56" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | 1µm pixel |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | feature not registered | OIS: Optical stabilization on both cameras |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Not supported | Supported |
| HDR | Not supported | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | 4K@24/25/30/60fps 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps Dolby Vision (60fps) |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 0.3 megapixels | (dual front camera) 18 megapixels 0.3MP SL 3D |
| Front camera resolution | 640x480 pixels | 5184x3456 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | Not supported | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | f/1.9 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Mono sound (not stereo) Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio 3D |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.264, H.263, WMV | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+ | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| USB | MicroUSB 2.0 | USB 2.0 Type-C reversible connector |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | Type-C reversible connector |
| TV output | Not supported | USB Type-C (reversible) |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 + A2DP | 6.0 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be [wifi7/6E/6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) + MIMO WiFi hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Not supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, QZSS, NavIC |
| NFC | Not supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | feature not registered | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock 3D Gyroscope Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Removable) BST-41 | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 1500 mAh | 3149 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | 30W Wired fast charging 4.5W Reverse charging by cable USB Power Delivery 2.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | feature not registered | 25W Qi2 wireless charging |
| Talk time autonomy | 6.4 hours | feature not registered |
| Standby | 413 hours (17.2 days) | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (Swype), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, Flash player | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Black, White, Orange • 8GB microSD included • PSP like gaming buttons (Playstation) • USB On-the-go support • Video stabiliser • PlayNow • Open ES 1.1 • SE Timescape • WiFi hotspot • Java framework | • Colors: Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue • Apple Intelligence • Apple Pay • Face ID • MagSafe |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (R800) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |