Sony is expected to launch its latest flagship, known variously as the ‘Honami’ and the Xperia i1, at an event in Berlin, Germany on September 4, just two days prior to the IFA 2013 conference also taking place in the city.From the moment that Sony sent out invites to its pre-IFA press event, one question has undoubtedly been on the minds of every Sony fan out there: Will we finally get to see the Xperia Honami?

Earlier this month a somewhat dubious-looking teaser debuted on the Chinese Digi Wo forums, supposedly ‘confirming’ the Honami’s launch date would coincide with Sony’s IFA press event. Of course one teaser image on a random Chinese forum does not a confirmation make.

Adding the weight of Businessweek behind the Honami unveiling date certainly makes the rumor more convincing, but as always, speculation is advised.
Looking for more proof? Citing two insider sources that are “familiar with the matter”, Bloomberg Businessweek is now reporting that Sony will in fact show off its next flagship on the 4th. Not many other details were revealed by the sources, other than a comment suggesting the device will feature imaging technology developed for Sony’s cameras and ultra-high definition TVs.

Adding the weight of Businessweek behind the Honami unveiling date certainly makes the rumor more convincing, but as always, speculation is advised.

Assuming that the Honami (aka i1) is unveiled on the 4th of September, what kind of specs are we talking about exactly? If the rumor mill has it right, the handset should feature a Snapdragon 800 processor, accompanied by 2GB of RAM. Other specs may include a 20MP back cam, a 3,000 mAh battery, and a 5-inch display. A Mini version of the device is also said to be in the works

The Sony Xperia Z exhibited fantastic design and build quality while reiterating Sony’s exceptional ability to create amazing displays. The Xperia Z’s display remains one of the best I’ve seen this year and Sony’s tech layers, including the Sony Mobile Bravia Engine 2, really do make all the difference.

But despite Sony having some excellent camera tech, the implementation in this case was not the best, with a bit too much post-processing evident in captured snaps. Additionally, while the display was glorious and the use of a Snapdragon 600 processor also rewarding, the resulting power drain was too much for the 2,330mAh battery pack and battery life was distinctly subpar.

The Xperia Z Ultra has followed on with similarly eye-catching and engaging design and a brilliant display, introducing Triluminos technology and an enhancement of the Sony Mobile Bravia Engine 2 called the ‘X-Reality Engine’. The battery has been bumped up to 3,050mAh so it should cope much better than the Xperia Z.

However, it’s a massive device and more like a tablet at the end of the day. While such a device certainly has its place in the market I would hardly consider it a mainstream flagship – it’s a specialised piece of kit and will play second fiddle just as the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 isn’t Samsung’s top dog next to its actual flagships.