Sony's Xperia X smartphones are arriving unlocked in the US this summer

Sony is making a break away from carriers in the US to launch its Xperia X Series of smartphones in the summer. While Sony has a weak presence in the US, the company is launching the Xperia X Performance, Xperia X, Xperia XA, and Xperia XA Ultra unlocked in the US at the same time as they retail in other countries. It's an unusual move for Sony, and it comes months after the embarrassing cancelation of its Verizon Xperia Z4v smartphone launch in the US.

Sony originally unveiled the X, X Performance, and XA at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, and the 6-inch XA Ultra was revealed earlier this month with a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. Sony's Xperia X and Xperia X Performance are designed to be the high-end premium devices in the X series, and both include a 23-megapixel camera with what Sony describes as "predictive hybrid autofocus." It essentially means both phones will track moving objects and predict where they will go, adjusting the focus accordingly to capture fast movement without any blur. The X Performance features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, while the X uses the Snapdragon 650.

If you're interested in purchasing Sony's Xperia X then you can preorder it today, but the other models won't be available for preorder until June 19th. Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo Video, and Reagan Wireless are stocking all four devices. The Xperia X will be available on June 26th priced at $549.99, while the Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA will debut on July 17th priced at $699.99 and $279.99, respectively. The recently introduced Xperia XA Ultra will retail last on July 24th, priced at $369.99.