Sony originally announced the Xperia E smartphone back in December. At the time Sony was touting this handset as being affordable, however they were not quite as forthcoming in terms of a price or a release date. Anyway, while we have yet to learn of a release date, the handset has recently been granted approval from the FCC.

The filing is showing approval for the GSM 850, 1800 and 1900 bands as well as the WCDMA bands I and VIII. Otherwise, aside from network connectivity, the specs will include a 3.5-inch (320 x 480) display, single-core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, 1500 mAh battery and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The Xperia E will also have a microSD card slot and 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera. In addition, while the FCC filing shows the Xperia E in black, Sony had previously said they would be offering it in white and pink as well. Shifting away from thoughts of a US release, we had seen details suggesting that the Xperia E was going to arrive in the UK in February.

Bottom line, while the availability seems to still be up in the air, one thing seems clear — the Xperia E should launch with a relatively low price point. In fact, we suspect it will arrive with a low contract-free price point and be free for those willing to sign an agreement. Lastly, while this FCC filing was only for this specific model, Sony is also expected to offer a dual-SIM version of the Xperia E.

[via Wireless Goodness]