In the ever-expanding mobile market there is barely a day that goes by without a new batch of handsets being launched or new prototypes getting discussed in detail. Here are just some of the latest handsets which are set to light up the interest of mobile fans around the world.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
The first handset to get PlayStation certification is the Xperia Play, a touchscreen smartphone with slide-out physical controls that have led many to dub it the PSP Phone. It features a four inch display and a 1GHz processor onboard powering Android 2.3. It also has a number of unique gaming features, including access to specially emulated PlayStation One games from the early days of Sony`s console dominance. Prices are set at around £520 for this high end handset, although whether it will actually appeal to gamers in place of a standalone device like the PSP remains to be seen.

LG Optimus 3D
Another smartphone based on Android 2.3, the Optimus 3D has a market-leading glasses-free 3D display which will produce stereoscopic images and enable users to enjoy movies, pictures and games in greater depth than ever before. A dual-core 1GHz processor will help it chew through the 3D content and on the rear a pair of five megapixel cameras will allow it to take 3D photos and even record video clips in 3D and high definition at the same time. This might cost roughly the same price as the Xperia Play but from a technical standpoint it is clearly superior.

Samsung Galaxy S2
The Galaxy S2 replaces last year`s original which sold more than 10 million units and so has a lot to live up to. With a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Plus display it will not be short on visual clout or size. It is also going to be eminently thin and even a little slimmer than the iPhone 4 which has held the crown as the world`s slimmest smartphone since it launched last summer.

HP Pre3
Following its acquisition of Palm last year HP is finally getting around to properly reinventing the Pre smartphone which was a critical success but a commercial failure for the firm. The Pre3 has all the right specs, with a 3.6 inch display, a 1.4GHz processor and a solid five megapixel camera with that all-important HD video capture. The webOS software has also been modernised and rejuvenated, offering what will arguably be the best multitasking performance on the market. Whether it will be able to win any fans with so many powerful alternatives grabbing the headlines is a different matter.

Motorola Atrix
Like the Optimus 3D from LG this will sport a dual-core processor and a four inch display which will have a high resolution that almost matches that of the iPhone 4`s Retina Display. 16GB of storage and Android 2.2 should make it a competitive device and no mobile phone is complete without a five megapixel camera with the obligatory 720p HD video capture. If you are fan of Motorola`s MotoBLUR interface then this too will be available, although you can turn it off if it turns you off.