Rumors are flying thick and fast about Sony's next flagship smartphone and speculations suggest that the Xperia X (Odin) and the Xperia Z (Yuga), with very similar specifications, may be the company's next flagship handsets. The latest reports indicate Xperia X could be the dual-SIM version of the Xperia Z.

Recent reports indicate that the Xperia X and Xperia Z may be released in different parts of the world as Sony's flagship handset and will have certain differences.

Rumors indicate that Xperia X will be slightly thicker and heavier than the Xperia Z. The Xperia X is also expected to come with a different design on the back, when compared to the Xperia Z.

"Further, the X should come with a front-facing camera located at the bottom of the screen, and not the top as every other secondary smartphone camera ever made," reported Unwiredview. If the front-facing camera of the handset is located at the bottom of the screen then it seems that Sony is experimenting to find better angles for video calls.

A Vietnamese Web site, SE-Cafe also claims (via Xperia Blog) to have had laid hands on the prototype of Xperia X. The Web site also indicates that Xperia X's back will have a removable cover and users will have to remove the cover to fit in two SIMs and one microSD card. The rumors also indicate that unlike the Xperia Z, the Xperia X won't be water and dust proof.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2013 is just a few days away where Sony is expected to launch the devices. We will have to wait and see if the company launches the Xperia X and Xperia Z and if the smartphones have any noticeable differences.