The Sony Walkman re-emerged last fall as a $300 hi-definition audio device with codec support. Now, Sony has announced a new Walkman model at the CES 2015 conference in Las Vegas this week, and it comes with a hefty price tag of $1,200, reports Business Insider.

Sony is marketing the Walkman ZX2 as "the fruit of continuous refinement in high audio quality technologies."

The latest Walkman model runs on an old version of Android -- 4.2 Jelly Bean, which debuted in November 2012. It can access apps via Google Play. The question is whether it is an Android device pitched by Sony with the Walkman branding, or an actual Sony device.

Sony Walkman ZX2 Features

This Walkman is different than its predecessors in that it offers 128GB of built-in storage, a microSD slot for more storage for the hi-res audio files and a vivid touchscreen display.

Unlike Walkman models of the past, this one connects to the Internet.

The Walkman is designed with control buttons etched into its side, so your fingers curl easily around the device to work the play, rewind and pause buttons.

A gold-toned headphone jack is adjacent to the microSD slot, and the device is sleek bp3ut heavier than you'd expect and encased in matte black.

Since the Walkman ZX2 is compatible with Google Cast, you can transmit sound to a variety of compatible speakers.

Sony's newest portable music player supports WAV, DSD, FLAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless and more. It is compatible with Bluetooth for wireless streaming and NFC for easy connection to speakers and headphones, according to the Verge.

The Walkman ZX2 will launch in the spring.

The question remains whether consumers will pay $1,200 for an audio player that operates on a two-year-old version of Android, when they can purchase the highly rated FiiO X3 lossless portable music player for less than $300.

The rebirth of the Walkman comes as the Japanese consumer electronics company attempts to restructure following a $1.1 billion loss early last year that prompted job cuts, the selling of its PC Vaio business and termination North American e-book ventures.

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