The death of the digital camera moved a step closer after Sony Ericsson unveiled the world's first mobile phone with a built-in 12.1-megapixel camera<

Sony Ericsson's new handset could render digital cameras obsolete by offering as many megapixels as many semi-professional and consumer cameras.
The Idou will also compete directly with Apple's hugely popular iPhone, and features a 3.5in widescreen touch-screen and powerful flash for high quality photos. It also has all the capabilities of Sony Ericsson's Walkman range of phones, which means it can be used for music and video playback as well as taking pictures. The device will run the Symbian mobile phone operating system, and users will be able to download extra software and applications to their device.
"The Idou is certainly an impressive change in direction for Sony," said Ernest Doku, a consultant with mobile phone comparison site Omio.com. "Sony has produced a slick, feature-rich handset to combat the iPhone's dominance, and Idou is bound to make waves with its built-in 12-megapixel camera.
"If you want one phone that can be a high-end camera, a fully-featured MP3 player and a robust mobile handset, then the Idou could be the only sensible choice."
Sony Ericsson's announcement comes just as Mobile World Congress, a huge technology conference focusing on mobile devices and services, gets underway in Barcelona, .
Over the next three days, mobile phone manufacturers from around the world will be showing off their latest handsets, and unveiling plans for new products and services that will help them compete with the all-conquering iPhone. Apple has sold more than 17 million units of it flagship device since July 2007, and it has raised the bar in terms of what consumers have come to expect from their phones.
In addition to the Idou, Sony Ericsson also showed off the W995, a mobile phone with 8.1-megapixel camera and Walkman music player. From various Soures