The Xperia Z is Sony’s flagship phone for 2013 and the most impressive smartphone announced so far at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Xperia Z follows the same basic template as pretty much every other 5″ 1080p Android flagship we’ve seen announced recently, but adds some rather interesting new features that could set it apart from the pack.
Let’s run through those specifications real quick – most of these will be familiar to you if you’ve seen the announcement of 5″ 1080p smartphones from HTC, Sharp, Vizio, ZTE and others. The Xperia Z is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor running at 1.5 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage. Like its compatriots, the Sony Xperia Z will launch with LTE on networks that support it. The Xperia Z is definitely one of the most powerful phones on the market.
Now, let’s have a look at the new stuff. One of the most exciting unique features of the Sony smartphone is its new 13 megapixel Exmor RS rear camera. This is a new sensor from Sony that hasn’t been used in the HTC Droid DNA or other 5″ 1080p smartphones until now, and should deliver the excellent image quality that we’re used to seeing in Sony smartphones.
That sensor is also put to good use for video recording, with the Xperia Z also supporting “video HDR” – a mirroring of traditional HDR still photography, where one photo is recorded up to three times with different exposures to produce a composite that provides the best looking version of each element in the scene. Performing that kind of function on the fly with video recording is a mean feat, and should be quite impressive if it works well. Finally, the camera also supports taking photos while recording video and a 10 FPS burst mode that produces a string of 9 megapixel images.
The next big feature is its water resistance – the Xperia Z is rated for surviving one hour in water up to a meter deep, ensuring that if it takes an unlucky dive into the sink or (god forbid) the toilet your shiny new smartphone won’t be unduly affected. That protection comes as a consequence of plastic flaps over all of the Xperia Z’s ports – including both headphones and micro USB – which is a bit annoying, but is still quite understandable. There’s also micro SD port covered in a similar fashion – a rarity in flagship phones in this day and age.
Finally, Sony are also looking to update their software offerings on the Xperia Z, with a number of branded additions including Bravia Reality Display, Bravia Engine 2 and ClearAudio+. There are also some new apps that should prove useful, including a Battery Stamina mode that, when engaged, automatically kills background processes when the screen is off. You can add exceptions to this from a list, allowing critical processes like email to remain active. According to Sony, the mode can extend your standby life by a factor of four – definitely a nice little bonus.
While the Xperia Z does look great, it will be some time before it makes an appearance on European shores, with March 1st said to be the UK release date. Some nations might have it a bit earlier though, with a limited launch on February 18th.
At Mobile Fun we’ll have a wide range of Sony Xperia Z accessories ready in time for the launch, whenever it comes. As well as our standard collection of Sony Xperia Z cases and Sony Xperia Z chargers, we’ll also have a range of covers, screen protectors, desk stands and batteries.
Stay tuned to the Mobile Fun blog and our presences on Twitter and Facebook for all of the latest information – we’ll be sure to let you know as new accessories are added.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to let us know what you think of the new phone in the comments below!