Sony’s going big at MWC 2017 this year with four new Android smartphones: two higher-end models and two mid-range offerings.
The top-end flagship model is the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. This feature-packed smartphone includes a Motion Eye camera system that touts five times faster image scanning, 960fps video capture, and a 19-megapixel camera sensor with 19 percent larger pixels for better low-light performance. Also included is a feature called Predictive Capture that'll capture four images when the camera senses motion but before you've hit the shutter button to help you capture action that you might've missed.
Another highlight feature of the Xperia XZ Premium is its processor. The phone is one of the first devices to include the Snapdragon 835, which is Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor.
The Xperia XZ Premium runs Android 7.1 on a 5.5-inch 3840x2160 HDR display and boasts a 13-megapixel front-facing camera with wide angle lens, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a microSD slot, USB Type-C, a 3230mAh battery, and a fingerprint reader in its power button (not available in all markets, like the US). All of those features are packed into a body that’s IP68-rated for water and dust resistance.
Sony will launch the Xperia XZ Premium in late spring 2017 for an undisclosed price.
The other high-end device revealed by Sony today is the Xperia XZs. This one’s not quite as high-end as the XZ Premium, but it does have a similar Motion Eye camera system with 960fps slow motion video capture and a 19-megapixel sensor.
The Xperia XZs runs Android Nougat on a 5.2-inch 1920x1080 display and is packing a Snapdragon 820 processor. It’s got a 13-megapixel camera with wide angle lens for your selfie needs, 4GB of RAM, 32/64GB of storage, a fingerprint reader (not available in all markets, including the US), USB Type-C, and a 2900mAh battery. Like the XZ Premium, the XZs is also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.
Expect the Xperia XZs to launch in April 2017.
So there’s Sony’s latest flagship Android hardware. The Xperia XZ Premium looks like a powerhouse of a smartphone with its large 4K display, Snapdragon 835, and list of camera features. It is kind of strange that the XZ Premium’s fingerprint reader, which is present on pretty much all flagships and many other smartphones nowadays, won’t be available in some markets, though.
What do you think of the Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia XZs?
