The Sony Xperia Z is a touchscreen enabled Android high-end smartphone designed, developed, and marketed by Sony Mobile.
The phone was announced by Sony at CES 2013 and was released on 9 February 2013 in Japan and 1 March 2013 in the UK. The Xperia Z runs the Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system. The smartphone has Ingress Protection Ratings of IP55 and IP57, making it dust protected, low pressure water jet protected, and waterproof, allowing immersion under 1 metre of water for up to 30 minutes, and features a 13.1 MP Exmor RS camera sensor as well as a full HD (1080p) display, encompassed in Sony's 'Omni-Balance' Design.
A cheaper variant called the Sony Xperia ZL uses the same hardware as the Xperia Z, but sacrifices water resistance for a smaller frame.
In June 2013 images and specifications of a larger phone-tablet hybrid ("phablet") version of Sony Xperia Z, called the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, officially being unveiled on 25 June 2013 and is slated to release in "Q3 2013".
On 24 June 2013 the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean software update started rolling out for the Sony Xperia Z.
Its successor the Sony Xperia Z1 will be released on 20 September 2013.
The Sony Xperia Z is a rectangular slab that marks a departure from Sony's 2012 design. The design is "Omni-Balance", according to Sony, which is focused on creating balance and symmetry in all directions. Xperia Z has subtly rounded edges and smooth, reflective surfaces on all sides, which are held together by a skeleton frame made from glass fibre polyamide. The phone features tempered glass covered by shatterproof film on front and back. The aluminium power button is placed on the right side of the device. The location is said to make one-hand operation easier. The metallic look and positioning of the power button is inspired by luxury watch crown design.The phone is available in three colors; black, white and purple.
The phone's dimensions are stated to be 139 x 71 x 7.9 mm and its weight is 146 grams (including battery). It comes with a Lithium-ion battery, rated at 2330 mAh.
The Xperia Z features a 13.1-megapixel rear camera with an Exmor RS sensor, flash, image stabilisation, HDR, face detection (with red-eye reduction), Sweep Panorama, scene recognition and 16x digital zoom, and a 2.2-megapixel front camera with an Exmor R sensor. Both cameras can record video at 1080p.
The smartphone has a capacitive touchscreen with a 5" size, and its resolution is 1920x1080 pixels (1080p) at 443 ppi, with 16 million colors. The screen uses Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine 2 to enhance the picture.
In addition to this, the Xperia Z has a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, 2 GB RAM memory, 16 GB internal storage flash memory (with approx. 11 GB available to the user) and a microSD card slot which accepts cards up to 64 GB.
The phone is able to connect to UMTS HSPA+ (bands 1, 3, 5, 8 or bands 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 depending on model), GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz and 4G LTE (bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 or bands 4, 17 depending on model) networks.
The Xperia Z has a built-in 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones, GPS and GLONASS support, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, HDMI (via MHL), Miracast and NFC, in addition to being DLNAcertified. In Japan, it also features an infrared blaster.
The phone is covered on the front and back by tempered glass, where the front is Dragontrail Glass from Asahi Glass Company resin-bonded to the LCD, and the back is CorningGorilla Glass.
The Xperia Z runs Android 4.2.2, with Sony's custom skin laid on top. Other notable additions to the software include Sony's Media applications – Walkman, Album and Videos.NFC is also a core feature of the device, allowing 'one touch' to mirror what is on the smartphone to compatible TVs or play music on a NFC wireless speaker. Additionally, Xperia Z includes a battery stamina mode which is believed to increase its standby time up to 4 times.
The body is made from a glass-fibre polyamide. It is certified to IP55 and IP57 standards and is dust protected, low pressure water jet protected, and waterproof, allowing immersion under 1 metre of water for up to 30 minutes.
The Xperia Z has received mostly positive reviews from critics. Damien McFerren of CNET gave the phone 4 and a half stars out of five and said "The Sony Xperia Z combines looks, power and connectivity to supply one of the most impressive Android experiences we've seen in quite some time. The lack of Android 4.2 at launch is unfortunate and that 5-inch screen isn't going to suit everyone, but there's little room for complaint elsewhere. This is easily Sony's best phone yet, and one of the best Android phones ever released".
Android Central also gave the phone a positive review saying "For Android fans, the Sony Xperia Z was one of the highlights of a fairly quiet CES. A 5-inch, 1080p phone with a bold new design language and fancy new camera technology, the Xperia Z was probably the most compelling phone of the show. And just a couple of months later, it's now available to buy in the UK. Without a doubt Sony Mobile's new baby is one of the largest, specciest Android phones around".
Like the critics, the audience reactions to the phone has been very positive. At CES 2013, the Xperia Z won the ‘Best Smartphone' and ‘Best of Show' awards.According to a Sony executive, Mcdougall, early Xperia Z sales have been strong. He states, "It (the Xperia smartphone) sold over 150,000 units in its first week in Japan, taking a 24 percent market share straight away." "It may be a bit too early to say but the first signs are very positive.
Sony Xperia Z
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