Xperia XZ Premium is Sony's new flagship Android smartphone
Sony today unveiled a new flagship Android smartphone that might just put the company back on consumers' radar. It's called the Xperia XZ Premium and it has all the right features that we expect high-end Android devices to offer in this first part of the year in terms of hardware and software.
Sony has put some effort into making the Xperia XZ Premium stand out in today's high-end smartphone market. So it has a 4K display, the latest processor from Qualcomm, a camera that's ideal for slow-motion video, a premium water-resistant build, USB Type-C, lots of storage space, and a large battery.
The 4K screen measures 5.5-inches in diagonal and features a number of Sony technologies, like X-Reality and Dynamic Contrast Enhancement. But, what really matters is that insane resolution, which makes the Xperia XZ Premium a great choice for VR headsets. Also worth noting is that Sony says that users will be able to enjoy 4K HDR content from Amazon on the device.
In terms of processing power, it's got a Snapdragon 835 processor, coupled with Adreno 540 graphics and 4GB of RAM. In other words, it'll have more than enough power to handle the heaviest apps and games.
The camera has a 19MP sensor on the back that handles 4K video and slow-motion recording up to 960fps. The sensor is said to have technologies borrowed from compact cameras. It's also said to be very fast at image scanning and transferring data.
It's got an f/2.0 lens, which helps in low-light conditions, and a field of view that's equivalent to that of a 22mm lens on a full-frame camera. Maximum ISO is 6400. A predictive capture feature starts capturing images before the shutter button is pressed, and there's also more precise motion-tracking on board as well.
In terms of storage, Sony has equipped the Xperia XZ Premium with 64GB of space (UFS type) and a microSD card slot. That's more than other devices in this segment offer.
All of this is powered by a 3,230mAh battery, which is backed by adaptive charging and software that adapts to your style of use to estimate battery life.
The Xperia XZ Premium runs Android 7.1 Nougat, with a Sony skin on top.
In terms of build, the Xperia XZ Premium is water-resistant, dust-proof and protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 5 on both front and rear. It's got a fingerprint sensor in the home button, but sadly it will not be included in every market where the device will be sold in.
And this brings us to availability. Sony announced that the Xperia XZ Premium will be offered in Luminous Chrome and Deepsea Black starting late-spring. A number of accessories will also be available then, including a quick charger and Bluetooth headset.