US finally gets Sony's Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact

As a household name in the smartphone industry, Sony has a modest presence in US. It sells a small number of handsets in the country, and only a couple of those through major wireless carriers. What's more, its latest flagships arrive late, months after hitting other major markets.

Things are no different with Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact. The two flagships, which were announced at CES 2015 and released shortly after, are only now making their way to US shores. There is no word of the more upscale Xperia Z5 Premium, however.

Sony says that Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact are now available through major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and B&H. There is no mention of carrier support, suggesting that they will only be offered unlocked. There is also only support for GSM networks, which means AT&T and T-Mobile compatibility only.

Given that Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact are offered without a contract, they are priced accordingly. The former can be had for $599.99, while the latter costs $100 less at $499.99. Considering that rivals like Samsung Galaxy S6 and LG G4 can be had for less unlocked or chump change alongside carrier agreements, Sony does not stand a very good chance at convincing US consumers. The Japanese maker is, at least, trying.

"Building a stable business in the US market continues to be an important area of focus in helping Sony Mobile pursue profit by optimizing business scale", says Sony Mobile Communications North America president Kunihiko Shiomi. "We are excited about the introduction of Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact unlocked in the US, particularly as we see a growing trend in the unlocked market".

If you want to learn more about Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact, you can check out their specs here. The US versions do not appear to have a fingerprint sensor baked into the power button.