Back then, it was all about how small your phone was. Remember Derek Zoolander’s tiny foldable phone? Well, these days, it’s more about how smart your phone is and what mobile operating system you prefer. Of course, you could say you don’t really care about the operating system and that sort of thing. After all, some consumers prefer to stay loyal to a brand and will continue to buy this Apple or that Google, regardless of how many other new phones are introduced to the market.
Well, if you are the type of person who is always on the lookout for the latest gadgets, you might be interested to know that Sony has just unveiled the Xperia Z at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Water-resistant with quad-core processing and a 13-megapixel camera, tech bloggers call it Sony’s answer to the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3.
Sony’s 2013 smartphone game plan
While it’s too early to tell how smartphone users will make the switch to the Sony Xperia Z, there’s no denying that Sony has stepped up its game and it seems poised to take on its toughest competitor for its share of smartphone revenue. Make no mistake: Sony will market the Xperia Z more aggressively than the Xperia TL. You can expect the Japanese company to push the former as the “leader” or “main” device for 2013. And that will be the case even as Sony plans to launch (also this year) a variant called “Odin” or Xperia ZL , which doesn’t waterproof and will have a slightly different design.
Shows a lot of promise
In terms of specs or features, there’s a lot to behold about the Xperia Z. We’ve already mentioned its high resolution and a little bit about what’s inside. But it is also worth mentioning that in addition to its water resistance, this device is also said to be water resistant a welcome change from other smartphones the large, glass touch screens make them less durable. And the best thing about it is that the staying power doesn’t come at the expense of beauty. Design-wise, the Xperia Z is described as a good-looking handset, covered in glass and featuring a 5-inch 1080p display that uses the latest version of Sony’s Mobile Bravia engine. That means you can expect sharper-than-sharp images comparable to, if not better than, what the HTC Droid DNA has to offer.
Other notable features include: the interface, which runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1; 2GB RAM; an incredibly thin 7mm chassis; improved Exmor R sensor; and Battery Stamina Mode. It’s not without its faults, and some may complain about the size even though it’s smaller than the Samsung GALAXY Note 2. Some may also notice that it doesn’t come with Android 4.2. But at least Sony has confirmed that the phone will be upgraded after its launch. There’s no word yet on which phone service providers will offer the Xperia Z or how much it will cost. But for now, we’re betting that consumers will find the Xperia Z to be one of the best Android devices for 2013.
