Sony launches Xperia Z flagship Android smartphone

By Andy Madden
published

Sony's flagship Android smartphone features a 5in, Full HD display, quad-core processor and Walkman music player app. Due on sale Q1 2013.

SonyXperiaZ

One of the products generating a serious buzz on Sony's stand at CES is the company's brand new, top-of-the-range Xperia Z smartphone.

Sony Xperia Z: design & specs

The Xperia Z features a 5in, Full HD (1920x1080) 'Reality' display, 13MP camera and is powered by a 1.5GHz asychronous quad-core processor. Thickness is a waif-like 7.9mm and the phone's chassis is made using tempered glass with an anti-shatter film on front and back.

Sony Xperia Z: launch date

The phone will ship Android 4.1 (aka Jelly Bean), with Sony promising to upgrade to Android version 4.2 shortly after launch. It's also 4G LTE-enabled so will be ready to roll on high-speed mobile networks when it launches in Feb/March.

Sony Xperia Z: apps and increased 'Stamina'

Walkman, Album and Movie apps come pre-loaded and users can access content from Sony's Music and Movie Unlimited online services.

Sony claims the handset's 'Stamina' mode, can extend battery life by four times in standby mode. It does this by shutting down apps when put in standby and booting them back up when the phone's fired up.

Sony Xperia Z: NFC

The Xperia Z also incorporates NFC (Near Filed Communication) technology, which means when the phone is partnered with compatible Sony products, such as headphones, portable speakers, systems or televisions, you can stream content from the handset to the device using Wi-Fi Direct.

Andy Madden
Andy Madden

Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.