The leaks and rumors are starting to back each other up: a new Xperia is coming to replace theXperia Z3, and unlike its predecessors it won’t be replaced six months later. What can we expect from Sony’s new flagship, the Xperia Z4, and how does it compare to the current model, the Xperia Z3? Let’s see what the leaks and rumors have to tell us.
- Sony Xperia Z4 release date, news, specs and rumors
One of the most interesting things about the Xperia Z4 isn’t the phone but the strategy around it. Reports say that Sony feels that its six-monthly replacement cycle is no longer necessary for its flagship phone, and that the Z4 has more than caught up with its rivals. Can the Xperia Z4 really hold its own against Android’s finest until well into 2016?
There’s another interesting story too: this could well be the last Sony-made Xperia we’ll ever see. Sony’s financial troubles mean it’s seriously considering selling off its mobile division, just like it did with its Vaio computers a few years ago.
Xperia Z4 vs Xperia Z3: design and display
The Xperia Z3 isn’t a bad looking phone, and sources suggest that the Z4 will look much the same - although the relatively unchanged design will be slimmer with a smaller bezel and will include a better screen, Qi wireless charging and batter waterproofing that won’t involve more flaps than a delirious duck.
Sony deliberately chose not to offer a QHD screen in the Xperia Z3 to preserve battery life, but reports suggest that the Z4 will - but there will also be a full-HD display for those who think power matters more than pixel counts. The screen size should remain unchanged at 5.2 inches and it’s expected to have Gorilla Glass 4 to protect it from everyday lumps and bumps.
One of the most interesting unanswered questions about the Z4 is what connection the leaked pictures from Sony Pictures have to the final device. You may recall that in late 2014 hackers got into Sony’s servers and leaked all kinds of things including images of the Z4 range Sony (the phone company) wanted Sony (the film company) to use in the next James Bond movie. Those images looked slightly different from normal Xperias, with photos showing cases whose backs were made of mirrored glass or leather. Were those designs just for the movies, or should we see some snazzy Xperias along those lines this year?
Xperia Z4 vs Xperia Z3: camera
The Xperia Z3 camera is pretty good - it’s a 20.7 MP model capable of HDR and ultra HD video - but Sony’s newly announced Exmor RS IMX230 is even better, with support for 192 different autofocus points, reduced noise and superb detail. If it doesn’t make its way into the Xperia Z4 we’ll spend the entire review taking photographs of ourselves looking sad.
Xperia Z4 vs Xperia Z3: processor and RAM
The Xperia Z3 has a Snapdragon 801, and its successor is expected to have a 64-bit Snapdragon 805 or 810 processor: 64-bit is all the range in Android now, and a 32-bit processor would appear as a backwards step in 2015. While 64-bit chips can handle much more RAM than 32-bit ones we wouldn’t expect the Xperia Z4 to have much more RAM than the Z3, which has 3GB on board.
Xperia Z4 vs Xperia Z3: features
Android Lollipop is a given - the Z3 shipped with KitKat - and the Z4 should add voice over LTE (VoLTE) to the Z3’s already excellent Wi-Fi and 4G LTE support.
Xperia Z4 vs Xperia Z3: battery
The Xperia Z3 ships with a 3100 mAh battery that’s good for two days of real-world use. If the Z4 has the same battery then we’d expect similar life, for while a higher resolution screen would draw more power, 64-bit chips such as the Snapdragon 810 are designed to be more energy efficient than their predecessors.
Xperia Z4 vs Xperia Z3: price and availability
Sony hasn’t announced a price or release date for the Xperia Z4, although we’d expect a launch at MWC 2015 (2nd to 5th March 2015) and an on-sale date shortly afterwards. The Sony leaks suggested an on-sale date of May, and a revised version in November.
We’d also expect the Xperia Z4 to have a price tag similar to the Xperia Z3. That’s got a list price of $629.99 US (unlocked), although you’ll find sellers on Amazon offering the phone for $508. As ever, the trick is to be patient: the big discounts don’t usually kick in until a new phone has been on sale for a few months.
What do you think? Is the Xperia Z3 good enough that it just needs a minor update to stay competitive, just like the Z3 was compared to the Z2, or does Sony need to try harder?
No comments:
Post a Comment