The unveiling wasn’t a complete surprise – rumours of a new Sony Xperia phone started popping up right after the Sony Xperia X and the Xperia XA were released. However, we didn’t know whether we’d see just one new phone or two. Alongside the new flagship, we were also treated to a new Xperia X Compact during Sony’s IFA keynote. Here, we’re focusing on the flagship Xperia XZ.
Sony Xperia XZ release date: When is the Xperia XZ coming out?
During its 1 September unveiling, Sony revealed that the XZ will be coming out in early October but has yet to give an exact date. We’ll keep you updated on the release date as soon as we hear more, but for now you can register your interest with Sony here.
Sony Xperia XZ price: How much does the Xperia XZ cost?
Sony hasn’t revealed the price of the Xperia XZ yet, but we expect it to retail for anywhere around the £500 to £600 mark. The Xperia X was overpriced at £459 given its lower specs than the Xperia Z5 that proceeded it. We’re updating this article as we find out more. Below are the rumours from before Sony’s unveiling.
Sony Xperia XZ design
The Xperia XZ boasts a 5.2in screen surrounded by a metal casing available in a range of colours: Forest Blue, Mineral Black and Platinum. Its edges are curved in what Sony calls a “Loop Surface” designed to make the phone appear seamless and fit comfortably in your hand.
It’s also water resistant, designed to be more durable if you get a splash of water on it or get caught out in the rain. It’s not waterproof, though, so it’s unlikely to survive a dip in the toilet or the sink.
Sony Xperia XZ features & specs
Sony is focusing most on the Xperia XZ’s 23MP rear camera, which boasts triple image sensing technology: an imaging sensor for predicting movement, a laser autofocus sensor for measuring distance and an RGBC-IR sensor for accurate colours.
The camera is quick-launch, too, going from standby to capture in 0.6 seconds (although we’ve yet to test that) and the front-facing camera is 13Mp, good for low-light photogoraphy and is also wide angle to capture more of what’s around you. Inside the XZ is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 64bit quad-core processor so we expect it will be speedy, and that’s paired with 3GB RAM. You’ll also find 32GB of built-in storage with the capacity to add up to 256GB more via MicroSD card. The battery is another of the XZ’s features that Sony is touting. It’s 2900mAh with Qnovo Adaptive Charging to extend your battery life, and Quick Charge to make recharging a speedier process. The Xperia XZ is running Android M, and it features Xperia XZ Intelligence, which means it learns your habits and gets smarter as you use it. Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.
