Sony was one of the few, if not the only, mobile phone manufacturer to have anything big to announce at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and it definitely caught the eye of many tech fanatics. The Xperia Z was shown off by Sony in Vegas last month, but has been nearly impossible to play with for those of us who didn’t make the trek out west. According to one of the largest phone resellers, however, they will be showing the device off in the stores. Phones4U says they will Xperia Z demo units in their more than 300 retail stores. The only downside? They strictly operate in the United Kingdom, meaning that all of us back in the United States will have to wait even longer to get our hands on the 5-inch Sony device.
The device will be available for demo starting tomorrow, but will not be available for purchase until the 28th of February. From Phones4U, the device will be free with a two-year contract with a monthly fee starting at £36. To sweeten the deal even more, the retailer will also be giving a free pair of Sony MDR-1R headphones to the first 1,000 people to pre-order the Xperia Z. The Sony MDR-1R headphones would cost you £299 from Sony.
The Xperia Z features a 5-inch 1080p display with Sony’s Mobile Bravia Engine, as well as a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, Adreno 320 GPU, and 2GB of RAM. Software-wise, we’re looking at Android 4.1 with Sony’s custom skin, though the manufacturer says it will be updated to Android 4.2 soon after launch. Other specs include a 13MP rear camera capable of full 1808p video, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, DLNA, and a 2.2MP front facing shooter also capable of full HD video.
Phones4U definitely makes the Xperia Z a tempting purchase for those of you in the U.K. There’s no word on when we’ll see the device here in the United States, but we hope it’s sooner rather than later. What do you think of the Xperia Z? Will you be heading out to a Phones4U retailer to get your hands on it? Let us know down in the comments!
LONDON, 14th February, 2013: Phones 4u today announces that it is the only independent retailer to offer consumers live devices to preview and trial of the new the Sony Xperiaâ„¢ Z ahead of the handset’s general release at the end of February. From 15th February, consumers can visit over 300 Phones 4u stores across the country to trial live Sony Xperia Z smartphones, experience the handset’s flagship features – including the stylish, waterproof body and powerful 13 megapixel fast-capture camera – and pre-order the newest addition to the Xperia range of handsets.
Customers will have the opportunity to experience a live product demo, with Phones 4u’s expert staff providing an in-depth walk through of the Sony Xperia Z’s full feature package. The first 1,000 customers to pre-order the Sony Xperia Z at Phones 4u will also receive a free pair of Sony MDR-1R Headphones.
Scott Hooton, Chief Commercial Officer at Phones 4u comments, “We always pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best possible customer service, and are delighted to be enhancing our in-store experience by offering the opportunity to fully experience the Sony Xperia Z before it lands for general sale. By doing so, we’re giving people the freedom to test out the handset before they commit to a pre-order, ensuring they’re picking the smartphone that’s right for them.”
The Sony Xperia Z features the world’s sharpest, boldest and brightest display, designed by the engineers behind Sony BRAVIA® TVs. The Full 1080p HD, 5” display features the highest pixel density of any smartphone, while the OptiContrastâ„¢ panel guarantees crystal clear images and a seamless black finish when switched off.
Customers will also benefit from a range of features including:
- A 13 megapixel fast-capture camera, with a next-generation Sony EXMOR RS sensor, with sleep to snap in under a second and superior auto mode
- Snapdragonâ„¢ S4 Pro quad-core processor for super-fast performance
- Dust-resistance and a water-resistant rating of IP55 & IP57
- Battery STAMINA Mode – which drastically increases battery life by reducing consumption while the phone is on standby
The Sony Xperia Z is available to pre-order at Phones 4u now, with free Sony MDR-1R headphones going to the first 1,000 pre-orders. Available at Phones 4u free from £36 on contract on a range of networks from 28th February 2013.