It looks like the rumors were true with regards to Sony’s Flagship the Xperia Z. The Smartphone that took last month’s CES by storm is available for purchase today in Japan, at least for those who got a January 23rd pre-order in anyway. Sony’s carrier of choice is NTT Docomo.
The Xperia Z, which among other things is waterproof, can be had in a variety of colors including black, white, and purple. The design of this handset has been roundly praised for it’s minimalist features, something other brands have shied away from in an attempt to stand out. The fact that more people want a “plain” looking device says a lot about the current state market eh?
Keep in mind that while they do have plans to release this device internationally, Sony has loaded this version of the Xperia Z with software customized for the Japanese market. Also Included in the Japanese only iteration, code named the SO-02E, will be such features as a One Seg tuner, infrared, and FeliCa NFC.
Also, just so you know what you’ll be getting with the Xperia Z, here are some of the more interesting specs:
- Dimensions – 139 x 71 x 7.9mm
- Weight- 146g
- Colors – Black, White, Purple
- Operating system – Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (Upgradable to 4.2 after launch)
- Processor – 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core
- GPU – Adreno 320
- RAM – 2GB
- Storage – 16GB, microSD (up to 32GB)
- Screen – 5in Full HD (1920 x 1080) Reality Display with Mobile Bravia Engine 2
- Rear camera – 13Mp auto-focus, LED flash, Full HD video
- Front camera – 2.2Mp, Full HD video
- Battery – Non-removable Li-ion 2330mAh
If the rest of the rumors hold true then the Sony Xperia Z will be released in Europe on February 19th, where the pre-order prices have been all over the place. We have seen prices ranging from 2,799 zÅ‚ ($897 US) in Poland on the high end and £520 ($700 US) from online mobile retailer Handtec for those of you looking to save a buck. Additionally if you really want the Japanese version of the Xperia Z, NTT Docomo has the phone listed for an off contract sale price of 77,280 Yen, which is about $865 or €645.
You have to hand it to Sony. They were the only manufacturer to make a really big announcement at CES and now they are launching their flagship smartphone way ahead of their competition. Maybe they don’t have the loyalty of a Samsung or an Apple yet but being out there first with great hardware is a step in the right direction.