It’s taken a long time for Sony’s flagship, the Xperia Z, to hit a US carrier – and finally it’s coming T-Mobile later this summer, just like we knew it would be. We reviewed the smartphone not too long ago and found that while it’s certainly not perfect, it’s a solid offering from Sony and has a lot to offer users. While there’s no word on pricing just yet, it is confirmed that the UnCarrier will be offering the Xperia Z as a US exclusive which means for the first time in a long time, AT&T users won’t be able to get their hands on the latest Sony smartphone, and as always leaves Verizon and Sprint users out in the cold.
The Xperia Z has been out all over the globe for some time now, but if you need a refresher on what makes the Xperia Z tick, then take a look at the specs below:
- 5″ 1920—1080 resolution (441 PPI)
- 1.5 Ghz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
- 13.1MP rear facing camera with 2.2MP front-facing
- 16GB of storage with room for microSD card slot
- 2GB of RAM
- 802.11 a//g/n
- NFC
- 2,330mAh
- Android 4.1
Headlining features of the Xperia Z include that 1080p display and of course, water and dust protection. As we enjoyed showing you in the review, the Xperia Z is not afraid of water, which means spillages and the like are no problem at all for this guy. In fact, you don’t have to worry about spilling beer on the Z while at the bar, nor do you have to be extra cautious around children.
There’s no word yet on pricing but, we hope that Sony and T-Mobile have the price coming in at a little under the Galaxy S 4 and the HTC One. The full press release is below and don’t forget to check out our review of the Xperia Z here!
Xperia® Z from Sony to Make a Splash at T-Mobile this Summer
T-Mobile is the only U.S. mobile provider of Sony’s flagship water-resistant smartphone
BELLEVUE, WA – June 18, 2013 – Continuing to offer customers a wide selection of hot 4G LTE smartphones, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) today announced it will be the exclusive U.S. wireless company to carry the Xperia® Z from Sony.
The Xperia Z packs the best Sony has to offer into a premium Android-powered smartphone. T-Mobile will offer the device on its Simple Choice Plan with no annual service contract plus unlimited talk, text and Web on a screaming fast, nationwide 4G network with 4G LTE rolling out across the country.
“T-Mobile customers traveling this summer will love the Xperia Z with its big, beautiful HD screen, water-resistant design and advanced camera features,” said Jason Young, vice president of product marketing, T-Mobile. “This is an outstanding combination: a premium 4G LTE smartphone with Sony’s best features coupled with T-Mobile’s unlimited data and speedy nationwide network.”
Simple Choice Plan
With T-Mobile’s Simple Choice Plan, Xperia Z customers design their plan based on the number of lines and amount of high-speed data they want. Unlimited talk, text and Web with up to 500MB of high-speed data is $50 per month (plus taxes and fees) for the first line. Customers can add another 2GB of high-speed data at up to 4G speeds for $10 per month per line or get unlimited 4G data and up to 500MB of tethering for an additional $20 per month per line. A second phone line can be added for $30 per month and each additional line is just $10 per month. There are no caps, no overages and no restrictive annual service contracts.
T-Mobile’s 4G LTE Network
The Xperia Z will seamlessly connect to T-Mobile’s high-speed nationwide 4G HSPA+ network and advanced 4G LTE network wherever it is available, which is expected to reach 100 million people by midyear and 200 million nationwide by the end of the year1. T-Mobile’s 4G LTE rollout complements its existing nationwide 4G network covering 228 million people, which third-party tests show already rivals or beats existing competitive LTE networks in many markets. T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network is currently available in seven metropolitan areas: Baltimore; Houston; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Jose, Calif.; and Washington, D.C.
“With Xperia Z, we are thrilled to bring a breakthrough smartphone to T-Mobile, the breakout carrier in the U.S.,” said Timothy Hernquist, North America Vice President of Marketing, Sony Mobile Communications. “Xperia Z offers customers a beautifully designed, water-resistant premium Android smartphone ready to handle whatever life throws at it.”
Sony went with a stylish and durable physical design with unique technology, content and connectivity all bundled into the Xperia Z. A 5-inch 1080p HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2 provides super brightness and clarity. The highly-durable design features tempered glass and anti-shatter film on the front and back and the highest levels of dust- and water-resistance2 (IP55 and IP57) in a premium smartphone. A 13-megapixel camera with Exmor RSâ„¢ for Mobile, the world’s first image sensor with HDR (High Dynamic Range) video for smartphones, delivers stunning photos and videos in any condition. And its STAMINA mode is designed to greatly improve battery standby time by automatically shutting down battery-draining apps when the screen is off.
Availability
The Xperia Z is expected to be available nationwide at T-Mobile retail stores, select national retailers and dealers and online via www.T-Mobile.com in the coming weeks. The smartphone will be available in a black finish and a limited-time only purple finish (while supplies last). For more information, visit http://t-mobile.com/Sony-XperiaZ.