Since the release of the Xperia Z4, known as the Xperia Z3+ outside of Japan, we were all wondering what Sony were going to do next. Then, the rumors of a new Xperia Z5 started to pour in, and today during IFA in Berlin, Sony officially unveiled the new Xperia Z5 series of smartphones, including a Z5 Compact and a new Z5 Premium with a 5.5-inch 4K smartphone. The middle of the pack, Xperia Z5 is yet another refinement of the Xperia Z design and feature set. With a new and improved camera, two-day battery life and a fingerprint scanner, the Xperia Z5 is a quality smartphone that Sony is hoping will re-energize their mobile brand.
Under-the-hood is a Snapdragon 810, the same used in the Xperia Z3+ as well as 3GB of RAM. However, the camera gets a small bump to a 23-megapixel sensor built with the same sort of technology found in Sony’s high-end Alpha line of cameras. This gives the Xperia Z5 4K recording as well as auto-focus speeds of 0.03 seconds, which Sony is calling the fastest for a smartphone. The sensor used here is a 1/2.3 Exmor RS and it’s paired with an f/2.0 ‘G’ series lens.
A 2,900 mAh battery is running the show here, and that two-day battery life is back once again, thanks to some optimized software and features such as STAMINA mode. The new Xperia Z5 is running Android 5.1.1 along with Sony’s new vision for Android, which basically means a very, very light touch on what Google have created. The new feature here is the fingerprint scanner on the side of the Xperia Z5 where the familiar aluminum button used to be, this has been worked into a device that still features a 5.2-inch 1080p display and measures just 146mm x 72mm x 7.3mm. Another returning feature for the Xperia Z line with the Z5 is IP65, IP68 water and dust resistance, without a cover for the microUSB port. This makes the Xperia Z5 a phone capable of submersion for 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters.
The Xperia Z5 will be available globally from October this year and will be offered in white, gold, black and green.