Sony is capable of making beautiful devices with solid internals when it comes to their mobile portfolio. Proof of that is the newly announced Xperia Z5 series, which consists on the 5.2-inch Xperia Z5, a smaller version called Xperia Z5 Compact, which shares most of the internals of the larger model. Plus, they released a larger version called Xperia Z5 Premium, which also shares some of the specs with the other models but improves on the display department as it integrates a 5.5-inch with an unprecedented 4K resolution, resulting in a density of over 800 ppi. The design of the phones has always been a highlight for Sony and while some might argue that the design is getting a little dull as it barely changes from one generation to the other, it’s still considered among the best and the premium materials of their construction help to create that effect.
As for the internals, all of the devices sport an octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor with 3 GB of RAM (there are only 2 GB of RAM for the Compact) powering them up. They all include 32 GB of internal storage with Micro SD card support for up to 200 GB more. While the cameras have always been a focus point for the company, the new 23-megapixel sensors included in these devices are said to be really good as they offer record-breaking autofocus time. They all feature IP68 certification making them water resistant and dustproof and for the first time, there is a fingerprint scanner on the power button on the side.
As you may see, all of these are very desirable specs for smartphones, but Sony hasn’t had the most successful marketing campaigns, so brand awareness, particularly in the US is still not among the best. Sony started selling their devices unlocked directly from their website, and then, they partnered with some US carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon. The latter even has some exclusive models from the company. Unfortunately, a T-Mobile spokeswoman told CNET that there are no plans to carry the Xperia Z5 phones without saying any particular reason. Additionally, Sony’s own spokeswoman wasn’t able to tell if these devices will make it through the US. Clearly, this is affecting the sales of the new devices because, needless to say, the US is one of the most important markets and those consumers are looking elsewhere to buy their smartphones.