Mobile World Congress is officially open ints doors today and now that LG and Samsung have had their fun over the weekend, it’s time for the rest of the mobile industry to have their fun. Sony has always made a go of it during Mobile World Congress events in the past, with examples being the launch of the Xperia Z2 line back in 2014, among others. This year however, Sony are doing something a little different and while everyone was expecting the launch of the Xperia Z6 line of devices, the firm is introducing a whole new line of Android devices this year; the Xperia X line. The Xperia X and Xperia XA are being introducing in Barcelona as mid-range devices that channel a lot of what make the Xperia Z line so popular.
More than just a different letter, the Xperia X series features a new sort of design language for Sony, subtly changing what we’ve come to expect from the Japanese brand. There’s a curved glass display that runs over and around the rear of both devices giving what Sony calls a “continuous frame for a familiar form”. Both the Xperia X and Xperia XA smartphones share common DNA, such as the Snapdragon 650 CPU under-the-hood, expandable storage and two-day battery life. As well as long-lasting battery life, these new smartphones are said to be quick chargers as well as featuring longer-lasting batteries thanks to the Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology that Sony has put into these new handsets. These new smartphones are designed with the best of Sony’s camera hardware, with the new Predictive Hybrid Autofocus having been designed with the help of engineers from Sony’s popular Alpha line of digital cameras. This new technology allows users to touch an object, perhaps a moving car or person on stage, and then the software will predict where the object is heading to focus there and get a nice sharp image. In terms of specs, the camera inside of the Xperia X feature a 23-megapixel sensor while the Xperia XA will feature a more conservative 13.0-megapixel camera.
Taking things further however, and somewhat confusingly, they’ve also announced the Xperia X Performance. Keeping the same 5.0-inch Full HD form factor, the X Performance model features Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 820 processor, giving it flagship performance in a fairly compact form factor. We guess we could call this the Xperia Z5.5 Compact?
The Xperia X will feature a 5.0-inch Full HD display, while the Xperia XA will feature a curved 5.0-inch Full HD display. Both feature a design that’s very similar to the Xperia Z3 line from 2014, rather than the more angular looks of the Xperia Z5. That Qnovo adaptive charging means the batteries inside of the Xperia X and Xperia XA – rated at 2,300 mAh and 2,620 mAh, respectively – should last twice as long as most batteries do across their lifespan, while running for two days on a single charge. Photos of the Xperia X can be found below.
Available in White, Graphite Black, Lime Gold and Rose Gold both devices will have a range of Sony’s trademark Style Covers available, and will be available starting “Summer 2016” according to Sony. Below are some images of the Xperia XA.
