Earlier this year, Sony introduced a range of new smartphones at Mobile World Congress. While many had expected Sony to show the next iteration of the Xperia Z series, what they actually announced was a completely brand-new smartphone series known as the Xperia X line. At the time, this consisted of the Xperia XA which was Sony’s entry-level offering that went up for pre-order in the UK back in April, the Xperia X for the mid range or standard offering, and the Xperia X Performance set at the high-end of the three handsets. This evening Sony is expanding the Xperia X lineup with another smartphone called the Xperia XA Ultra which is to be a higher-powered take on the Xperia XA, complete with that nearly bezel-free design.
While the extremely slim bezels are sure to be an eye-catching trait for the phone, Sony is easily putting heavy focus on the camera aspect and the front-facing camera in general, touting the Xperia XA Ultra as the perfect phone for selfies, challenging consumers to become the “master of selfies” by utilizing the massive 16MP camera that sits on the front of the device. Beyond the high MP count, Sony also states that the FFC will have exceptional low-light capabilities to help those images look their absolute best no matter what the lighting situation is like, and it features optical image stabilization.
In addition to the 16MP front-facing camera, the Sony Xperia XA Ultra will also feature a 21.5MP main camera on the back that carries a quick launch and capture feature and it has hybrid autofocus. The phone will come with a 6-inch display with a Full HD resolution, stepping up not only the size of the screen compared to the original Xperia XA from 5-inches to 6-inches, but also the resolution which makes the jump from HD up to Full HD. The Xperia XA Ultra should have a larger battery although the exact size is not mentioned, but Sony still boasts that it comes with a 2-day battery with a single charge, which should be plenty, and it’s capable of getting up to 5.5 hours of battery with just ten minutes on the charger. The Xperia XA Ultra features an all metal and glass design which is common with most of Sony’s smartphones, with the display using curved glass for a more comfortable fit in the hand. Sony has not yet released any pricing details nor is there an exact date for the launch, but they do note that the phone will be available in select markets from July, and will come in three different colors which include Graphite Black, Lime Gold, and White. They also note that they will be releasing a selection of accessories like the Style Cover Flip. Sony has not released full specs details on the device, so there’s no word on the processor or other hardware like the RAM or battery size.
