Thanks to the GFXBench, the popular benchmark program, we might have our first glimpse at what powers the Xperia Z4, the next Android flagship smartphone from Sony. Sporting the E6553, a model number we’d seen previously that was believed to be linked to the Xperia Z4, the benchmark, if accurate (and we have little reason to believe it’s not), reveals quite a bit and puts to rest the 1440p or 1080p screen rumors.
Details after the jump.
Sony believes that their upcoming Xperia M4 Aqua is mid-range smartphone with “with no compromises” and they might be right. Powered by an octa-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 13-megapixel camera, and a waterproof design with a cap-less microUSB charging port (a world-first, according to Sony), the Xperia M4 has a lot going for it. For more details, be sure to visit our Xperia M4 Aqua spec piece where we break down the latest from Sony. But once the tech spec has assured you that it can technically meet your needs, the question is, does it visually?
After all, a phone is one of the most visible and personal electronic devices we have. It’s design along can sometimes say a lot about us which begs the question, how good does the Xperia M4 Aqua look? After the jump, we’ve put together a picture gallery fro your enjoyment. If that’s not enough, be sure to check this video preview of the Xperia M4 Aqua as well.
We’ve known for some time that Sony would begin its rollout of Android 5.0 Lollipop to its fleet of Xperia Z devices, but we weren’t sure which devices would gain the update first. Now, Sony has put that question to rest by rolling out Android 5.0 to the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact. The update will first come to the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact in the Nordics and Baltics and continue from there to further markets. It’s unclear exactly how the rollout will work as Sony did not break it down by region, but we should expect it to take nearly two weeks.
So once the update is live, what can you expect from Android 5.0 Lollipop? Details after the jump.
Sony wants you to know that their phones are tough. How tough? How about being water- and dustproof (IP65 and IP68) enough to withstand Tough Mudder? For those unaware, Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile team obstacle course that tests your physical and mental strength. But there are likely few words I can use to truly describe how epic of a task this is. That’s why after the jump, a highlight video of Tough Mudder awaits you and we’ll discuss what exactly Sony’s sponsorship of Tough Mudder means for the company.
Chock this one up to the rumor mill but there’s been some talk about the LCD display that will offered on the Sony Xperia Z4. Thanks to leaked images, we already know that, much like the Xperia Z3, we’ll be getting a 5.2-inch display when the Z4 is announced later this year. What’s been unclear is the resolution that will come with it. Currently, the Sony Xperia Z3 offers a 1080p (1080 x 1920) 424 ppi display. With the Xperia Z4, we could see a significant boost – but at a cost. Details and a few more pics after the jump.
Sometimes you’re right and sometimes you’re wrong. After only two days where the first image of the Sony Xperia Z4 leaked, I assumed that there might be at least a week pause before we saw more from the future flagship smartphone. Alas (and for the better!), that’s not the case as we have a few more photos to share with you which truly show off the Z4. It’s worth noting that these are not final images of the Sony Xperia Z4 and instead internal renders that gives employees an idea of what they can expect. With that, it’s likely that the final design and these photos will likely be near identical.
After the jump, a few more large shots await you.
Sony has always been, at its heart, a hardware company. During the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s when the Japanese giant ruled the consumer industry, it was because of their amazing hardware which defined the analog world. After all, we all had access to the same TV feed or cassette tape but it was the hardware that gave your unit a design that begged to be shown off or the extra clarity during the World Cup. In the early 2000’s, much of this began to change as the world shifted away from hardware at the forefront to software being the key differentiator. After all, Apple was not the first to the MP3 market, but thanks to the integration of iTunes, they were able to create a device far more compelling than their competitors.
Fast forward to today and many of the well-known and multi-billion dollar tech companies that we know of, like Facebook and Netflix, don’t even make a single piece of hardware yet they’re with us at all times. With Sony unable to adapt to a software-driven world, the company began to fall behind well over a decade ago, which is coincidentally the last time they were properly profitable. In that time, we’ve seen Sony’s dominance in tech (excluding PlayStation) fade all but away. So what does this have to do with the SmartWatch 3? Quite simply everything. Imagine a modern product in a hot and growing market that Sony could develop and solely focus on the hardware while a company known for their software could develop the UI that makes the essence of that product.
The Sony SmartWatch 3 is that device. Hardware that is pure Sony and software that is totally Google in the ever-growing wearable category.
In a new video, Sony is fully showing off Android 5.0 Lollipop which will come pre-installed on the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet and Xperia M4 Aqua. It’s also safe to assume that, once released, the leaked Sony Xperia Z4 will also come with Android 5.0. Sony has also promised to bring Android 5.0 Lollipop to its entire Xperia Z line of devices with T-Mobile confirming that it will support the move. In the video, Sony not only shows off the new, cleaner UI that you’ll experience with Lollipop, but also new gestures, notifications, and features. Those include the ability to move apps to the SD card.
The video, which shows off Android 5.0 Lollipop running on both a Sony tablet and smartphone, awaits you after the jump.
As it is with such things, the Sony Xperia Z4 would inevitably leak before its debut and, today, just that happened. Though we don’t have a ton of images to go off of, the above image will likely lead to a floodgate of leaks in the coming weeks before the phone’s official announcement. Despite a singular image, the photo shows off more than you might think. Details after the jump.
It’s the wild wild west when it comes to Android phones and system updates. Between manufacture prerogative and carrier support or lack there of, it’s at times hard to know if the latest update will make it to your device. What’s even worse is that while the device manufacture (say Sony) might release the update, it doesn’t mean all owners will get them as carriers have final say over the pushed update. This brings us back to Sony and Android 5.0 Lollipop. They’ve already confirmed that all Xperia Z smartphones and tablets would be gaining the latest from Google in the next few months and their newest devices, the Xperia Z4 Tablet and Xperia M4 Aqua will ship with Android 5.0 when released in the near future.
So what if you’re on T-Mobile? Good things it seems like. Details after the jump.
While we’re still a good few months away from its June launch, Sony has officially revealed the pricing of the Xperia Z4 Tablet. For the most part, pricing is higher than previous models in the UK with the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet Wi-Fi edition starting at £499. That price then jumps to £579 for the 4G LTE variant. So why the jump in price? Sony is taking the unusual move of bundling in their Bluetooth keyboard which more or less turns the Z4 Tablet into an Android powered laptop. Later today, we’ll have a more in depth look at the Sony Bluetooth (BKB50) keyboard. What makes this move a bit more headache inducing is that Sony isn’t bundling the keyboard in all countries. For example, in France, you’ll have a choice of purchasing the Z4 Tablet with or without a keyboard where in Netherlands, you can only purchase the LTE model with a keyboard.
It remains to be seen if this is a limited time promotion or if this is how Sony intends to sell the Z4 Tablet. After the jump, the pricing breakdown of the powerful new tablet across Europe will hopefully make things a bit clearer for you.
Writing about the tech industry can be quite exhilarating when you’re covering a company that continues to push forward and win consumers over. Even if that’s not the case, just covering gadgets on it’s own isn’t a half bad thing. When it comes to covering Sony, we’ve unfortunately had to cover such pieces one too many times and today’s article is no different and reflects the real casualties of Sony’s decline from its former glory. With a lack of growth in mobile, Sony is in need of cutting costs where it can and with mobile returning little to the company’s bottom line, Sony is looking at the division once again for cuts.
Details await you.
It will be some time before we get our hands on the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet but that doesn’t mean we’re not already drooling over it. From a luscious 2K screen to a 8-core processor with a 6.1mm thin design, the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet might be the best-looking Android tablet ever. If you’re like us and you want to see more of it, all you need to do is visit us after the jump for a picture gallery that shows you the Z4 Tablet from different angles. If you’re more of a specs person, be sure to read our Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet specs piece that gives you the nitty gritty details.
If there is one thing that Sony knows how to make, it’s hardware. The Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet takes everything that’s good from Sony, like a gorgeous 10.1-inch IPS 2K (2560 x 1600) display that offers 17-hours of video playback packed in a ludicrously 6.1mm thick (or thin?) device that weighs only 395g. Even with such a thin housing, Sony didn’t skimp on the internal specs, like an 8-core processor with 3GB RAM. For those looking to dive deeper into the tablet’s specs, you can read our previous Sony Xperia Z4 specs piece. All of this begs the question, would you buy one?
It’s time to check your series model if you’ve been wanting Android 5.0 Lollipop on your Sony Xperia smartphone. For some time now, Sony has hinted that Android 5.0 would only be coming to Xperia Z devices and today, the company has confirmed that. Way back in October, Sony put out a list of devices that would support the latest OS from Google which was limited to Xperia Z models. Their statement then:
We’ll be making Sony Mobile’s Android L upgrade available for the entire premium Z series
Many wondered if there might be hope for models other than the Xperia Z line after Sony had finished the rollout. Now the company has clarified that Lollipop will only be coming to Xperia Z devices (smartphones and tablets). After the jump, Sony’s response and the official list of devices getting Android 5.0 Lollipop.
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