Phones

Why Sony Xperia X Has Thicker Bezel Than Xperia XA

by Sohrab Osati | May 18, 2016 | 0 comments

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One of the more odd aspects of the Sony Xperia X family is that despite the Xperia XA (pictured above) being a mid-tier device compared to the Xperia X, its design aesthetics are actually superior in some ways when compared against its higher-priced brethren. That’s because, as you can see from the above photo, the Xperia XA has a thinner bezel than the Xperia X (pictured below) and even Xperia X Performance.

So why does a lower tier phone have a thinner profile design? The answer is surprisingly fairly straightforward.

Sony Xperia XA Ultra Specs & Features Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | May 16, 2016 | 6 comments

And there you have it folks, the Sony Xperia XA Ultra is officially a device that’s joining the Xperia X family which will last through 2018. Chris Barraclough writing for recombu:

The Xperia XA Ultra sports the same edge-to-edge screen design of Sony’s original Xperia XA, but this time in a much bigger 6-inch form. However, while the XA Ultra is a bit of a beast, Sony says that it feels more like a 5.5-inch phone thanks to those minimal bezels. Impressively, the phone is just 79mm wide. Water resistance has once again been cut in order to trim the price of the handset, while the Ultra has no fingerprint sensor, just like the XA before it.

So what are the specs?

Sony Xperia X Camera – “For Unexpectedly Beautiful Moments”

by Sohrab Osati | May 13, 2016 | 4 comments

Sony Mobile has a bit of a strange history with cameras. Despite being a leading camera manufacturer and providing image sensors to iPhone which is known for its superb photo capabilities, Sony has generally struggled with the photo capabilities of the Xperia line. Ironically, Sony has set aside their best sensors for themselves while Apple and Samsung get lower megapixel variants yet the Xperia phones have never been all that great with photos.

Our flagship 23MP camera is now faster and smarter than ever. Discover how Xperia X uses Predictive Hybrid Autofocus to banish blur in our official video.

The best moments tend to be the hardest to capture. That’s why Xperia X goes from standby to capture in less than 0.6 seconds. Thanks to lightning speed Predictive Hybrid Autofocus and faster image processing, you no longer need to miss those spontaneous shots. Plus, with 13MP and renowned low-light sensors from Sony, the front-facing camera is built to take your selfie game to the next level.

Only time will tell if the upcoming Xperia X lineup can overcome Sony’s previous challenges which have mostly been due to software. But when it comes to hardware, Sony is still king and the Xperia X camera will offer truly wonderful features.

Only 7.5% of Android Phones Are Running Marshmallow

by Sohrab Osati | May 12, 2016 | 2 comments

We in the Sony community tend to bitch and moan a bit (and perhaps rightly so when we look at how things march on in iOS land) when it comes to how long OS upgrades take. We’ve always known that this phenomenon wasn’t unique to Sony, seeing how fragmented Android is, but new data shows that most Android device makers have yet to bring the year old Marshmallow to their phones.

Sony Highlights the Two-Day Battery Life of Xperia X In New Videos

by Sohrab Osati | May 11, 2016 | 0 comments

Sony has long been pushing their battery technology and are part of a smaller group of smartphone makers that offer two-day battery life. So although the feature is not unique to this year’s Xperia X lineup, Sony has released two new videos which highlight the phone’s battery capabilities. The first of the two videos is actually a 30-second spot Sony will be running – though it’s unclear in which countries. Unlike the Xperia XA ad which I found borderline offensive, due to how terrible it was, this piece at least measures up to an okay though it’s far from good.

With up to 2-days of power with every charge, Xperia X combines incredible stamina with Smart Battery Management to keep even the thirstiest of apps from draining your charge. Plus, with Qnovo adaptive charging, you can count on Xperia X to be there when you need it.

That ad and their second video which highlights Sony’s Smart Battery Management system can be found after the jump.

Sony Xperia X Performance (SOV33) Headed to Japan As Well

by Sohrab Osati | May 10, 2016 | 0 comments

While in Europe, Sony is playing a bit of a cat and mouse game with the Xperia X Performance which was originally set to skip Germany and UK, only to potentially come to the latter country in limited quantities – Sony has announced that the performance variant of the Xperia X will launch in Japan. In fact, not only will the Xperia X Performance come to Japan, but it will also arrive slightly ahead of Europe.

More about the Xperia X Performance (SOV33) after the jump.

Sony Xperia X Packaging Revealed in Unboxing Video

by Sohrab Osati | May 9, 2016 | 4 comments

The Sony Xperia X is set to begin its European invasion by month’s end and while the MSRP is higher than what many had expected, the truth is that most retailers will be selling it for a lot less. If you’re the kind of person who just can’t get enough of the Xperia X, than the video after the jump will be just what you’ve been waiting for as German site Computer Bild TV performs an unboxing and reveals the phone’s colorful packaging. Oh, and the video is in 4K – because why not?

Sony Xperia X Performance Headed to UK After All? Kind Of

by Sohrab Osati | May 9, 2016 | 0 comments

Sony Xperia X Performance

For one reason or another, the fine folks at Sony Mobile have done the math and come to the conclusion that the UK and Germany will not be receiving their top of the line flagship phone, the Xperia X Performance. Now mind you that these are two of the wealthiest countries in the EU so it almost seems like if there is any place to release them, it would be there. I’m hoping that Sony has some kind of internal data that proves a different picture, be it a much reduced mindshare for Sony there or too much competition from others for it to make it worth their while – though the Xperia X and Xperia XA will be released there.

But this much is clear, the Xperia X Performance is not headed to the UK or Germany. Except that it sort of maybe now might be coming to the UK but in the half assed way we’ve come to know and love Sony for.

Could the Xperia C6 Ultra Successor Actually be the Xperia XA Ultra?

by Sohrab Osati | May 6, 2016 | 1 comment

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen different pictures and specs leak out of Sony Mobile. The biggest of the leaks thus far have been photos of what appeared to be the Xperia C6 Ultra. A key characteristic of the Ultra series is their enormous 6-inch display while the C family (most recently the Xperia C5) has typically offered a powerful front-facing camera with flash, all which again fit with the leaked photos.

Even the leaked F3216 and F2211 model numbers pointed towards what could be the C5 successor, especially seeing how the front-facing camera was pegged at an incredible 16-megapixels while internal specs were a more modest 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory, all befitting the mid-range status of the C family. But now Steve Hemmerstoffer from Digi-wo suggests that the new phone could actually be the Xperia XA Ultra, and it makes a lot of sense.

Sony Xperia X Family Release Date for Europe Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | May 5, 2016 | 1 comment

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Just a quick heads up; now that we know the official MSRP pricing for the Xperia X family, Sony has also outlined the release date for their three new smartphones as well. Now, I stress official MSRP because it’s likely that most retailers will sell the phones at much lower prices. As for the phones, you won’t have to wait much longer if an Xperia X is what you’ve been craving though the Xperia X Performance is still a bit off. Release date info is after the jump.

Sony Xperia X, XA, and X Performance Design Shown Off

by Sohrab Osati | May 5, 2016 | 0 comments

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Yesterday I railed against the near offensive ad for the Xperia XA that Sony released. Not offensive in that there was something inherently controversial portrayed in the 30 second spot but because of how poorly it was all put together. Now I have three more typical Sony videos to share with you. Each video aims to highlight the different design aesthetics of the Xperia X, Xperia XA and Xperia X Performance.

If you’re into slow motion shots of technology, then I’m sure you’ll find plenty to like after the jump.

Official Sony Xperia X, XA, and X Performance Pricing for Europe Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | May 4, 2016 | 1 comment

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Sony has officially revealed their pricing guide for the Xperia X family which consists of the Xperia X, Xperia XA, and Xperia X Performance. When pricing for the Xperia X Performance was first revealed, many of you were unsurprised, albeit much to your dismay, that it carried with it a high price tag. With the pricing of the entire family now revealed for each European county, we finally have a better sense of how Sony plans to position each device.

However, it’s worth noting that the pricing you’ll find below is not the price you’ll likely play. As an example, despite the Xperia X carrying an €599 MSRP, you can pre-order it on Amazon for €499. The same will ultimately be true for the Xperia XA and Xperia X Performance. The side effect of Sony’s strategy of releasing products at higher MSRP, only to let different outlets set their own price (which is something they also do with their electronics division as well but not PlayStation for example) is that it doesn’t allow Sony Mobile to set the narrative for their products when it comes to pricing.

Sony already faces the image of having products that are pricier than competitors, even though that might not hold true in an actual retail environment, and their high MSRPs play into that narrative. On the other hand, with PlayStation 4, there is a set price and everybody going into it knows what to expect. Sure there might be some varying bundles and deals, especially around the holiday season, but as it stands, PS4 is $349 and was $399 when it launched.

But when your about-to-be-launched device can vary in price by €100 depending on where you visit, it not only plays into the mentioned narrative, but also creates confusion for the consumer who must now do their homework before making a purchase. Mind you that we’re not talking about promotions or rebates here either. Sony can’t stop Amazon or Carphone Warehouse if they want to further incentivize shoppers with bundles but what they can do is set out a clear message on what their devices cost and not let that be dictated by retailers.

Pricing detail after the jump.

Sony Xperia XA Ad – It’s Like Getting an Engagement Ring? On a Bus…?

by Sohrab Osati | May 4, 2016 | 2 comments

I’ve often argued that one of the biggest challenges facing Sony is their lack of advertisement and that they make some fantastic hardware, only to forget to tell others that it exists. The launch of the upcoming Xperia X family, which consists of the Xperia X, XA, and XA Performance, will be a pinnacle moment for the company. Not only is the new lineup here to replace the Z5 family, but it’s also the first time Sony’s had a chance to build a new phone from the ground up in some time. Gone are any ties to a predecessor as engineers were allowed to craft something from scratch and hopefully set the foundation for Sony Mobile going forward.

Luckily for us, Sony has heard the cry and put together an ad for the Xperia XA. Unlike other videos we’ve posted which are meant to boast a device’s technical prowess, this 30 second spot is a full on ad – but one that frankly makes me yearn for the good old days when Sony didn’t make ads for their devices. I simply cannot tell you how terrible and dry this ad is. It’s as if everybody got together in a board room, somebody asked “what makes people feel touchy wutchy” and somebody yelled out “a engagement!” because they were just engaged, and the meeting was adjourned. From there, the ad team put together the most empty shelled take on engagements while shoving a product in there to sell. What was ultimately created was the ad you’ll soon see.

I’m reminded of a scene from the upcoming Ghostbusters trailer (which is from Sony Pictures) where Leslie Jones is forced to slap a ghost out of Melissa McCarthy, yelling “the power of pain compels you.” It’s just that Sony is Melissa and I’m Leslie.

I cannot tell you by how much this ad misses the mark by feeling emotionless, clunky, and dry. Oh yea, and there is something about a phone in it too. The Sony Xperia XA ad is after the jump.

Sony Xperia X Performance Price & Release Date Set, Not Cheap

by Sohrab Osati | May 3, 2016 | 12 comments

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Those wanting to get their hands on the best smartphone Sony has to offer will need to wait till early July at which point they’ll need to hand over a potentially hefty lump sum of cash. Besides an early July timeframe, Sony has officially priced the Xperia X Performance and it’s not cheap. Currently, MSRP sits at €699 though curiously, the high-priced phone will be skipping two of Europe’s wealthiest countries, UK and Germany, when it launches. No word yet on why the Xperia X Performance won’t be arriving in those two countries, though it is something that was announced a long time ago.

From there, pricing can vary a bit depending on the country, but it’s worth noting that Sony has also officially priced the Xperia X at €599 but you can pre-order it on Amazon for €499. If previous patterns hold true, don’t be surprised if most retailers offer the Performance variant for €599 which is what many had anticipated. Compared to the Xperia X, the Xperia X Performance offers a faster Snapdragon 820 processor, a brushed metal back for a more premium feel and is dust- and water-resistant with IP65/IP68 certification.

Sony F3216 & F3311 Model Numbers Point to New Low Mid-range Phones

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 29, 2016 | 6 comments

With the Xperia X and Xperia XA priced (at least by Amazon, anyway) and their launch nears, Sony might be slowly turning its attention towards more volume-driven devices as the Xperia X represents the company’s flagship line.

Sony may have some new handsets on the horizon targeting the lower mid-range. Two new model numbers have been revealed by the GFXBench benchmark, outing the Sony F3216 and F3311. Both devices are armed with MediaTek chipsets and one of them has a 16MP front-facing camera, which probably means this is the Xperia C series successor.

Sony hasn’t made it a secret that their primary goal is to turn their mobile division profitable before scaling for volume again. With a new factory dedicated to their own smartphones, Sony may finally be getting ready to add a bit more volume to its lineup as its units shipped have slipped quarter after quarter.

Earlier this month, pictures leaked (as can be seen above) which appeared to depict the successor to the Xperia C. With the F3216 & F3311 specs (which can be found after the jump), we might finally be able to put the two together to form a better picture of what’s to come.