Sony is rolling out almost as many Xperia handsets as Samsung is Galaxy devices, with the Japanese manufacturer dropping several new smartphones in the wake of its well-received Xperia Z flagship. Hinging on that high-end device, the range now spans the top and middle of the mobile world, offering a number of different options.
While not quite matching the instantly recognisable design trends of Samsung’s leading range, the Xperias of late follow a theme that certainly means they look similar to each other. However, other factors are different between each device, meaning that certain handsets could appeal to particular people. Here we take a look at the recent slew of Sony smartphones.
Xperia Z
The flagship of the Xperia range is a fantastic, high-end handset with an outstanding display that has to be seen to be believed. Along with its brilliant visual prowess, the phone has a very unusual feature; it is both water and dust resistant.
This makes the handset a durable offering that could be very appealing, although the fact that this resistant quality means that all of the device’s ports are covered with plastic flaps could be a little annoying to some. The Sony Xperia Z has a striking form factor and angular frame that gives it a distinctive appearance and, along with the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One it forms a new generation of mobile phones that sit at the very top of the Android world.
Xperia Z Ultra
The newly announced Xperia Z Ultra is a version of the flagship with a massive 6.4-inch display and incredibly slim form factor. At just 6.5mm thick it is amongst the most slender handsets ever made, but its large screen may restrict its mainstream appeal as a phone.
Nevertheless, the fact that a pencil can be used to write on the display, rather than a dedicated gadget like the S Pen stylus that the Galaxy Note 2 needs, gives the Xperia Z Ultra an edge over other phablets that could make it appealing to anyone wanting a big handset.
Xperia ZR
More of a replacement for last year’s Xperia T, the Xperia ZR has a 4.6-inch, 720p display that is a step down from that on the Xperia Z. However, it does feature a quad-core, 1.5GHz processor and 13 megapixel camera, specs that match many of the leading devices that are now available.
Overall, the Xperia ZR sits somewhere between the mid-range and high-end of the smartphone world but the fact that it is unlikely to see a UK launch means its may remain a little known handset.
Xperia M
Lastly, the Xperia line’s dedicated mid-range device, which features a 5 megapixel camera and dual-core, 1GHz processor. However, that camera uses the Exmor RS sensor that has been seen on more expensive Sony devices and promises excellent image quality, especially when coupled with the HDR function.
The device’s 4GB of internal storage is a little disappointing, especially when a significant amount of this could be taken up by the OS, but the Xperia M looks to be bringing the Sony name to a reliable, mid-range device that is far more affordable than those handsets positioned at the high-end of the market.
Sony’s range doesn’t include budget devices as the firm has made a deliberate move away from producing cheap phones, since it thinks that it is impossible to offer distinctive, quality features at that end of the market. As Stephen Sneeden, the firm’s Xperia Marketing Manager, recently said: “at the very entry level is where you lose the ‘Sonyness’”,
Nevertheless, there is much else to appeal to a wide range of people within the Xperia line of handsets, offering a comprehensive range almost as developed as that which Samsung can boast.
This guest post was written by Chris Helsby of Dialaphone , home of all the latest smartphone deals.
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