Sony Xperia Z4 specs review

The Sony Xperia Z4 has arrived! Or wait, isn’t this the Sony Xperia Z3? They seem to look practically the same. 
You can’t argue that while there are some subtle differences, the Xperia Z4 is for the most part a look-alike, a copy of last year’s Z3. Then, the Z3 was a copy of the Sony Xperia Z2, which was a bolder, but still very gradual evolution over the original Xperia Z.

And if those of you who found it disappointing that HTC is not evolving the looks of its One series quick enough with a third consecutive phone retaining largely the same design, then you probably won’t be too inspired by this fourth consecutive Xperia flagship with unchanged design.

Under the hood, though, the Xperia Z4 is a brand new monster, packing the latest system chip and a nifty improvement to the cameras. It also runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, skinned with Sony’s light custom user interface. With all this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the detailed specs.

Design: same old, but thinner and lighter

The design approach in the Xperia Z4 as a whole has not changed: the overall rectangular form of the phone with rounded edges remains, and so do the materials (glass on the back and front, sandwiched between a sturdy, metal frame). The dreamy rumors about a fingerprint scanner embedded in the side positioned lock screen have turned out to be nothing more than a false alarm.

THE XPERIA Z4 IS SLIMMER AND LIGHTER THAN THE Z3

Some slight improvements have been introduced, though: the Z4 is thinner and lighter. Sony has trimmed down the device to merely 6.9mm in thickness (on par with the iPhone 6, and 0.4mm less than the 7.3mm Xperia Z3), and weight is reduced to 5.08 oz (144 grams), down from 5.36 oz (152 grams) on the Z3. The new Xperia Z4 will be available in four colors: white, black, copper, and aqua green.

It’s also interesting to notice that the matte aluminum frame on the Xperia Z3 is replaced by a glossy-looking, much more reflective side on the Z4. Also, gone is the magnetic port used to dock the phone into stands, and the SIM card and microSD card slot are housed behind a single protective flap. All the rest remains the same, and we’re also happy to see the dedicated two-way camera shutter key on the Z4.

Good news is that this conservative approach to design means that the Xperia Z4 remains water-proof with IP68 certification. Given that Samsung has dropped the water protection in its Galaxy S6, the Z4 remains the only flagship phone with protection from the elements. While in earlier Xperia Z flagship phones, Sony has always used a flap to protect the microUSB port from water damage, in the Xperia Z4 the company has now moved to a fully protected port without a flap, which is a nice little touch.

Display: 5.2" with a 1080 x 1920-pixel resolution

We don't have a lot of details about the screen used in the Xperia Z4 except for the very basic ones: it will be a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. We've examined the difference between a Quad HD and 1080p panel in depth in a separate article, where we conclude that at regular viewing distances, that differences is practically impossible to notice, so we are not hugely disappointed by the fact that Sony has not adopted the trendy new Quad HD resolution.

What's more important is the actual color representation. The Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z3 made some progress towards a better display (the Xperia Z3 even allows for control over the R/G/B channels, so that you can calibrate your screen), but none were perfect, so we hope that Sony made good use of that room for improvement in the Z4.

Under the hood: Snapdragon 810

What’s ticking under the hood of the Xperia Z4 is the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 system chip, an octa-core solution with four high-performance Cortex A57 cores running at up to 2GHz, and four Cortex A53 battery-savvy cores clocked at up to 1.5GHz.

This is effectively the same setup used on flagships like the HTC One M9, but we’re yet to see how Sony has managed to do with the excessive heat that the Snapdragon 810 system chip seems to radiate, especially given the thinner dimensions of the phone.

The RAM memory is 3GB, and good news is that we now have 32GB of internal storage in the base model, with an option to expand on that via microSD cards of up to 128GB.

In terms of connectivity, the handset features a Category 6 4G LTE modem with support for local, Japanese carriers, where it can reach a maximum of 225Mbps download speeds (using carrier aggregation).

Cameras: 20-megapixel main shooter, 5-megapixel selfie cam with optical stabilization

The main camera on the Xperia Z4 is a 20-megapixel Exmor RS one and the phone uses a large, 1/2.3” camera sensor, the biggest on Android phones so far.

What’s particularly interesting is that there’s also a 5-megapixel selfie cam that features optical image stabilization (OIS). This should allow for sharper photos in low light. Additionally, the 25mm wide-angle lens on top of the sensor allows for more people to fit in one frame, which is nice when there’s a whole group of you trying to take a selfie (usie?).

Battery life

Going for a slimmer design, Sony was obviously forced to use a lower-capacity battery in the Xperia Z4, which features a 2930mAh cell, while its predecessor sported a slightly larger, 3100mAh battery. We’re yet to see how this translates on the actual battery longevity of the phone, but one thing to keep in mind is that the Xperia Z3 was a great starting point: it scored at the very top of our battery life test, so even if we see slightly degraded battery life on the Z4, we can still expect it to outlast the competition.

Conclusion: price, availability and release date

Sony has not announced an official price for the Xperia Z4, but we can safely bet that it will be priced right in the $650 off-contract ($200 on a 2-year contract) industry tradition. Availability will be limited to Japan for the initial launch, while a very similar model is expected to get unveiled later on for the rest of the world.

The release date is again not set in stone, but chances are that we will see the Z4 on store shelves in early summer, around the end of May/beginning of June.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Sony-Xperia-Z4-specs-review_id68428

Source: Phonearena

Sony Xperia Z4, Z4 Compact and Sony Z4 Ultra

New Year's Eve is right around the corner, and we're already taking our little peeks at upcoming smartphones that will kick-start 2015 into being another awesome year for mobile technology. The biggest blip on our phonedar right now is Sony's upcoming Xperia Z4 lineup - which is led by the Xperia Z4 smartphone and followed by the smaller Xperia Z4 Compact, the huge Z4 Ultra, and quite possibly, the Z4 Tablet - which we won't be taking a look at here.

These glorious beasts could be announced as early as January at CES 2015 - and, therefore, they're leaking like there's no tomorrow! So, we figured it's about time we rounded up all the rumors that sprouted over the past month and a half. Looking at how much we know or heard about the Xperia Z4 family, it's safe to say Sony won't stand a chance at catching us - or you - off-guard! But there's always room for surprises, so be sure to take all the information presented here with a precautionary grain of salt!

Design
For better or worse, the Sony Xperia Z4, Z4 Compact, and Z4 Ultra are yet to leak in credible pictures. What we we have to entertain our imagination with are two convincing concept renders, and the Xperia Z3 devices, of course, whose design DNA will surely carry over. We can safely assume Sony has found ways to make its best smartphones slimmer and lighter, while reducing the "empty space" around the display by minimizing the top, bottom, and side bezels. The build materials will most probably be metal and tempered glass - a high-end combination Sony has a proven ability to handle. Thus, expect metal power and volume buttons thrusting out of a finely sculpted metal frame.

Of course, a Xperia smartphone is not worthy of the "flagship" moniker if it isn't water and dust-proof as well, so let's put that in the bag too. Another likely addition is front-facing stereo speakers, a feature Sony has no reason to remove from its premium offerings.

Display
1440p or 1080p resolution? The rumors are as unsure as ever, but we'll be getting one of the two in the Sony Xperia Z4's Triluminos display for certain. The display size is debatable as well. A leaked internal presentation, along with a few other tips, has put it at 5.2 inches by diagonal, while previous rumors have pointed towards 5.4 or 5.5 inches - take your pick!

Given the Sony Xperia Z3 has a 5.2-inch diagonal, and Sony's strategy is one of improving its designs without changing them significantly, we're keen to bet on 5.2 inches. If that's the case, then the Xperia Z4 screen's pixel density will stand tall in both the 1080p (423ppi) and 1440p (565ppi) scenarios.

On the lesser side of things, the Xperia Z4 Compact is shaping up with the familiar 4.7-inch diagonal, 1080p resolution configuration, while the Xperia Z4 Ultra's broad 6.44-inch display could have its resolution set at Quad HD (1440x2560). Thus, at least on paper, both screens will have their pixel densities through the roof at 468ppi for the Z4 Compact's and 456ppi for the Z4 Ultra's.

Performance
When it comes to the Sony Xperia Z4's processor, the rumor mill is torn between the 32-bit Snapdragon 805 processor and the 64-bit Snapdragon 810 SoC, both by Qualcomm. The former is sufficiently powerful and readily available to Sony, but it lacks the future proofing of the latter - which won't make it to manufacturers until the second quarter of 2015. Knowing this, and that Sony might be introducing the Xperia Z4 device lineup at CES 2015 (Jan 6-9), we're placing our bets on the Snapdragon 805.

Besides, Sony has no reason to rush, as it will get the chance to outfit the Xperia Z5 with premium 64-bit silicon six months later. The amount of RAM should remain 3GB, which is more than enough for the Android devices of today. The Xperia Z4 Compact and Ultra, however, are in a different ballpark. Their rumored release timeframe is the second quarter of 2015, which means they can enter the scene Snapdragon 810 processors blazing! Both will have 3GB of RAM on board, too.

Interface
Sony's Xperia Z4 lineup will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop topped off with the fit Xperia UI. Sony's vision for it is about delivering entertainment and productivity in a simple package, so it's safe to say it will spare the feature bloat. Instead, there are many smaller nuggets of useful functionality. Double tap to wake; an options panel, which can be revealed at any time by doing a swipe gesture from the left edge of the screen; Sony's Small Apps multitasking suite, which pins windowed calculator, browser, notes and other apps on top of anything else; built-in screen recording functionality, and more goodies. In addition, the pleasant and understated design is consistent and melds with the user experience of recent Sony smart devices you may have in your household - such as the PS VITA, the PS4, or a TV set.

Camera
With its Xperia smartphones, Sony is in the awkward position of peddling the industry's best-selling Exmor RS camera sensor to its direct competitors, while inexplicably failing to make it stand out in its own products. Don't get us wrong, Sony smartphones take decent photos, but you won't see the Xperia Z3 in our selection of 2014's best cameraphones - even though it should have qualified for it with its potent 20.7-megapixel CMOS sensor and extensive camera app. The Xperia Z4 lineup is Sony's next chance to redeem itself, and for that, the company has prepared a new camera sensor.

The Exmor RS IMX230 is a 1/2.4", 21MP sensor that advances mobile photography with image plane phase detection autofocus and 192 AF points. These additions should enable blur-free tracking and snapping of fast moving objects, along with real-time HDR images. Sony plans to make a 16MP version too, but whether we'll have any of the two inside the Xperia Z4 devices is up in the air, as the IMX230 will be put in mass production as late as April 2015. So don't be surprised if the Xperia Z4 shows up at CES rocking its predecessor's 20.7 MP 1/2.3” Exmor RS sensor with 1.12 micron pixels - which won't be a bad thing at all!

Storage and connectivity
We don't expect Sony to pull any surprises or surprise punches here. We can count on either 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and why not 128GB of built-in storage in the Xperia Z4, Z4 Compact, and Z4 Ultra's different models. LTE, fast Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and popular standards for connecting phone and Smart TV or monitor together are a given.

Battery life
We measure battery life by running a custom web-script, designed to replicate the power consumption of typical real-life usage. All devices that go through the test have their displays set at 200-nit brightness.

If the Sony Xperia Z4 ends up anywhere around the Xperia Z3's size, it would be logical to assume it has roughly the same battery. A 3100mAh unit (or, hopefully more) will have plenty of juice to power even the purported QHD display variant, but we're not sure whether the smartphone will stand a chance to ace our battery test like its predecessor did if it has such a power-hungry display. Then again, the mighty Samsung Galaxy Note 4 achieved an excellent result with only a 3220mAh unit to make do with, so either way, we're optimistic about the outcome. Same for the Z4 Compact, which is rumored to have wireless charging. Finally, the Rubenesque Xperia Z4 Ultra will find itself with an appropriately sized battery unit of a 3500mAh to 4000mAh capacity. Check out the test results above to get an idea of how the Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact, Z Ultra, and Galaxy Note 4 perform in this important regard.

Release date, price, and carriers
As mentioned above, we expect Sony to unveil the Sony Xperia Z4 (and possibly, the Z4 Tablet) at CES 2015 in early January. The Xperia Z4 Compact and Z4 Ultra will follow later, almost certainly in the second quarter of the year. However, pricing and carrier availability in the USA are totally different questions. If you don't plan on buying unlocked, maybe you could look for the Xperia Z4 at Verizon and T-Mobile - the only US carriers that sold the Xperia Z3 on a contract. Meanwhile, the Z3 Compact and the original Xperia Z Ultra were never sold with a plan - you have to get them at stores. Whether the Z4 Compact and Z4 Ultra will face the same fate, or not, it remains to be seen.

Price, you asked? Well, Sony's high-end smartphones don't come cheap! We expect Sony will charge anywhere between $600-$800 for the Xperia Z4 unlocked, between $500-$700 for the Z4 Compact, and $700 for the Xperia Z4 Ultra. But this is only some educated speculation on our part.

Source: Phonearena