The latest Sony smartphone. Xperia X - a new line of stylish and powerful smartphones from Sony
The Japanese corporation Sony has been on the market for more than 70 years. It is worth saying that phones are not the company's main product. In addition to smartphones, the Japanese produce home and professional electronics. There are also gaming consoles that every gamer dreams of getting.
In addition, Sony has two film studios, a record label and a huge film archive. In some cases it may also provide financial services. The company has several large representative offices around the world: in Japan, China, the USA and European countries.
Spreading
The corporation began its work back in 1946. The company was originally called Tokyo Telecommunications and Industrial Company. Later, thanks to a combination of letters and analogies, it was decided to transform into “Sony”.
Back in the early 50s of the last century, the company was selling tape recorders. Soon she released the first radio receiver. Over time, the company's shares began to be quoted, and it quickly began to gain popularity and momentum. Following this, televisions, VCRs and players began to improve.
Already in 1994, game consoles became known. That's when the first PlayStation appeared. A few years later, the company began producing computers, laptops and players.
Telephone era
In 2001, the world saw the Sony Ericsson phone. All the models whose photos were preserved on the Internet were incredibly popular. They began to be produced in whole batches. The corporation worked to improve them, and after 10 years it got rid of the Ericsson prefix.
In 2012, new competitive models of Sony Xperia phones appeared on the market. This line has become very popular. It has received several branches. Some models have become budget, others, on the contrary, the most expensive smartphones On the market.
The beginning of the way
As mentioned earlier, in 2001, Sony decided to start producing phones. The Swedish company Ericsson, which received exactly half of the Sony subsidiary, began to help her in this. Mobile Communications Inc.
After the assigned tasks, the implementation of the plan began. Both companies wanted to produce phones that would feature high-quality digital photography, as well as a wide selection of multimedia. Since 2002, all Sony phone models have received color displays. In addition, the company seriously thought about switching to GSM, and successful sales only confirmed the correctness of this decision.
First popularity
Despite the difficulties that the brand encountered along the way, the world saw its first “swallow” that brought success in 2003. It was a model Sony Ericsson T610. The phone gained its popularity thanks to a number of improvements that were worked on for 2 years. The design turned out to be successful. Of course, now such a phone would look antediluvian, but then it was a bestseller. The case had a classic monoblock, there was also a joystick, which later became familiar and convenient. The dimensions of the device were compact.
In addition to the color display, there were many useful functions that people just had to get acquainted with. Among them is the long-loved E-mail client, as well as support for infrared and even Bluetooth, which was popular at that time.
At the end of October, a new model P900 was introduced, which replaced the P800. This phone has become a revelation for the whole world. He received touchscreen, there was as much as 16 MB of memory inside. Its design was very interesting - the gadget had a hinged lid that covered a small part screen. Also included was a stylus for comfortable control. Afterwards, several modifications of this model were released.
For example, the P910 was one of the first phones to have the famous QWERTY keyboard, which was located on the flip cover of the device. There was also a fairly high-quality display, which was larger than the previous ones in size. The company has also expanded the internal memory.
The rise of Ericsson
All Sony Ericsson phone models were famous for their features. But the Walkman and Cyber-shot series became the most popular. A huge number of models came out. Walkmans have become popular thanks to their signature players and unparalleled sound. Cyber-shot had an emphasis on a good camera, and now would be proudly called camera phones.
The first most popular among them was the K750i, which belonged to the Cyber-shot. Perhaps this is the most popular phone"Sony Ericsson". All models that came out later did not receive such a huge amount positive feedback. This model was first seen in 2005. After a while she was recognized the best product those years, and a little later and generally the most successful project in the entire history of the concern.
In general, the K750i model turned out to be very durable. Conservative owners of this phone still can't get enough of it stable work. After 11 years, there are still those who use the K750i. Of course, on this moment its camera has become much weaker - only 2 megapixels. Also internal memory It's not much - 34 MB. Not to mention 1 MB random access memory. Nevertheless, at one time it was a hit that not everyone could boast of.
But from the Walkman series, the W800i became such a phone. It was immediately considered a clone of the K750i. The only difference between them was the direction. Still, everyone had their own specialization. There were also slight differences in the case, software and delivery package. Otherwise it's absolutely two identical models Sony phones. Their photo, by the way, only confirms this.
Other models
In addition to these, other equally popular models were released under the Walkman and Cyber-shot brands. Among them is the K850i, which received as much as 5 megapixels of the main camera. A little later, the C905 came out with 8 megapixels. There was also an exhibition model Satio, which already had as much as 12 megapixels.
In 2007, the company decided to buy a software manufacturer, and since then all models have become more unified internally. They had approximately the same set of proprietary applications.
Germ
The Sony phone has been through a lot. All models had a huge number of modified versions. But fans were always pleased to see new episodes. Thus, in 2008, the famous Xperia console first appeared. The first model, which received the short but loud name X1, began to work on Windows based Mobile. It was on this OS that the company initially released this series. But the next year, all models were rebased on Android.
In general, during the period when we were just getting acquainted with Xperia, three basic models. But among them there were those that would surprise even a modern buyer. For example, Sony Ericsson X5 Pureness became a limited edition phone that had transparent display. It could only be found in exclusive salons at a very high price.
Until the end of 2011, another whole line phones with Xperia prefix. Among them are such popular models as the gaming Xperia PLAY or the advanced Xperia Neo, and the lesser-known Xperia Mini, Xperia Mini Pro and Xperia Pro.
Disappearance
The end can officially be considered the period when Ericsson ceased to exist. The Swedish company decided to sell its share to Sony, and without thinking twice, Sony agreed to this step. This event was due to the fact that phones became less competitive, it was necessary to move on, come up with new models and create a better product. This is how the renewed Sony Mobile Communications company appeared.
Ups and downs
All Sony phone models have come a long way to end up in someone's bag or pocket. Since 2012, a number of lines from the updated Sony Xperia. Among them budget models, and those that could claim enormous popularity. But the most successful and at the same time failures were the smartphones from the Z series.
They first entered the market in 2013. Gadgets became the first waterproof devices. The case is monolithic, and docking stations, which were previously unknown, also began to be supplied with it. The first model was Sony. This is the most classic version of the series. After it, a compact variation of the model was released, as well as a large device - Compact and Ultra, respectively.
Next, the Japanese decided to release Z2, Z3 and Z5. The fourth version was only available in Asia. As a result, the project started very successfully, but over time it turned out to be a failure. The company was constantly trying to fix some errors, but at the same time creating new problems for users. As a result, I found myself at a loss again.
New try
In 2016, all Sony phone models changed the main index to X. The company again decided to try to improve and release quality smartphones. As a result, three models were released under this name: X and Sony Xperia X Performance. These smartphones turned out to be very good indeed, but quite expensive.
The company tried not to deviate from its style, but still updated the design and made elegant, sophisticated and beautiful models. In addition, I worked on both the software and the technical component. I listened to customer feedback and moved soft buttons along the body. Added the famous fingerprint scanner.
In general, I was careful, but I worked on the mistakes. Now Sony just has to avoid spoiling anything with the further release of models and listen to customers more carefully.
During the first half of 2017, Sony Mobile managed to release a whole bunch of smartphones. But which ones are the most relevant to buy? And is it worth choosing only from new products, maybe the “oldies” from 2016 are still good for something? Find out in this post!
This top was created solely in the opinion of the author and the main criteria are price/quality/relevance of the gadget. All prices are current as of June 19, 2017.
TOP 5 current Sony Xperia phones in 2017
5. Sony Xperia XZ Premium
The technological flagship presented this year will be an excellent purchase for all Sony fans and not only. The smartphone has become the successor to the Z5 Premium, has the most top-end characteristics and will receive fast updates Android at least 24 months.
XZ Premium received a 4K screen, with HDR support, Hi-Res Audio, Motion Eye camera, which is capable of shooting video at 960 fps, Snapdragon 835.
The smartphone also has other features, for example: USB Type-C 3.1, water and dust protection according to the IP65/68 standard, the “Xperia Actions” function, which gives useful tips, and others.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium will be current smartphone minimum 2 years, and productivity will be enough for all 4 years.
Price: 55,000 rubles, sales in Russia have already begun.
The closest competitors from other manufacturers are:
- Galaxy S8 (55,000 rubles),
- LG G6 (52,000 rubles),
- HTC U11 (45,000 rubles, an excellent price for a flagship from an A-brand),
- iPhone 7 plus (63,000 rubles).
Each has its own quirks and shortcomings, but the Xperia XZ Premium stands out with its distinctive design and innovative camera.
4. Sony Xperia XZ
Yes, yes, exactly Xperia XZ (). It also has a sophisticated camera with its own features - an Exmor RS™ matrix, a BIONZ image processor and an RGBC-IR sensor. All this allows you to get good photos in any conditions.
The Xperia XZ is based on the Snapdragon 820, which will have plenty of power for another couple of years. The smartphone will definitely be updated to Android 8.0 update.
And all this splendor can be bought for 39,000 rubles.
3. Sony Xperia X Compact
Xperia X Compact () is a very nice smartphone. It was created specifically for those who love compact and powerful devices. It has the same camera as the Xperia XZ, 3 GB of RAM and Snapdragon 650, 4.6 inch HD screen.
The smartphone runs all games smoothly high settings, gains more than 70 thousand “parrots” in AnTuTu. The 2700 mAh battery allows you to use the smartphone for up to two days under moderate load. The X Compact will also receive updates up to Android 8.0.
And the best part is the price: 25,000 rubles.
2. Sony Xperia XA1
Mid-segment Xperia phone, presented this year, has good characteristics: 23 megapixel camera from the Xperia Z5, MediaTek Helio P20, 3 GB of RAM.
MediaTek may be confused (application optimization, etc.), but everything works smoothly, and energy efficiency is also good.
In Antutu, the Xperia XA1 scores just over 60 thousand points. It is worth mentioning that it has an HD screen, which is normal for 5 inches, but there are people for whom this may not be enough.
Using the smartphone with one hand is easy, and many will like the frameless design.
The Xperia XA1 runs on Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, and should be updated to Android 8.0 in the future.
Price: 22,000 rubles.
1. Sony Xperia X Performance
Sony / Sony is the largest Japanese smartphone manufacturer. The company produces its smartphones under the Xperia brand. Sony Xperia sells about 25 million devices a year. Most smartphones in the Sony Xperia line belong to price category above average, but the price is compensated by traditional Japanese quality, which is recognized not only by users of Sony smartphones, but also by other manufacturers: Sony is one of the largest suppliers of photomodules for smartphones on the world market, their products are also used by the world leader in smartphone production .
For those who want to choose the best Sony smartphone available for sale, this rating is intended, which presents the best in terms of technical characteristics, price-quality ratio and reviews in Yandex Market (the rating includes models that scored at least 40% of the fives ) smartphones from a Japanese manufacturer as of December 2017.
Sony Xperia L1
The average price is 10,140 rubles. The Sony model, released in March 2017, received 54% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 67% of recommendations for purchase. Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, Android 7.0 operating system, 16 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 256 GB. 4G LTE support. One SIM card. Battery capacity - 2620 mAh. MediaTek MT6737T quad-core processor.
Main camera 13 MP, front camera 5 MP.
5th place.
Sony Xperia X Performance Dual
average price in Russia - 22,240 rubles. The flagship of the X family scored 41% of fives in reviews in Yandex Market and 67% of recommendations for purchase. Technical characteristics: 5-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 6.0 operating system (after purchase, the OS will be updated to Android 7.0), 64 GB of permanent memory and 3 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards and an external memory card up to 200 GB. Battery capacity - 2700 mAh. CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996. There is a fingerprint scanner.
Main camera 23 MP, front camera 13 MP. Xperia X Performance features Predictive Hybrid Autofocus, powered by Sony's digital imaging technology, which helps your smartphone capture even moving subjects with clarity. As soon as you focus on a subject, the camera automatically tracks its movement, so the image is always clear and detailed. According to a study by Strategy Analytics, Xperia X Performance beats all the world's leading competitors in autofocus accuracy. DxOMark resource exposed Xperia camera X Performance 88 points.
Among other advantages of this model, it is worth noting its water resistance.
4th place.
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus Dual 32GB - the most popular smartphone Sony
The average price in Russia is 18,500 rubles. The smartphone, which went on sale in the fall of 2017, received 60% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 75% of recommendations for purchase. According to Yandex Market, this is the most popular Sony model today.Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 8.0 operating system, 32 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 256 GB. Two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 3430 mAh. MediaTek Helio P20 8-core processor. There is a fingerprint scanner.
Main camera 23 MP, front camera 8 MP.
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra 32GB Dual - Sony smartphone with the largest screen
The average price is 22,000 rubles. The February 2017 model scored 67% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market and 78% of recommendations for purchase. Technical characteristics: 6-inch frameless display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 7.0 operating system, 32 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 256 GB. 4G LTE support. Two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 2700 mAh. MediaTek Helio P20 8-core processor.
Xperia XA1 Ultra has a mini display feature that allows you to easily operate your smartphone with one hand.
The smartphone is equipped with a professional 23 IP main camera with hybrid autofocus, an Exmor RS matrix for shooting in dim light and a function quick launch, as well as a 16 MP wide-angle front camera.
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
The average price in Russia is 35,100 rubles. The smaller version of last year's autumn flagship of Sony scored 77% of fives in reviews in Yandex Market and 83% of recommendations for purchase. This model is one of the three most popular Sony smartphones today.
Technical characteristics: 4.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, Android 8.0 operating system, 32 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 256 GB. One SIM card. Battery capacity - 2700 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 835. There is a fingerprint scanner.
Main camera 19 MP, front camera 8 MP.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Average price - 35,000 rubles. Sony's flagship, which appeared in February 2017, scored 62% of fives in reviews in Yandex Market and 79% of recommendations for purchase. Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, Android 7.0 operating system, 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 256 GB. 4G LTE support. Two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 3230 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. Waterproof housing.
The Xperia XZ Premium is the first smartphone to feature a 4K HDR display, based on the same technology as Sony's Bravia TVs. On this smartphone, 4K HDR content will be incredibly bright, clear and contrasty.
Xperia XZs equipped the latest camera Motion Eye 19 MP, capturing in super slow motion (up to 960 frames per second) movements that are usually inaccessible to the human eye. The Motion Eye camera uses revolutionary intelligent capture technology. It detects movement in the frame and begins buffering the image while you get ready to take a photo. If you release the shutter too late, you just need to rewind time a little and select one of the four frames that were taken before pressing the button. The Xperia XZs has a larger pixel size than the previous models, which allows you to capture more light and take more detailed pictures. Intelligent exposure adjustment adapts exposure to ambient light levels, so even photos taken at night look crisp and clear. SteadyShot technology with 5-axis image stabilization allows you to shoot video without shaking.
The 13 MP front camera has a 22 mm wide-angle lens.
Sony is a Japanese company that was founded in 1946. She has been engaged in the production of electronics for a long time, game consoles and various high-tech products. In addition to being a gadget manufacturer, the company is a media conglomerate. But we'll talk about Sony Xperia smartphones. The range of these gadgets has been known since 2012 and has already given users a huge number of high-quality devices.
Who are they?
Previously, Xperia was a separate trademark, which released the first gadget in 2008. Then it was Sony Ericsson with the operating system Windows Mobile. Initially, it was under the control of such an OS that smartphones of this line should have been produced. But in 2010, a device with Android OS was announced.
After the success of Xperia X10, it was decided to abandon the idea of Windows Mobile. By May last year, 56 smartphones of this line were released. In its devices the company tries to create maximum amount branded features and applications. All models have preinstalled programs, expanding the options of the smartphone. Thanks to them, use becomes more comfortable. Of course, such a marketing technique allows you to keep the buyer near you.
The Sony Xperia lineup has been expanded every year. The company grew this line and created several generations of smartphones. Besides the update operating system, branded applications were also improved.
Now, at first glance, the Sony Xperia line seems ideal. Everything seems to be finished and quite perfect. Each model improves on the previous one. In reality, everything is somewhat different.
Distributions
Fans of the brand know that depending on the letter, you can determine which group the smartphone belongs to. For example, Sony Xperia Z - the lineup flagships. E are budget devices. C - are the middle group, which focuses on the front camera. M - a line of waterproof phones. The X series also appeared this summer, but we'll talk about it a little later.
Those that are cheaper
So, they start at Sony Xperia model a number of budget devices. Approximately these smartphones cost from 9-15 thousand rubles. This includes phones with the E index. Among others, the Sony Xperia E4 model stands out the most. It was released in several variations. The screen is 5 inches and low resolution 560 x 940 pixels.
There were also models with a 4.7-inch display. All phones in this segment operate on Android based. Some of them have support for two SIM cards. On average, these are phones that have 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory. They also have an 8 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. Otherwise, this line is unremarkable. Such phones are suitable for those who need a good quality dialer.
Between heaven and earth
The next Sony Xperia lineup has the indices M and C. These are mid-range smartphones that cannot be classified as either budget or flagship. That's why they occupy such a place in Sony's niche. Most popular models here its “twin” is also considered, but for two SIM cards.
This model has a 5-inch display with good resolution 1280 x 720. RAM is still 1 GB. But there is a choice of built-in: either 8 or 16 GB. These models also have an improved 13 MP main camera. The main feature of this line was certified protection against dust and moisture. Later, models with the M5 index were released. They turned out to be of quite high quality, so they are more likely to be considered flagships.
Also at Sony Xperia, the lineup of mid-niche phones is occupied by devices with index C. This includes the Sony Xperia C4 models and, again, a dual-SIM “twin”. They also have a five-inch screen. Its resolution has been improved to 1920 x 1080 pixels. There is more RAM here - 2 GB. Internal 16 GB, but there is a slot for a memory card.
The company's lies about these devices turned out to be a nuisance. Initially, they were positioned as selfie smartphones. But in reality it turned out that the front camera here is 5 megapixels, which is a rather mediocre figure at the present time. So we can say with confidence that the Japanese are conducting dishonest and cunning marketing.
Champions
Well, at the end of last year and the beginning of this year, Sony Xperia had a lineup of flagships. Of course, this name is quite loud. The thing is that some models in this line are practically no different from the middle segment. Japanese cunning is already evident here. The company believes that the user should overpay for the brand.
Nevertheless, there were still real champions in this model range. The most famous are devices with the Z index. In general, the history of this line is very dramatic. It all started with the Sony Xperia Z, along with the Z1 and Z Ultra. Later the Z Compact was released. These smartphones have become a real “boom” in the market. They really turned out to be very strong, high quality and, of course, stylish.
But Sony Xperia's lineup could not be without flaws. And the company began to release almost every month new series. Next came the Z2, Z3, Z4 (Japan only) and finally the Z5. The main failure was that while correcting previous errors, the developers made subsequent ones. Therefore, there were more and more dissatisfied people. The fans were waiting ideal smartphone series. But they didn’t wait.
As practice shows, the Sony Xperia Z3 Plus turned out to be the most successful among all. This particular model is called Z4 in Japan. The diagonal of the device has increased relative to other models to 5.2 inches. The smartphone was equipped with as much as 3 GB of RAM, and was also launched on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 platform. It was protected from dust and moisture.
For those who demanded a larger display, the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra was presented. The device has a 6-inch screen, very thin frames. Both cameras received 13 megapixels. RAM 2 GB, built-in - 16 GB.
Innovations
Since Sony Ericsson Xperia The lineup has become established; five years have already passed. After all the failures, the company decided to release updated line X. These devices marked the rebirth of Sony smartphones. They turned out to be very successful indeed, but also very expensive. The youngest device here is considered to be the Sony Xperia XA.
It was this device that opened a new stage in the development of the concern. Many people believe that main feature new gadgets from the Japanese is appearance. Many smartphones in this line have mirrored panels, which looks very beautiful. We also moved some buttons, narrowed the screen frames, and redesigned the back panel. Later, the Xperia XA Ultra was released.
The second smartphone in this line was the Sony Xperia X. This is a five-inch phone. There is an option for one SIM card, there is an option for two. Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels. The camera has become as much as 23 megapixels with a proprietary module, which other companies now use. The front one received 13 megapixels, which is also quite a lot.
The processor has as many as 6 cores and runs Snapdragon 650. Adreno 510 is responsible for graphics. All this works quickly, thanks to 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. The Japanese also did not miss the fashion for a fingerprint scanner. It is located on the side power button.
Another interesting object of this line is the Sony Xperia X Performance. It was equipped with a very strong processor and graphics chipset. Also included 3 GB of RAM. The phone runs on the new Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS. It also has two cameras: the main one is 23 MP, the front one is 13 MP. There are models that support two SIM cards. The main feature of this model remains its appearance, which is very attractive and unusual compared to others.
Bottom line
The company has come a long way. Few people remember old Sony Ericsson Xperia (model range). Photos of some devices are even difficult to find on the Internet. Nevertheless, many remember the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, which was extremely popular and at one time was a real flagship. Famous for its improved screen and compact design.
Now there are a huge number of smartphones from Sony on the market. Their model Xperia series- This whole story, which will be replenished with new flagships, perhaps not always successful, but definitely sensational and popular.
This week began for the smartphone market with the completely unexpected announcement of Sony Xperia XA, Xperia X and Xperia X Performance (preview). It’s worth paying tribute to the Japanese security services: not a single flagship shown at MWC 2016 was as shrouded in mystery as Sony’s X-series. The new line marked the rebirth of the entire Xperia brand, and at the same time the death of the Xperia Z collection. Let's remember all the models in this series, from the very first Xperia Z to the 4K flagship Z5 Premium. There were twenty-one of them in total, so make yourself comfortable.
The process of parting with Ericsson for mobile business Sony extended for a whole year. First Sony without Ericsson were marked with the logo of the joint venture, and Sony Xperia S was known to the Japanese as Sony Ericsson Xperia NX. The first smartphone created truly without the Ericsson heritage was the Xperia Z. Its announcement took place on January 7, 2013 at CES. It was the Xperia Z that introduced the world to the OmniBalance design concept, which featured slightly rounded edges, symmetry and smooth reflective surfaces on all sides. The gadget was one of the first Full HD smartphones (Sharp and OPPO were still ahead of the company), it received a 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, quad-core processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro with a frequency of 1.5 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, IP55/57 dust and moisture protection and a 2300 mAh battery. During testing, the smartphone made a positive impression on us: fresh design, high-quality camera, powerful hardware, good autonomy and real water protection. It was just not the most upsetting bright screen, the TFT panel was inferior to IPS and AMOLED of that time in many respects.
Together with the Xperia Z, the Japanese demonstrated another flagship – the Xperia ZL. This model was deprived of dust and moisture protection, contacts for the docking station, equipped with color backlighting, an infrared port, a camera button was added, and the front camera was moved down. Also, the Xperia ZL does not have glass on the rear panel, and the body is slightly more compact with the same screen diagonal (7 mm shorter and 1 mm narrower). It was compactness that became the main advantage of the Xperia ZL; in addition, it was slightly cheaper than other flagships of its time, although it had the same characteristics as the Xperia Z.
Another smartphone in Sony line the first half of 2013 was the Xperia ZR. It became the most secure of the three first Xperia Z (IP55/58), but received a smaller 4.55" HD screen in size and resolution. The amount of built-in memory was also reduced, it became 8 GB. However, the use of a screen with a low resolution is positive affected the performance, and the compact size was perceived as an advantage at the beginning of 2013. However, the screen fading when tilted - the problem of all early “Z”s - did not bypass this model, plus 8 GB of memory, of which 5 GB is free, and the ability to install software. only for built-in memory - an unpleasant mix. It’s sad that the ZR became a “dead-end branch of evolution” and left no offspring (the Japanese A-series does not count: all subsequent models were based on the Z* Compact).
Announced at the beginning of summer, this phablet has become a cult device. All thanks to the gigantic 6.44" screen, which made the Xperia Z Ultra one of the largest smartphones in history. The incomprehensible "under-tablet and over-phone" captivated users with its impressive performance (the first smartphone on the Snapdragon 800!), thin (6.5 mm) and beautiful body made of quality materials(albeit with an imperfect assembly) and, of course, a huge screen that turned the scenarios for using the gadget upside down. It is impossible not to note problems with screen sensitivity, a lottery with the type of display (which began in the first Xperia Z and culminated in the Xperia Z1) and an 8-megapixel camera of mediocre quality (Sony probably thought that they were making a tablet and installed an appropriate camera). Among the characteristics not mentioned above, we note 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory, a 2-megapixel front camera and a 3000 mAh battery.
In addition to the Xperia Z Ultra, which balanced on the brink between smartphones and tablets, Sony also made full-fledged tablet – Xperia Tablet Z. It received a 10.1" screen with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels, 8.1-megapixel and 2-megapixel cameras, a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB of ROM, a stylish 6.9 mm thick case and a battery of 6000 mAh. the best Android tablet of its time, combining excellent design, lightweight body and powerful hardware. The only serious competitor to the tablet was the iPad 4.
Eight months after the Xperia Z, the Japanese company showed off a seriously improved version of its flagship – the Xperia Z1. It, like the Xperia Z Ultra, received a Snapdragon 800 chipset, a 2-megapixel front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. A 20.7-megapixel camera with an Exmor RS sensor and G Lens optics made the Z1 one of best camera phones of its time, so the company installed exactly the same cameras in the Z2, Z3 and even Z3+. A 3000 mAh battery made the Z1 a “long-liver” among flagships. Sony has removed the plug for the headphone jack, but retains water resistance on Xperia level ZR (IP55/58). IN different regions the smartphone came with completely different displays (of course, these were always 5" Full HD panels, but the technology and even the manufacturer differed from country to country, from batch to batch), and almost all of them could not boast of good viewing angles, fading when small tilts. In all other respects, the display was good, and overall the Xperia Z1 was one of the best. best smartphones of its time.
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact/Xperia Z1 f in Japan (review)
Initially announced by the Japanese operator DoCoMo, the device caused a lot of noise: is it really possible that a small, but truly flagship, will appear among the many Android shovels? Crafts with names "S3 mini", " One mini"there were enough on the market, but the Z1 Compact was not on the same level as them. It really was a flagship: with a 20.7-megapixel camera, a Snapdragon 800 chipset inside, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory, IP55/58 protection and a battery 2300 mAh! In this model, Sony managed to fix the problems with the screen, and also further improve battery life. The only thing that the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact was often criticized for was the wide margins around the 4.3" HD screen and the plastic. back panel for the international model, unlike the glass in the Japanese version.
Sony Xperia Z1S
Yes, yes, yes, there was such a model. But only in the USA and only from T-Mobile. It was announced together with the Xperia Z1 Compact (namely Compact, not f), so no one noticed its announcement. And there are very few differences from the Z1 - a plastic frame instead of a metal one, a different microphone shape on the back of the case and double the amount of internal memory - 32 GB, as in Japan, and not 16 GB.
The third generation of “Zets” was already shown at MWC 2014, but the release was postponed more than once, and the smartphone only reached Russian shelves in May. The smartphone received 5.2" Full HD screen, 20.7-megapixel camera, Snapdragon 801 chipset, 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM, IP55/58 protection and a 3200 mAh battery. Some of the smoothness and streamlining that appeared in the Xperia Z1 were suppressed here, and buyers saw OmniBalance in its original form. Third time in a row. It was starting to get boring, but did we know then what would happen next? Sony refuses to cover smartphones protective films, finally equipped the flagship with a high-quality display, achieved two days of operation without recharging and tweaked the camera a little, starting to little by little lag behind the competitors. However, the Z2, like the Z1, was one of the most balanced smartphones of its time - it had neither a 4-megapixel camera nor a band-aid style cover, and autonomy was still a serious trump card.
Sony Xperia ZL2/Xperia Z2a in Taiwan
For some reason, part of the 2014 summer collection of the Japanese operator au was not the Xperia Z2, but its incomprehensible surrogate called ZL2, which was later released as the Xperia Z2a in Taiwan and never appeared anywhere else. Why it was necessary to reduce the screen to 5", the battery to 3000 mAh and at the same time reduce the resolution of the front camera seven times (from 2 MP to 0.3 MP), without changing anything else in the flagship, is unclear. However, this is exactly how the Xperia ZL2 came out, which became the latest in Sony's line of "slightly smaller flagships".
The sequel to the Xperia Tablet Z received the same hardware as the Xperia Z2: Snapdragon 801 chipset, 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. The rest was inherited from the first Z-tablet: a 10.1" screen with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels, a 6000 mAh battery, 8-megapixel and 2-megapixel cameras. Light, thin, flexing, imperfectly assembled and completely plastic case left us with not the most pleasant impression after our first meeting, but detailed testing Z2 Tablet never happened.
If the Xperia Z2, similar to the Z and Z1, was only somewhat alarming, then the fourth flagship in a row with the same external appearance was already disappointing in many ways. Yes, and from the point of view technical characteristics There were very few changes compared to the Xperia Z2: minus 100 mAh battery, plus 300 MHz processor, slightly thinner body and more advanced protection (IP65/68). The camera no longer seemed as high quality as before, because competitors did not stand still, and Sony added only a few over the year software chips. The screen became even brighter, which, coupled with a smaller battery, affected autonomy. However, the Xperia Z3 has become one of the most beautiful smartphones Sony with a sleek, polished design, but not without problems with build quality and software.
This smartphone has become a successful continuation of the Xperia Z1 Compact. Excellent design, flagship specifications, an enlarged screen in the same sized body, good battery life - all this determined that the Z3 Compact became the best-selling smartphone in the entire Xperia line. The smartphone had the same camera as the Xperia Z3 - the smartphone had no competitors. Let us remind you that the device received a 4.6" IPS screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, 20.7-megapixel and 2.2-megapixel cameras, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory, a 2600 mAh battery and software protection. IP65/68 standards.
Sony Xperia Z3v
U American operator Verizon released not the usual Xperia Z3, but an improved one – Z3v. It received better optics, 32 GB of internal memory, an increased battery to 3200 mAh and support wireless charging. Well, the design has been changed, to the extent that this phrase is generally acceptable for use within the Xperia Z line: the smartphone looks more like the Xperia Z2/Z4 than the Z3. Take a closer look at the speakers on the front panel.
Sony's mobile division loves long titles(remember Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro), and among the Z-series the leader was the one from last year compact tablet. It was not as flimsy as the Xperia Z2 Tablet and was built better. We remind you of the characteristics: 8" Full HD screen, Snapdragon 801 chipset, 8-megapixel and 2-megapixel cameras, 3 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB of internal memory, 4500 mAh battery, IP65/68 protection, 6.4 mm thick case The tablet can still be considered one of the best compacts on the market.
Releasing the fifth identical outwardly flagship in a row and again not offering any breakthroughs inside, Sony realized that there was no longer any need to go through the numbers, and simply added a plus sign to the name - they say, yes, this is not new flagship, but just a slightly modified old one. The case has become even thinner, the screen is even brighter and better, the battery is even smaller. The main problem the smartphone became heating, which was critical for the Snapdragon 810 even in the all-plastic G Flex 2, and here even more so it made it possible to forget about comfortable active use. Let us recall the characteristics of the controversial flagship: 5.2" Full HD screen, 20.7-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, IP65/68 protection, 2930 mAh battery.
Sony Xperia Z4v
If the differences between the Z3v and the Z3 were completely insignificant, then the Z4v should have become a heavily redesigned Z4. Why "should"? Because the development of the first Quad HD smartphone Xperia took so much time that the company managed to announce the Z5, and the Z4v no longer made any sense and was canceled. The smartphone was supposed to have a 3000 mAh battery, support for wireless charging, a design noticeably different from the Z3+/Z4, and a 5.2" Quad HD screen. All other characteristics were supposed to be the same as in the regular Xperia Z4, that is, Z3+.
The latest Sony tablet, in addition to the new processor and front camera borrowed from the Z3+, boasts another improvement - a display with a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels, which the Z4 Tablet has Sony tablets did not have. Inherited from the two previous Xperia Tablet tablet got a battery with a capacity of 6000 mAh and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The tablet has become even thinner and lighter than its predecessors (6.1 mm and 390 g), and also received smaller frames.
The fifth episode was the last Sony history Xperia Z, in a recent commentary, company representatives called it "the culmination of Xperia Z." Sony said that it was finally moving away from OmniBalance, but in essence it new language design Sense of Unity was not much different from it. For the first time since the Xperia Z1, the company installed a new camera sensor, but the shooting quality did not improve. The design, although generally boring, was magnificent, and small improvements slightly diluted the boring outlines. Unfortunately, the ergonomics suffered from the protrusions protecting the screen and the relocation of the power and volume buttons. A fingerprint scanner appeared in the sidebar, the implementation of which raised questions. Water protection remained on paper, but immersing smartphones in water was no longer recommended. Apart from the aforementioned improved camera and a smaller battery to 2900 mAh, the Z5 had different specs than the Z3+.
Sony's mini-flagships have always done well, although all the problems that the Z5 had were also present in the Z5 Compact. But this smartphone turned out to be cheaper, it has no analogues, so a lot was forgiven for the device. The characteristics of the smartphone included a 4.6" HD screen, 23-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras, Snapdragon 810 chipset, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, a 2700 mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner. Progress compared to the Z3 Compact was insignificant , but the price increase was quite noticeable.
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium (compared with LG V10 and Samsung Galaxy Note 5)
The first Sony smartphone with the "Premium" suffix received two controversial premium features at once: a mirrored back surface that collects scratches and hides fingerprints, as well as a 4K screen that works at full power (more precisely, at full resolution) only when playing photos and videos, and the rest of the time upscaling images from 1920x1080 pixels. In addition to them, it received the same imperfect camera, protruding sides, boring design (although the Z5 Premium looked really chic in chrome), water protection without guarantees, Snapdragon 810 chipset, 5.5" IPS display, 3430 mAh battery and 32 GB of internal memory.
She was like that Xperia line Z and this is how we will remember her forever. Despite a number of frankly questionable products and experiments, many devices will be remembered by users as the best in their class and some of the best on the market. Which of the twenty-one Sony Xperia Zs reviewed today do/did you like the most?
Do you think the Xperia X line (preview) can be a significant step forward to save Sony Mobile? Tell us in the comments.
