Uphill task for the company to overcome competition.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BANGALORE: Sony has sent invitations to media houses in the US for an event on October 9 in New York, which is expected to be the release of Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact.
The Japanese electronics conglomerate had launched the two new smartphones during the IFA 2014 trade show in Berlin early this month. The event could also see the launch of a new product, but the media spokesperson of Sony declined to further comment the details regarding the event.
The invitations were sent from the mobile division of the company in the US, which suggests that it could be the launch of a smartphone or a series of smartphones.
Sony Smartphones are known for their high build quality and ergonomic designs; still the company has failed to win the hearts of global mobile users, trailing at a loss of $2.1 billion during the fiscal year.
Sony has been facing stiff resentment for their smartphones, particularly in the US due to the shadow casted by Apple’s iPhone. Another factor that deters people from buying Sony smartphones is the price tag that at times is a bit too much for the features offered.
Though the company struggles in the smartphone business, it is not ready to let loose of its confidence.
Even though Sony had revealed the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact in IFA 2014, there was no talk about the price of these two smartphones. The event on October 9 could also shed light on the price of Z3 and Z3 Compact.
Sony has partnered with T-Mobiles to sell Xperia Z3 in the US. There are also unconfirmed reports that Spirit might also take the new Xperia devices to the US market. But Sony has failed to team up with Verizon Wireless and AT&T, the two leading prepaid connection providers in the US, which otherwise would have garnered more attention for the phones.
The tagline for Sony’s October 9 event is “Demand Great.”
Sony Xperia Z3
The New Sony Xperia Z3 has a 5.2-inch display with 1080ppi screen resolution. It is thinner than Apple iPhone 5S, measuring.29 inches and weighing feather light 153 Grams. During the launch event in the IFA 2014, Xperia Z3 was displayed in four color variants: white, black, green and copper.
Xperia Z3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and Adreno 330 graphics with a total RAM of 3 GB. Z3 also boasts an internal storage capacity of 16 GB, which is expandable up to 128GB using microSD card.
Like some of the old Xperia Z series smartphones, the Xperia Z3 is a waterproof and dust resistant smartphone.
Xperia Z3 Compact
Xperia Z3 Compact is a 4.6 inch half HD smartphone, which has striking similarities with Xperia Z3. The phone has a thickness of .34 inches, which is a little more than its big brother.
Xperia Z3 Compact has the same processor used in Z3, but when it comes to RAM and battery, Sony has reduced both to 2GB and 2600mAh respectively. But the company has maintained the same 16 GB internal storage for Z3 Compact.
Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact have a mammoth 20.7 megapixel camera with a 25-MM lens for wider angles. They also feature high-quality image rendering sensors, capable of taking high quality snaps even in low light conditions. The cameras can also record video in 4K quality. They also have a 2.2MP selfie camera.
The connectivity features of Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact are also identical. Both phones sport Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi, A-GPS, NFC and PS4 Remote Play, enabling users to connect and control games in Sony PS4 Console.
Sony’s Z3 series of smartphones can be synchronized with wearable gadgets like Sony SmartWear. The tech giant is also offering a free magnetic flip cover along with the new smartphones.