Today at MWC 2018, Sony officially announced latest iterations of the Sony XZ series, the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact. The new smartphones are built around the concept of providing immersive entertainment experiences. But in today’s digital landscape, just what level of immersion can these two phones provide to its end-users?
In a statement by Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing of Sony Mobile Communications, Hideyuki Furumi, “If entertainment is your priority, then our new Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are your smartphones.” By entertainment, the 2 devices sport flagship-quality specifications and features that – as Sony put it – can bring their users to immersive entertainment.
Immersive Entertainment?
The Sony Xperia XZ2’s extended 5.7-inch HDR Full HD+ display is the user’s first level of immersion. For the 1st time, Sony Xperia XZ-series now touts 18:9 display for a fuller and bigger screen real estate. Having an HDR display and X-reality (Sony’s Bravia TV technology) add depth and color to every visual content displayed on its screen. This is just the tip of the iceberg though as they infused another technology that can definitely bring a higher level of immersion; something that other brands have not yet done in the past.
The new Xperia XZ2 features Dynamic Vibration System, which provides a new haptic experience to its end-users. With this technology, users can now feel (or should I say touch) what they see. This got us intrigued, to be honest, and we hope to be able to check this out when they bring this to the Philippines pretty soon. Sony even coupled this feature with S-Force Front Surround, or powerful front-facing stereo speakers, which makes the XZ2 an Xperia smartphone with the loudest speakers.
High Definition Audio!
If you’re into listening to high definition audio, XZ2 has a brand new HRA technology, which makes music much clearer. Jack in some 16-bit/44kHz FLAC files on your XZ2 and listen to your music as if you’re in a recording studio. This is made possible using DSEE HX, an audio enhancement engine they worked from the ground up. They also included a feature that will benefit music listeners who use Bluetooth headphones or earphones with their Better Bluetooth LDAC, an audio coding technology developed by Sony that enables the transmission of High-Resolution (Hi-Res) Audio content, even over a Bluetooth connection. There is one downside though, the XZ2 and XZ2 Compact do not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, so users are left off with either Bluetooth or USB-Type C to jack in their favorite wired headphones.
AR Selfie? That’s cute! Why not a 3D version of yourself?
When you think about Sony, they don’t just simply excel in screen and audio technology. As one of the biggest suppliers of camera modules and image processors in the world, Sony made sure that they are putting the best parts to their latest flagship. Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact feature 1/ 2.3″ Exmore RS sensor with 19MP Motion Eye camera. There is so much to talk about these two things, but we’ll reserve them for our full review soon. There 2 things that stand out though – you can take photos and videos in stunning 4K HDR, and you can also create a 3D version of yourself, which you can use on both AR and 3rd party applications.
All New Design
Finally, the new Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact bear an all-new design. The devices are encased in a 3D glass surface with Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and supported by a metal frame. Available colors are Liquid Silver, Liquid Black, Deep Green and Ash Pink. Both devices are not fully waterproof though as they are only certified IP65/68.
Built to Perform
Immersion requires superior computing performance, and this is why both flagship devices sport the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and 4GB RAM. When it comes to the Philippines this year, it will ship with Google Android O. Here’s a quick look of the specifications of both devices:
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Availability
There is no official date of the devices’ availability in the Philippines, but if we are to check the 6-month release cycle of Sony in the Philippines, it might come this March 2018. (Sony Xperia XZ1 was announced in the Philippines last September 2017.)
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
