The Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact were launched at Mobile World Congress 2018. The devices are the first from Sony to feature an 18:9 aspect ratio and the new Ambient Flow design. Apart from the Galaxy S9 and Asus 5Z, these are the only two smartphones launched at MWC 2018 to be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset.
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Sony launched the Sony Xperia Xz2 and Xz2 Compact at MWC 2018. Starting with these smartphones, the company has changed a lot of things on its flagship smartphone series. The devices no longer look like a slab of metal or glass, as the devices flaunt a new Ambient Flow design. In fact, these are the first batch Sony smartphones to feature 18:9 aspect ratio display. However, when everything was going well with these smartphones, the brand ironically decided to ditch the 3.5 mm headphone.
This is part of the shift to our new Ambient Flow design language. In order to create the beautiful seamless design, our designers needed to remove the headphone jack. Plus, we’re aware of the major market trend toward wireless headphones over wired headphones.
Sony is trying to convince us that the removal of headphone jack has helped them to achieve this form factor. On the contrary, the Sony Xperia Xz2 is one of the thickest flagship smartphones that has been launched in 2018. Sony’s “ambient flow” design has taken a bit of inspiration from the HTC U11 and U11+. However, instead of a glossy finish, Sony has opted for matt finish.
The trend of removing the 3.5 mm headphone jack started with the Apple iPhone 7. The company moved one step closer to a completely port-less iPhone and has continued to exclude the headphone jack ever since. However, at the time of the launch, the decision was met with a collective disdain. In fact, Google mocked Apple during the launch of the Pixel and Pixel XL. However, that soon changed and Google even removed the headphone jack from its Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Over the past year and a half, companies like HTC, Xioami, and Nokia have started shipping their flagship smartphones without a 3.5 mm headphone jack. In fact, OnePlus, Samsung and LG seem to be the only major smartphone makers still interested in keeping the headphone jack relevant.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a great example of a flagship smartphone design with a headphone jack. The smartphone comes with a slim form factor. OnePlus’s co-founder Card Pie recently did a poll on Twitter regarding the requirement of the headphone jack. As usual, the crowd went with the first option with almost 88 percent of them saying yes. This could be a hint that the OnePlus 6 will indeed retain the headphone jack.
https://twitter.com/getpeid/status/973745407208468485
It is fair to say that industry trends exist for a reason. While Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack was panned at first, many smartphone makers have come around the idea since then. Sony, even though late to the party, has also jumped aboard the idea that wireless is the future. Sony itself makes some of the best wireless headphones on the market right now. So, it does make sense for the company to push consumers toward wireless headphones.
Samsung launched the Galaxy S9 in India on the 6th of March, for the starting price of Rs 57,900. The latest flagship offering from Samsung has a premium glass design with new hardware. In fact, this is the first smartphone to have a camera with variable aperture. The smartphone is powered by the Exynos 9810 Octa-core chipset with 4GB RAM and 64GB or 256GB storage. Similarly, the storage is also expandable up to 400GB using a micro SD card.
The LG V30+ is the one smartphone, that can match the premium Samsung flagship smartphone design. The smartphone is priced at Rs 44,990 and offers a premium glass design with an aluminium mid-frame. The LG V30+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. Just like the Galaxy S9, the storage of the V30+ is expandable using a micro SD card. One of the main features of the smartphone is its IP68 certification with MIL-STD 810G military certification.
Another smartphone that is priced close to the LG V30+ is the Sony Xperia Xz1. Though the smartphone has an outdated boxy design, it has an impressive camera. The smartphone is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage. The Sony Xperia Xz1 is priced at Rs 44,200 and available across the e-commerce websites.
Specifications |
Samsung Galaxy S9 |
LG V30+ |
Sony Xperia Xz1 |
| Price | Starting at Rs 57,900 | Rs 44,990 | Rs 44,200 |
| Display | 5.8 inch Super AMOLED |
6 inch POLED display |
5.2-inch HDR Display |
| Resolution | 2960 x 1440 px
18.5:9 570 ppi |
2880 x 1440 px
18:9 537 ppi |
1920 x 1080 px
16:9 424 ppi |
| Chipset | Exynos 9810 | Snapdragon 835 | Snapdragon 835 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB 256GB Expandable up to 400GB |
128GB
Expandable up to 2TB |
32GB
Expandable up to 256GB |
| Battery | 3000 mAh
Fast charging |
3300 mAh
QuickCharge 3.0 |
2700 mAh
QuickCharge 3.0 |
| Primary Camera | 12MP Dual Pixel
f/1.5 to f/2.4 |
16MP f/1.6 Primary + 13MP f/1.9 wide-angle | 19MP f/2.0 aperture |
| Primary Camera Video | 3840 x 2160 px @ 60fps 1280 x 720 px@ 960fps 1920 x 1080 px @ 240 fps |
3840 x 2160 px @ 30fps 1920 x 1080 px @ 60fps |
3840 × 2160p @ 30fps 1240 x 720p @ 960fps |
| Secondary Camera | 8MP f/1.7 | 5MP f/2.2 | 13MP f/2.0 aperture |
| Ad-Ons | Fingerprint Sensor IP68 Certification Wireless Charging Intelligent Scanner Samsung Pay |
Fingerprint sensor Facial and Voice Recognition Wireless charging ESS Quad DAC |
Fingerprint Sensor 3D Scanning Mode |
Up until MWC 2018, Sony had a portfolio of extremely similar looking flagship smartphones. Despite the industry largely moving to an 18:9 aspect ratio, the company launched its smartphones with a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, all of that changed at MWC 2018 with the launch of the Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact.
However, a heavily anticipated feature was missing in the two phones. Prior to the launch, it was widely expected that Sony would launch a smartphone with a 4K display and 18L9 aspect ratio. That, however, did not happen since the Xz2 and XZ2 Compact have a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. But, a new report by ITHome claims that Sony will indeed launch a 4K display smartphone in 2018.
The smartphone could be launched with the Xperia XZ2 Pro moniker. The device will be based on the new “Ambient Flow” design language that Sony unveiled at MWC 2018. The smartphone will have very thin bezels, an 18:9 aspect ratio and a 4K+ resolution of 4320 x 2180 px. The last Android smartphone Sony launched with a 4K resolution was the Xperia XZ Premium.
The Sony Xperia XZ Premium, which went on sale in June 2017, still had the age-old OmniBalance design. In fact, Sony was the first company to launch an Android smartphone with a 4K resolution. In 2015, the company unveiled the Xperia XZ5 with a 4K resolution. Since then, however, Sony has worked on the technology to make it better. Maybe, with the Xperia XZ2 Pro, the company will finally implement better VR experience as well.
The smartphone is expected to be launched in the latter part of 2018. It is expected to have a 5.5 inch IPS LCD display with a 4320 x 2180 px resolution. This will translate into an 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it is expected to have the Snapdragon 845 chipset, like many other 2018 flagship smartphones.
While these are still speculations, the company is expected to launch a premium Android smartphone later this year. However, the price, again, will be of utmost importance for it to succeed in global markets.
Barcelona, Spain hosted yet another edition of MWC 2018 in February. While smartphones like the Galaxy S9 and Xperia XZ2 were heavily leaked, there were a few surprise launches that caught a lot of attention. Nokia, for instance, launched as many as 5 devices. So, what are the top five smartphones that launched at MWC 2018? Let’s find out!
This is an obvious entry on the list. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ were the most anticipated smartphones of MWC 2018. Follow up to 2017’s successful flagship duo, a lot was expected from the Galaxy S9 and S9+. As was expected from the numerous leaks, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ did not look too different from their predecessors.
However, there are a few important upgrades that could be interesting. First one is in the camera department. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ now feature a variable aperture. The Dual Pixel 12 MP sensor has a dual f/1.5 and f/2.4 aperture. In bright lighting conditions, the camera will use the f/2.4 aperture, while the wider f/1.5 aperture is used in dark lighting conditions. It also captures 720P videos at 960fps and 4K videos at 60fps, similar to the Apple iPhone X.
Also, the fingerprint sensor is finally placed below the camera module, something we saw on the Galaxy A8+ as well. The S9 has a single camera setup while the S9+ now has a dual-camera setup similar to the Galaxy Note8. Both the smartphones will be launched in India on the 6th of March and go on sale on March 16th.
Also Read: From Samsung Galaxy S8 to S9: What Has Changed?
This smartphone is not a consumer-ready product yet. However, it is still one of the coolest devices displayed at MWC 2018. Over the years, MWC has been a witness to some amazing concept phones. Even this year, Nokia was expected to unveil the Penta-lens concept phone. However, that did not happen. But, Vivo did turn up and one-upped its CES 2018 unveiling.
The Vivo Apex has an in-display fingerprint sensor that covers almost half the display. While the Vivo X20 Plus UD only had a regular-sized fingerprint sensor underneath the display. In fact, this is not even the most interesting feature of the Apex. To accommodate probably the thinnest bezels on a smartphone, Vivo came up with a very different implementation of the front camera. The Apex has a hidden front camera which pops out every time it has to be used.
Although it is still a concept phone, the implementation is very interesting here. Let’s hope more companies come up with consumer-ready products with such intricate and satisfying design elements.
Also Read: What Is The Future Of Front Cameras?
HMD Global launched not one, not two, but five devices at MWC 2018. Apart from the smartphones, it also announced that all Nokia devices will now be Android One devices. The Nokia 7 Plus, another heavily leaked device was one of the five phones to be launched. Along with the Nokia 8 Sirocco, the Nokia 7 Plus is the only Nokia smartphone with an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. A follow up to the China-only Nokia 7, the 7 Plus has a great design and build quality.
Under the hood, the 7 Plus has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset and 2.2GHz octa-core processor. That is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which will be expandable via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is now placed on the back and has the similar colour accents found on the Nokia 6 (2018).
If the European price of the smartphone is anything to go by, it will have a steep price in India. However, for it to work in the Indian market, HMD Global will have to price below Rs. 25000 to keep the Honor View10 at bay, which has flagship specifications and costs Rs. 28999. At under Rs. 25000, the 7 Plus will compete with the likes of the Moto X4.
Also Read: Nokia 7 Plus Launched
At MWC 2018, companies like Sony and Samsung were expected to launch Snapdragon 845 powered smartphones. However, the most interesting device powered by the flagship chipset was unveiled by Asus. Apparently, this smartphone flew under the radars of leakers online and Asus had a worthy unveiling in its hands. From the moment you look at it, the Zenfone 5Z looks like an iPhone X lookalike.
Although Asus claims the notch on the Zenfone 5Z is smaller than that of the iPhone X, it is still a notch. Also, one thing that the iPhone X achieved was uniform bezels around the display, thanks to the notch. However, the Zenfone 5Z kind of defeats the purpose of a notch as it also carries a thicker chin. That being said, the flagship Asus device has a lot going on for it.
If and when Asus launches the Zenfone 5Z in India, it could nullify the effect of the OnePlus 5T if launched at a price of Rs. 40,000 or less. That is until the OnePlus 6 is launched.
Also Read: OnePlus 5T Vs Asus Zenfone 5Z Vs Mi Mix 2
For the past couple of years, Sony smartphones have failed to capture the imagination of many consumers. Even in 2017, when many smartphone makers made a shift to bezel-less design, Sony continued to launch its signature boxy style devices. However, that finally changed at MWC 2018. Sony unveiled the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact with an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. However, still not the thinnest bezels you’ll see this year.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 and the smaller sibling also run on the latest and greatest Snapdragon 845 chipset. Apart from the Galaxy S9 and Zenfone 5Z, they are the only devices to run on the new flagship chipset. Sony still has a single camera setup on the front and back. So, it has still clinged on to a few Sony signature features.
Even for the Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact, the devices will have to be priced competitively in India.
Also Read: Sony Xperia XZ2, XZ2 Compact Launched
It’s game time and the latest iteration of the God Of War collector’s and limited edition is now available In India. However, one has to pre-order and the shipping starts in April. The God Of War will be officially available in India from 29th April.
God of War is an exclusive gaming title made for Sony Play Station PS4 platform. The pre-orders have already started at offline retail outlets and it is expected to go live online in next few days.
| Model | Price |
| God Of War Limited edition | Rs 4999 |
| God Of War Collectors edition | Rs 9490 |
| God Of War Standard edition | Rs 3999 |
The collector’s edition is priced at Rs 9490 and comes with a 9-inch statue of Kratos and Atreus. The game itself is included in a steel case with engravings. This package also includes a limited edition cloth map. Finally, it has an exclusive lithograph Two Huldra brothers carvings.
The God of War limited edition includes a similar steel case with the actual game disc. Similarly, it also has a physical copy of the original art book by Dark Horse.
If you are a God of War fan, then this is a must-have collector’s item. However, as of now, we have no information on the God of War Stone Mansion edition, which is exclusive to the US markets which include additional items like stone Mason’s ring, Mimir’s head talking keychain, 2-inch horse and troll carvings.
Sony has officially launched the Xperia Ear Duo at MWC 2018. Just like Google, Sony has launched a pair of wireless Bluetooth earphones after removing the 3.5mm headphone jack from its new Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact. These are a universal pair of Bluetooth earphones, which works with iOS and Android devices.
The Sony Ear Duo will be available in selected markets in Black and Gold style from Spring 2018. However, the pricing is yet to be announced.
Xperia Ear Duo represents what we’ve learned from audio and acoustics research. Ear Duo is the first wireless headset to deliver a breakthrough Dual Listening experience – the ability to hear music and notifications simultaneously with sounds from the world around you.
These wireless earphones are based on the new Sony concept called “Dual Listening”. The earphones bring the capability, which enables to listen to a music track + environmental sound.
Sony has developed a special Spatial Acoustic Conductor, which transmits the sound directly into the ear. The specially designed ring surrounds the ear canal, which blends the music and the sound from the environment seamlessly.
The earphones use AI to adjust the volume according to the external factors, which enables the crystal clear audio listening experience using Sony’s Clear Chase technology. The Xperia Ear Duo are IPX2 certified for splash proof. Which means one can use this while exercising without any worries.
The Sony Xperia Ear Duo is equipped with a low power consuming CXD5602 chipset with a multisensor platform. In fact, the headphones support various head gestures like nodding to decline a call, shaking your head from left to right to change the music etc.
The earphones do not come with a dedicated voice assistance. Instead, one can use voice control to access Google Assistance or Siri. This works in most of the situations due to the quad microphone system.
Sony has officially launched the Sony Xperia XZ2 and the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact at MWC 2018. Both the smartphones have been significantly redesigned inside out, with a new design philosophy.
These are the first batch of smartphones from Sony to boast an 18:9 display with a curvier back. Sony is the second smartphone maker to announce the smartphone based on this new Snapdragon 845 chipset. With this new flagship series, Sony no longer offers 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 and the XZ2 compact will be available from March 2018 in Black, White Silver, Moss Green and Coral Pink colours. However, there is no information on the pricing yet.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact has a 5 inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Octa-core chipset based on Kryo 385 architecture, with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The storage is also expandable using micro SD card up to 400GB.
The smartphone has an “anti-twist” aluminium frame with a “frosted-glass” like polycarbonate shell. Sony claims that the polycarbonate shell is scratch resistance. However, Sony is still missing out on the dual camera setup, which has been widely adopted in the industry.
The phone has a 19 MP primary camera with support for 4K video recording and super slow motion video up to 960 fps. For the front-facing camera, the company is using a 5MP wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture that records 1080p videos. In fact, the front camera also comes with EIS. The smartphone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with the Xperia UI on the top. In fact, even the Xperia XZ had similar slow-motion video recording capability.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact has a 2870 mAh sealed battery with fast charging support. However, the device does not support wireless charging.
Like the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact, the Sony Xperia XZ2 offers flagship class specifications. The Sony Xperia XZ2 has a bigger 5.7 inch screen with the same 2160 x 1080px resolution. The smartphone is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The smartphone also offers support for external SD card. However, the Xperia XZ2 uses a similar aluminium frame with the back panel is made using 3D Gorilla Glass shielding, which enables the wireless charging capability.
However, the cameras found on the Xperia XZ2 are the same as the XZ2 Compact. The smartphone offers a 19 MP primary camera with an f/2.0 aperture and a 5 MP front-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture.
The phone has a slightly bigger 3180 mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capability. Like the compact variant, the Xperia XZ2 is also IP68 certified for the water and dust resistance.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 and the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact represents a design change necessary for Sony devices and do not look anything like the Xperia flagships of the yesteryears. However, Sony’s pricing strategy will determine the two smartphone’s fate in markets like India.
Sony has officially launched its latest premium Sony RXO Action camera in India for Rs 64,990. Along with the camera, the company also announced the SEL18135 Wide-Zoom lens for Rs 49,990. The camera will be available via Sony Center, Alpha Flagship stores, and Sony authorised dealers from 22nd Feb.
Additional accessories like VCT-CGR1 cage, MPK-HSR1 casing, CPT-R1 cable protector, VF-SPR1 Spare lens protector, VFA-305R1 Filter Adaptor Kit, NP-BJ1 Rechargeable Battery Pack, and ACC-TRDCJ are also available at the additional cost.
The Sony RXO Action Camera offers rugged construction with IPX8 certification, which can operate under 10-meter deep water up to 60 minutes.
Combination of this camera with the MPK-HSR1 can extend the function up to 100-meter deep water. In fact, the camera can all alone withstand up to 2 meters fall and can breeze through harsh shooting conditions like rain, sand, dust, and snow.
The Sony RXO has a 1 inch Exmor RS CMOS image sensor with up to ISO 12800 light sensitivity, powered by BIONZ X processor and a DRM chip for fast large volume output.
The camera comes with a fixed Zeiss Tessar T 24 mm wide angle lens with an f/4 aperture. The Sony RXO Action camera does offer anti-distortion shutter as fast as 1/320000 per second. In fact, the camera is optically stabilised, which helps in getting stable video footages.
The 16fps frame rate is one of the faster burst-mode for the camera of this calibre. There is even Super slow motion feature, which offers a staggering frame rate of 960/1000 frames per second. However, one has to use high write and read memory card to capture slow motion videos.
The year 2017 saw an industry-wide shift to an 18:9 aspect ratio for smartphones. Sony, however, continued to launch the likes of the Xperia XZ1 with the same boxy design. However, Sony will launch smartphones with a modern design in 2018. At MWC 2018, Sony is expected to launch the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact with an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels.
Meet Sony's first full screen smartphones: Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact https://t.co/8nDL6zuUKc pic.twitter.com/8dMPfB7kze
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 23, 2018
The Sony Xperia XZ2 and the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact comes with almost identical design with minor differences. Both devices have a 3D glass unibody design with an aluminium mid-frame. The Sony Xperia XZ2 has a 5.7-inch display, whereas the smaller XZ2 Compact has a 5.0-inch display boasting 1080p resolution.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset will power both the smartphones.
These smartphones have a single 19 MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and 4K HDR video recording capability. The camera can also record super slow-motion video at up to 960 frames per second. The fingerprint scanner is located on the back, which is placed below the primary camera bump. The smartphone also gets a dedicated camera shutter button located on the bottom right side of the smartphone.
The Xperia XZ2 has a dual stereo speaker setup and the Xperia XZ2 Compact has a single stereo speaker. Like the last generation Sony flagship smartphones, the Xperia XZ2 and the Xperia XZ2 Compact are IP certified for the water and dust resistance.
The Xperia XZ2 comes with a 3180 mAh battery that supports fast charging and wireless charging. The 2870 mAh battery on the Sony XZ2 Compact does not support wireless charging. The Xperia XZ2 and the Xperia XZ2 Compact will be available in Black, Silver, Green, and Pink Colour.
Microsoft launched the Xbox One X in India in on January 23rd. At the time of the launch, it was priced at Rs. 44,990. However, it has recently received a price hike. Due to an increase in the customs duty from 10% to 20%, the console will retail now at Rs. 48,490. However, still, a few online retailers have listed the device at an older price tag, which is expected to remain the same until the arrival of the new shipments. Hence, prospective buyers have enough time to buy it before the hike kicks in.
Not only the Xbox One X, even the Sony PS4 Pro now retails at an increased price of Rs. 41,990 instead of Rs. 38,990.
The Xbox One X is the most powerful gaming console from Microsoft to date. The device is powered by custom 8-core Jaguar chipset with 12 GB GDDR5 RAM and 1 TB storage. Additionally, the storage is easily swappable with a higher capacity HDD or SSD.
The console also packs in a UHD Blue-ray drive, which can play any standard Blue-ray discs. This is the first Xbox that upscales 1080p to 4K with backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 titles.
It has a library of 1,300 titles with more than 200 titles available only on this platform. To encourage the users, each new console comes with a 14-days Xbox Live Gold trail along with a month of Xbox Game pass subscription.
If you are looking for a Blue-ray player or a Gaming Console, then Xbox One X might be the one. However, if you are on a tight budget, then the Xbox One S is a good choice as well, which retails for Rs. 24,990.
Sony is expected to launch two smartphones at MWC 2018 that commences on February 26th. While it was speculated that the company would skip MWC to avoid clashing with the Galaxy S9 launch, recent rumours have suggested otherwise. The Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact will be unveiled at the upcoming event and their pricing has been leaked.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 (earlier known as XZ2 Pro) will carry a price tag of US$ 987 (Rs. 64000 approx.). The smaller of the two will be the XZ2 Compact which will have the same specifications as the XZ2. Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact will be priced at US$ 740 (Rs. 48000). Both the devices will go on sale on the 6th of March in Europe, possibly.
However, there are no dates confirmed for the device’s launch date in India.
The Xz2 Pro is expected to have a 5.7-inch 4K OLED display with dual front-facing stereo speakers. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Oct-core chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. However, this could be untrue and the company could launch the XZ2 Pro with a Snapdragon 835 chipset. Although not public, there is a possibility of Samsung having early access to Snapdragon 845 chipsets.
Hence, the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 7 has also been pushed to later. Since the company confirmed that the Mi 7 will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset.
This might be the first Sony smartphone to feature dual camera at the back with a 16 MP + 13 MP camera setup. There will be a 12 MP front-facing camera at the front.
The Xz2 Compact might have a 5 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. Just like the Xperia XZ2 Pro, it could either be powered by the Snapdragon 845 or 835 chipset. The Xperia Xz2 Compact might feature thin bezels along with an 18:9 aspect ratio display.
The Xz2 Compact is expected to run on Android 8.1 Oreo with Sony’s Xperia Interface. As of now, there are no other details about the Xperia Xz2 Compact.
While the price of the Sony smartphones might seem a bit higher, the industry trend could be the reason. However, Sony has priced its flagship devices competitively in India and expect the same this time around as well.
Sony is expected to launch a couple of smartphones at MWC 2018. The launch is significant in more than one way. Apart from the flagship devices on display, the company will also finally move on to an 18:9 aspect ratio. However, the company is in no rush to give anything away before the launch event. Hence, Sony’s social media team decided to post a cryptic video on Twitter to announce the launch event.
The video shows a hand with Sony’s iconic wallpaper in front of a grey background. It doesn’t seem necessary to delve too deep into the video. However, the decision to put up a cryptic video is very interesting. There is a lot of speculation around the Sony devices launching at MWC 2018. Hence, the company’s admission to a launch event that too with a minimalistic video appears to be a smart choice. It has certainly made people talk about the Sony devices again.
The smartphone maker is known to launch new smartphones at MWC every year. This year, the company might launch the Xperia Xz2 Pro and the Xperia Xz2 Compact. These devices are expected to offer newer design language called as “Plate + Human”.
Join us. 26.02.2018 #SonyMWC pic.twitter.com/n6IQ82XRVZ
— Sony | Xperia (@sonyxperia) February 19, 2018
The Sony Xperia Xz2 Pro is expected to have a 5.7-inch 4K OLED display with dual front-facing stereo speakers. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Oct-core chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. However, this could be untrue and the company could launch the XZ2 Pro with a Snapdragon 835 chipset. Although not public, there is a possibility of Samsung having early access to Snapdragon 845 chipsets.
Hence, the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 7 has also been pushed to later. Since the company confirmed that the Mi 7 will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset.
This might be the first Sony smartphone to feature dual camera at the back with a 16 MP + 13 MP camera setup. There will be a 12 MP front-facing camera at the front.
The Xperia Xz2 Compact might have a 5 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. Just like the Xperia XZ2 Pro, it could either be powered by the Snapdragon 845 or 835 chipset. The Xperia Xz2 Compact might feature thin bezels along with an 18:9 aspect ratio display.
The Xperia Xz2 Compact is expected to run on Android 8.1 Oreo with Sony’s Xperia Interface. As of now, there are no other details about the Xperia Xz2 Compact.
Sony has been known for its premium smartphone. The smartphones are known to have a plenty of features like flagship grade display, premium camera, and even IP certification for water and dust resistance.
With the new Xperia Xz2 series, finally, the company might refresh its blocky slab design with an interesting curvier design.
Sony will be launching a couple of new devices at MWC 2018. The Xperia XZ2 is expected to be the first Sony smartphone with an 18:9 aspect ratio. ALong with the Galaxy S9 devices and Mi Mix 2S, it will also run on the Snapdragon 845 chipset. However, it’s smaller sibling, the Xperia XZ2 Compact is expected to maintain the 16:9 aspect ratio. Recently, a prototype of the Xperia XZ2 Compact showed up online with an interesting design.
Someone named Grisha left a comment on an Xperia Blog with the image of the upcoming device. In the image, the Xperia XZ2 Compact is placed next to the Xperia X5 Compact. Although the image is taken from a side angle, it reveals that even the Xperia XZ2 Compact will have a new design, despite the 16:9 aspect ratio.
The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact featured a 4.6-inch IPS LCD display. Under the hood, the smartphone was powered by Snapdragon 810 SoC with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage.
It offered a 23 MP main camera and a 5.1 MP front-facing camera with a dedicated shutter button. In fact, it was the most powerful compact smartphone in the market at the time of launch. As a result, the smartphone was highly appreciated for its one hand usability.
The Xperia XZ2 comes with a radically redesigned body. Most of the Sony flagship smartphones offered a blocky slab design, while the XZ2 Compact will offer a curved design. Interestingly, the company might also ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack. Although these are still rumours, the XZ2 and XZ2 Compact might follow the industry trend of getting rid of the headphone jack.
The leaked design of the XZ2 Compact resembles the “Plate + Human” concept from 2015.
As per the renders, the smartphone has a metallic frame with a soft material like the finish on the back with a pillow effect. The design is reminiscent of the Nokia Lumia 930 with a metallic frame and a soft shell.
Similar to the Sony Xperia XA2 series, the XZ2 Compact is speculated to house a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. However, this is still a prototype, which means the final design might vary. As quoted by the commenter, the final product will be different from what we see in the image.
Sony will be present at MWC 2018 and is expected to make a few announcements. One of the smartphones that are heavily rumoured to be launched at MWC is the Xperia XZ2 Pro. The Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro is expected to be the first Sony Android device to feature an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. This will be a timely departure for Sony smartphones from the normal design language.
A new leak has shed some light on what to expect from this Sony smartphone. First off, it appears that the smartphone will go by the moniker of Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro. Also, since this is an HTML benchmark, the listing doesn’t reveal much information about it. According to the listing, the upcoming Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro will run Android 8.1 out of the box.
If true, the smartphone could be the first non-Google device to run Android 8.1 Oreo. So far, only Google Pixel and select Nexus phones run Android 8.1 Oreo. A lot of premium Android devices are stuck on Android 7 Nougat. The other detail revealed is that it will sport the 18:9 aspect ratio.
It is rumoured the Xperia XZ2 Pro will have a 4K display resolution. Recently, an upcoming Sony smartphone with the model number ID PY7-21831A has surfaced online as it passed through FCC. While FCC listings don’t usually shed a lot of light on specs and features of a smartphone, this particular listing reveals that this Xperia device won’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Furthermore, the attached document also highlighted that the dimensions of the phone will be 152.79 x 72.42 mm and that it has a 5.7-inch screen diagonal display.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro will have a 5.7 inch OLED display with 4K resolution, thin bezels and an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro will have the Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of onboard storage. The storage is expected to be expandable via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is expected to be housed inside the lock button on the side. Although, with the presence of an OLED display, Sony could go ahead and use a screen embedded fingerprint sensor.
The device will be powered by a 3420 mAh battery which will support QuickCharge 4.0+.
The Xperia XZ2 Pro will have a dual rear camera setup, with one of the cameras having an 18 MP sensor with 1.33 microns pixel size and a 12 MP sensor with 1.38 microns pixel size. On the front will be a 13 MP camera.