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Sony make quality smartphones – it simply has not been able to get the market penetration it deserves in Australia. The new Xperia range will include the 4.6” Z5 Compact, a 5.2” Z5, and a 5.5” Z5 Premium.
The Z5 series uses similar internals – an octa-core, 64-bit, Qualcomm SnapDragon 810, 23MP camera, plenty of RAM and storage, fast Qualcomm charging, and its hallmark IP68 dust and water resistance. Colours will include white, graphite black, yellow and coral. You can expect Sony’s great build quality.
Screens are all IPS LCD. The Z5 compact has 4.6”, 1280x720, 323 ppi density. The Z5 (regular) has a 5.2” 1920x10809 HD, 428 ppi density. The Z5 Premium has 5.5”, 3840x2160 (4K), 806 ppi density.
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Opinion
These devices are incremental improvements over the excellent and often underrated Z3 and Z4 series. The problem is that Sony has found it hard to compete in the Android market place against similarly priced Samsung Galaxy S6 series, the LG G4, Moto X Play/Style and more – Sony does not do cheap!
Do we need a 4K screen in the Z5 Premium? It is nice, but it will suck battery life, so I venture not. It may fit well into the 4K playback arena for content on the bigger screen. But will it have enough storage?
Do we need a 23MP camera? Yes, yes, and yes. Smartphones are becoming synonymous with photography – happy snapping at least – driven by the social media phenomena. Undoubtedly, Sony will take this crown later this year until Samsung ups the ante with the S7 series next year.
Do we need IP (Ingress Protection)? Yes, we do – an expensive smartphone needs protection from accidental dunking. However, the Australian Consumer and Competition watchdog has stated “Representations about waterproof mobile phones are an area where manufacturers and retailers can improve compliance. We have put those companies on notice of our concerns and will be watching to make sure any future representations that are made about waterproof phones are accurate." Sony got a dis-honourable mention here.
