Sony's announced quite a few big new products in recent months, including the Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra and the SmartWatch 2. There was nary a mention of any U.S. availability for any of those devices when they were first announced, but today Sony has given us a nice Tuesday surprise by adding all three to its online store. A quick refresher on the three new devices and their pricing:
Sony Xperia Z1
- 5-inch 1080p Triluminos display
- 20.7-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS for mobile sensor and BIONZ image processing, 2-megapixel front camera
- 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor
- 16GB storage, microSD slot, 2GB RAM
- 3300mAh battery
- Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
- HSPA+ 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz
- Available in black, white or purple for $669.99 unlocked
Sony Xperia Z Ultra
- 6.44-inch 1080p Triluminos display
- 8-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS sensor, 2-megapixel front shooter
- 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor
- 16GB storage, microSD slot, 2GB RAM
- 3050mAh battery
- Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
- HSPA+-only model: 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz
- LTE model: Bands 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 17 as well as HSPA+ 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz
- Available in black, white or purple
- Unlocked HSPA+-only (C6802) priced at $649.99, unlocked LTE model (C6806) priced at $679.99
Sony SmartWatch 2
- 1.6-inch 220x176 transflective touchscreen for better sunlight readability
- IP57-rated for water resistance
- Battery rated to last 3-4 days per charge
- Pairs over NFC or Bluetooth
- Compatible with "most" Android 4.0 or later smartphones
- Swappable wristband
- Available for $199.95
Sony has been pretty good about offering unlocked versions of its Xperia smartphones in its online store, and it's great to see that trend continue with this latest round of hardware. That's especially true when you remember that we rarely see Sony smartphones offered through U.S. carriers, which
according to Sony CEO Kaz Hirai, is unlikely to change any time soon. Even though the unsubsidized pricing of the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra means will be a turn-off for some, it's great to see a manufacturer at least offering consumers the ability to easily purchase unlocked hardware in the U.S.
The Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra and SmartWatch 2 are now available from Sony's online store. If you'd like to check out the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra in action before whipping out that credit card and hitting the "Add to cart" button, you can check out PhoneDog's two-part Xperia Z1 video review
here and
here, and the two-part Xperia Z Ultra video review
here and
here.
