Sony’s Xperia XZ launches in the UAE with an eye on the premium market

Japanese technology firm Sony has launched its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia XZ, in the UAE with the intention of making traction at the top end of the market.

The new device is being marketed heavily on its rear triple sensor camera, new battery technology claimed to last two times long than competitors and a high-end loop surface design combining glass and metal.

It will compete for sales with Apple’s new iPhone and the Samsung Note 7, which has been hit by product recalls due to battery overheating issues, in the premium market.

Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 use banned on UAE airlines

“We did a lot of consumer research in the markets that we focus on and unanimously camera comes out really highly in terms of what people want from a smartphone,” Sony Mobile MEA vice president Jason Smith told Gulf Business.

“It’s the same with battery. I think battery life is one of the biggest pain points for everybody. So we’re able to offer a solution that not only gives extended battery life but also extends the lifespan of your battery.”

He declined to give sales numbers or projections for the new device but said the company had increased its market share by 1 to 2 per cent in “recent months” in the UAE.

The 23MP main camera includes two additional sensors providing enhanced autofocus, reduced blur in low light conditions and better white balance to reduce colour fading.

The shutter speed has also been improved to capture shots in 0.6 seconds and new manual settings are designed to allow greater creativity in photo taking.

Other features include the return of water resistance after a period where Sony, which was the first to introduce water resistant smartphones, removed the feature.

There is also a fingerprint sensor on the side power button and a new battery care mode claimed to improve battery health by pausing the charge cycle at 90 per cent until just before the device is needed.

Sony has drawn little attention to the phone’s other specifications, including its 5.2-inch 1080p HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and 3GB of RAM. Although this may be because they lag behind the quad-HD screens and upped specs offered by other Android manufacturers.

The Xperia XZ is available in stores from September 29 with a price tag of Dhs2,299. Free accessories are being offered to preorder customers.

Xperia XZ specs
Colours Forest Blue, Mineral Black, Platinum
Size 146 x 72 x 8.1 mm
Processor Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 64-bit
GPU Adreno 510
Weight 161g
SIM Card nano SIM single SIM, dual SIM
Operating System Android M
Resolution 5.2” Full 1080p HD
Memory RAM 3GB
Flash memory 32GB eMMC / 64GB Dual SIM
Rear camera 23MP, triple image sensing technology, predictive hybrid autofocus, fast capture, low-light photo: ISO12800, SteadyShot™ with Intelligent Active Mode (5-axis stablisation), 4K video recording
Front camera 13MP 1/3.06” Exmor RS ™for mobile image sensor, 22mm wide angle lens
Design IP68, fingerprint sensor on power button*(not available in all markets), USB Type-C™