Sony Xperia Z1 officially unveiled as 20.7MP touting smartphone

Written by Edward Chester

September 4, 2013 | 16:34

Tags: #android

Companies: #sony

Sony has officially unveiled its latest flagship Android smartphone, the Sony Xperia Z1, and not only is it waterproof but it has a 20.7MP camera too.

The new phone was revealed at the IFA trade show in Berlin where Sony President and CEO, Kunimasa Suzuki described it as "a significant milestone for Sony in our continued efforts to deliver unforgettable experiences to our consumers".

Continuing the current trend for large-screened phones the Sony Z1 centres around a 5in screen with a 1080p resolution. Despite this, though, it is only 8.5mm thick, though at 170g it is a little heavier than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 (130g).

Inside is a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM and a hefty 3000mAh battery. It also includes a microSD slot alongside its 16GB of onboard storage.

Back to those headline features, the camera doesn't just have a high pixel count but uses a slightly larger sensor than the likes of the iPhone 5. The Z1 uses a 1/2.33in sensor while the iPhone 5 has a 1/3.2in sensor. This is still considerably behind the mammoth 1/1.2in sensor of the Nokia 1020, though.

Backing up the sensor is a fast f2.0 lens that features an equivalent focal length of 27mm.

Meanwhile the waterproofing has been handled more elegantly than on the Sony Z with the headphone socket no longer needing a rubber flap and charging contact points allowing the phone to be charged without removing the cover from the microUSB socket. You will need the compatible charging dock to take advantage of this though.

Sony Xperia Z1 officially unveiled as 20.7MP touting smartphone Sony Z1 officially unveiled as 20.7MP touting smartphone Sony Xperia Z1 officially unveiled as 20.7MP touting smartphone Sony Z1 officially unveiled as 20.7MP touting smartphone

Also praised in initial previews of the phone is the industrial design. The front and back panels are glass while the edge is of a curved aluminium. It's akin to the iPhone 4 but with curved aluminium rather than square steel. It's also much larger being 144mm tall and 74mm wide.

Pricing is on the premium side with an up front cost of £50-£100 being required with contracts of ~£35. However, we have already noticed a rather impressive offer from Phones4U that is offering the phone plus a free Sony Smartwatch 2 or a half price Sony Tablet Z, and you can get a free wireless speaker if you get a 4G contract.
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