Sony has revealed it's new Xperia family, branded as hard as nails, waterproof and dust resistance, begging the question - are we fighting or buying smartphones nowadays?
Launching the products with the helping hand of Telecom, who lost out in the big telco announcement of the day - cough cough Vodafone, the three phones are designed to stand up to life's hard knocks.
"Sleek, smart and durable smartphones" they are called. So a bit like Muhammad Ali in his heyday? Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang and all that jazz.
Sony says the devices showcase over fifty years of the company's innovation, with national account director David Ross saying: “Sony’s new range of smartphones is about creating exciting and immersive user experiences unlike any other.
“For the first time in a smartphone, users will have access to crystal clear HD displays, revolutionary camera lens and sensor technologies, and one of the fastest mobile processors on the market all within a fully IP rated handset.”
Telecom’s launch of the new Sony family of products will begin mid March, with New Zealand’s first glimpse of the Xperia Z and Xperia acro S, followed by the launch of the Xperia go in mid April.
"By drawing together the best of Sony, the Xperia Z is a strong offering and we’re seeing a lot of buzz amongst our customers who are keen to put it through its paces on the Telecom Smartphone Network," Telecom says.
“By offering our customers the choice of the Xperia Z, and - exclusively - the Xperia Acros S or the Xperia Go we feel Telecom has something for every lifestyle from these exciting new Sony products, with a range of features and price points.”
So what's the difference? Check them out below:
Xperia Z :
• 5” 1080 x 1920p full HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2
• 13MP Fast Capture camera with Exmor RS for mobile, HDR video, Superior Auto and Noise Reduction to effortlessly capture razor sharp pictures and videos in any conditions
• One-touch NFC connectivity to easily share music, photos and videos with a range of Sony devices
• Dust and water resistant (IP55 & IP57) with a durable glass display
• 1.5 GHz asynchronous quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 2GB RAM
• Battery STAMINA mode improves standby time by at least 4 times
• Available in black
• Launching on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and upgraded to 4.2 shortly after launch for the latest Android user experience.
Xperia Z is on sale in Telecom stores nationwide and online from mid March, RRP $999 or free on a Smartphone $139 plan with a 24 month contract.
Xperia acro S:
• Scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking
• IP55 and IP57 Ratings for dust and water resistance
• 4.3” 720p HD Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine gives razor sharp clarity
• 12MP fast capture camera goes from sleep to snap in just over a second with a single key press
• Full 1080p HD video recording and 720p HD front camera
• 1.5Ghz dual core processor gives consumers super fast performance
• Launching on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Available in black
• Available exclusively through Telecom New Zealand
Xperia acro S is exclusive to Telecom in New Zealand and available in stores nationwide and online from mid March. RRP $599 or free on a Smartphone $89 plan with a 24 month contract.
Xperia go:
• 3.5” Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine gives razor sharp clarity
• 5MP fast capture camera goes from sleep to snap in just over a second
• Scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking
• Highest level of dust and water resistance in a smartphone – IP67 Rating
• 1Ghz dual core processor gives consumers super fast performance
• Launching on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
• Available in black
• Available exclusively through Telecom New Zealand
Xperia go is exclusive to Telecom in New Zealand and available in stores nationwide and online from mid April. RRP $399 or free on a Smartphone $59 plan with a 24 month contract.