With MWC 2014 around the corner, we expect many smartphone manufacturers to take the opportunity to announce new devices. After all with the event’s focus being purely towards mobile, unlike CES which covers a much wider range of products, it does seem to make perfect sense. This year at MWC it is expected that Sony will announce a couple of new devices, and one of them is expected to be the company’s flagship smartphone for 2014 which has been referred to many times by its codename, Sirius, or alternatively it has been suggested that it could be known as the Sony Xperia Z2 upon its release, the successor to last year’s Sony Xperia Z1.
Sony Xperia Z2 Display
Different smartphone manufacturers turn to different types of displays for their products. Samsung typically favors AMOLED which provides a more bolder look as the colors are more saturated, while Sony turns to its own technology instead, most likely the Mobile BRAVIA Engine which it has used in previous products.
In terms of resolution, it would seem that 2014 is the year where we can look forward to smartphones going beyond Full HD and entering into 2K territory. In fact we have seen smartphones like the Vivo Xplay 3S and the Oppo Find 7, both of which will feature display resolutions of 2,560×1,440.
However as for the Xperia Z2, it seems that Sony could be sticking to a 5.2-inch Full HD display, according to an alleged screenshot which ousts the device’s display resolution. Will this be a deal-breaker? We might not be able to tell the difference but on paper, it just won’t look as good, especially with Samsung’s own Galaxy S5 rumored to feature a 2K display as well.
Sony Xperia Z2 Specifications
A few years ago, smartphone technology was improving by leaps and bounds, but we reckon we have come to the point where things have started to plateau, much like how computers were back in the day. That said there is still room for improvement, but perhaps not as dramatic as we’d like to see.
Quad-core processors are still typically favored and are more readily available compared to octa-core chipsets from Samsung and MediaTek. In the case of the Xperia Z2, Sony could be keeping its quad-core chipset with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM-8974-AB processor which could be clocked at 2.3GHz. The processor will also be accompanied by 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 GPU, making it a force to be reckoned with.
Sony Xperia Z2 Camera
With the Sony Xperia Z1’s emphasis being placed on the camera, we expect that the Xperia Z2 will follow suit. According to the rumors, the Xperia Z2 is expected to use the same 20.7MP sensor found in the Xperia Z1, but will most likely have its software tweaked and improved in the process.
Chances are Sony will return to using the Exmor RS sensor which was used in the Xperia Z1. The Exmor RS is an incredibly powerful camera sensor and has been used in a variety of smartphones, not just of Sony’s own making. In fact high-end smartphones like the iPhone 5 (and presumably the iPhone 5s) have been found to use Sony’s sensors as well and given the quality of the iPhone’s photographs, that’s pretty much a testament to Sony’s efforts.
Not too long ago we saw photos which compared photos taken by the Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Z2. Based on what we saw, it seems that the Xperia Z1 fares better in darker settings, while the Xperia Z2 does better under brighter lighting conditions. There is a chance what we saw might not be the final software, or could even be fake for all we know, so that’s something to take into consideration as well.
The front-facing camera of the Xperia Z2 is also said to be of the 2.1MP variety.
Other Features
Given that Android 4.4 KitKat has been out for a while now, there is a good chance that the Sony Xperia Z2 will come with it preinstalled. Or at the very least it will come with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and will be upgraded later, although we’re guessing many will not be happy with this move. Chances are Sony will also layer their own user interface on top of Android, which they have done in the past.
Battery life in the Xperia Z2 is also said to be getting a boost and will see it increase from 3,000mAh to a whopping 3,700mAh, so if you thought your Xperia Z1 had a good battery life, we can only expect it to be much better with the Xperia Z2, although we’d probably have to subject it to battery tests to see how much better it truly is.
While not confirmed, it is also expected that the Xperia Z2 could feature the same water resistant features found in Sony’s previous handsets, like the Xperia Z and the Xperia Z1, meaning that for those of you who plan to take their phones to the pool or the beach, won’t have to worry about it being damaged after being submerged in the water.
Release Date and Price
It was originally expected that Sony would announce a new flagship phone at CES 2014 because that’s what they did back in 2013 with the Sony Xperia Z. Unfortunately that was not the case so the next best bet is MWC 2014. Rumors have also suggested that the phone could see a release in April, but presumably we will learn more once Sony has made their announcement. Availability will also most likely depend on the region, with core markets expected to get the device first followed by other markets shortly after. Pricing also remains unknown but we expect it should cost around the same as the Xperia Z1 when it was first launched.
This story was edited by Eliane Fiolet.
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