Sony Mobile announced not one but two attractive products yesterday. The first was the Android-based SmartWatch 2 with NFC and the second was an HD smartphone with a 6.44 inch screen, called the Xperia Z Ultra. The announcement was made public at an event in Shanghai. A spokeswoman revealed that details pertaining to the pricing and availability of the Xperia Z Ultra in the United States are still unclear and will be made public in due time. The SmartWatch 2 is expected to be ship in September, with the Ultra scheduled to hit store shelves late in the third quarter this year.
The SmartWatch 2 sports a 1.6 inch display with touch and swipe capabilities on 220×176 pixel colour LCD display. Sony stated that battery backup should last for three to four days. The Android version installed on the watch is listed as 4.0 and later. The inclusion of NFC wireless is a significant upgrade from its predecessor, while Bluetooth allows easy pairing with smartphones like the Xperia Z. In an un-paired state, the watch still allows users to flip through previous notifications, emails and messages.
In a paired state, however, the capabilities of the device are much extended. The SmartWatch 2 is capable of attending calls and taking snapshots with a touch of the wrist. The watch essentially acts as a secondary interface between the user and the phone. The watch can also be paired to play music through the phone. Sony’s head of Companion Products, Stefan Persson, stated that the company is miles ahead of its competitors who have only launched first generation devices in this product line. Furthermore, he justified Sony’s policy of collecting essential feedback, which has seen the company unveil a third generation of products in this line. Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are also rumoured to have lined up smart watches this year in an attempt to gain from the potential this market has to offer.
The Xperia Z Ultra is powered by a quad core Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.2 GHz. This has prompted Sony to market it as the fastest smartphone in the market today. The biggest feature of this beast is its massive screen. A full HD display with over 6.44 inches of screen space, the device clearly pushes the boundaries of phones and strays ever-so-slightly into tablet territory. Sony claims that the Ultra is the world’s slimmest smartphone, being just 6.5mm thick.
June 30, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Sony has a chance to get my business with this phone!
Looks awesome!!
I have a note 2now.This will make my internet experience even better not to mention my reading!!!
Go Sony!!!!