Among many other exciting releases, the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show saw the roll out of the new Sony Xperia Z. In terms of design and first impression, many reported that it was an imitation of Apple’s iPhone 5. The thin, light touchscreen device with no keys and a Gorilla glass frame would bring that thought to anyone’s mind. Sony, which has been lagging behind Samsung and Apple in the smartphone segment, seems to have finally come up with a promising model in the Xperia Z.
Sony Xperia Z is superior to Apple’s iPhone in several ways. Firstly, it’s 5-inch 443ppi Reality Display beats Apple’s Retina Display, and will make for a much better video/picture-viewing, gaming experience. Further, while the iPhone 5 comes only with a headphone minijack and a lightening connector, Xperia Z’s output options include micro USB and micro HDMI ports. A Lightening to VGA adapter will support video mirroring the same way as micro HDMI, but Sony minuses the need for that added accessory. On the other hand, Sony’s plastic outer body, compared to Apple’s aluminum, evoked many a frowns at the show.
All these internal specifications aside, Sony’s biggest triumph over Apple is in its larger ecosystem. It has an impressive host of entertainment technology like Bravia, Viao and Walkman to fall back upon and bring the users a wholesome AV experience. This phone runs on the Bravia Engine 2 processor, which brings the video clips alive with increased illumination and sharpness. Moreover, Sony is also dominant in the home electronics segment, which opens up a plethora of options for a multi-platform service. For example, the Sony Xperia Z can be connected with Sony TV’s with a simple touch to enable sharing of pictures and other files between the two devices.
Considering that it runs on Android, Sony’s primary competitor would be Samsung, but the company has chosen to position itself against Apple. There is no doubt that this phone is state-of-the-art, particularly the lightening-fast quad-core processor and the low-light photography enabled camera. However, whether it gives Apple something to worry about will largely depend on some razor-edged strategy on the Japanese giant’s part. The company should aim to capitalize on its strengths and play them up when the Xperia Z launches in March. An Xperia ZL is also expected in the first quarter, thus increasing Sony’s ammo in its fight to the top of the smartphone market.
