Sony Xperia XZ4: what we want to see

Even although the Sony Xperia XZ3 solely launched just lately the Sony Xperia XZ4 might be simply across the nook, as Sony typically solely leaves six months between flagship handsets.

While we do not know a lot concerning the upcoming telephone but, one leak has given us an excellent have a look at the potential design, and we are able to take educated guesses at different issues, together with when the Xperia XZ4 could be introduced.

You’ll discover all of that beneath, and we’ll add to this text as quickly as we hear any extra information or rumors. 

You’ll additionally discover our want record for what we wish from the Sony Xperia XZ4 beneath. The XZ3 was considered one of Sony’s finest flagships in years, however there’s nonetheless room for enchancment.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The subsequent Sony flagship
• When is it out? Possibly late February
• What will it value? Likely upwards of £699/$899 (round AU$1,260)

Sony Xperia XZ4 launch date and worth

There’s an excellent probability we’ll see the Sony Xperia XZ4 at MWC 2019, which takes place February 25-28. 

Sony unveiled the Xperia XZ2 a 12 months earlier at MWC 2018 and an MWC 2019 announcement would even be round six months after the Xperia XZ3, which is the time-frame that we’d anticipate to see the Xperia XZ4 throughout.

Of course, we are able to’t make certain that MWC 2019 is once we’ll see it, nevertheless it’s our greatest guess for now.

As for what the Sony Xperia XZ4 may cost, all we are able to do for now could be have a look at the Xperia XZ3, which launched for £699/$899 (round AU$1,260). The Xperia XZ4 could properly value an analogous quantity, although if something we’d anticipate it to be barely dearer.

Sony Xperia XZ4 information and rumors

The solely actual info on the Sony Xperia XZ4 up to now comes within the type of some leaked images, which present the potential design of the telephone.

You can see these beneath and observe that the handset right here has three rear cameras. That’s particularly notable as previous telephones within the vary solely had one (apart from the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, which had two), however provided that rival handsets just like the Huawei P20 Pro now have three cameras it’s plausible.

Other particulars embrace a flat (relatively than curved) display screen of apparently 6.5 inches (up from 6.0 on the Xperia XZ3), a super-wide 21:9 facet ratio, and a bezel above and beneath the display screen. These bezels appear pretty slim, however not as small as these on some telephones, and there’s no notch.

There’s no signal of a 3.5mm headphone port and there’s additionally no signal of a fingerprint scanner, although in accordance with the identical leak the telephone does in all probability have a scanner, nevertheless it’s apparently constructed into the facility button.

The Sony Xperia XZ4 as proven right here additionally has a single front-facing digicam and apparently has dimensions of 166.9 x 72.4 x 8.2mm, rising to 9mm on the digicam bump.

While these photographs look convincing sufficient we might in fact take them with a pinch of salt, although case renders shared by SlashLeaks seem to line up with them.

Beyond what’s been leaked we are able to guess at just a few issues. For instance, the Sony Xperia XZ4 is prone to be powered by the Snapdragon 8150 chipset – or no matter Snapdragon’s unannounced flagship chip launches as. 

This chipset will in all probability energy a lot of 2019’s flagship telephones, so Sony’s could be amongst them.

It may even in all probability have a display screen of round 1440 x 2880. That’s the decision of the Xperia XZ3, and whereas Sony would possibly improve it a bit, particularly if the display screen is greater this time, we doubt it would change a lot. 

The firm solely just lately moved on from Full HD+ on its major XZ vary, so it does not appear in any hurry to push the decision of its major flagships greater.

What we need to see

While we’re beginning to get some concept of the potential design and specs of the Sony Xperia XZ4 there’s nonetheless a lot that we do not know, so here is what we wish from it.

1. An in-screen fingerprint scanner

Some telephones such because the Huawei Mate 20 Pro have already got an in-screen fingerprint scanner and extra are prone to comply with, so we would wish to see Sony do the identical if it is going to sustain.

But it is not nearly maintaining. In our overview we discovered the location of the Xperia XZ3’s fingerprint scanner “awkward”, so shifting it someplace is a should, and by inserting it within the display screen there’s the potential to shrink bezels that may in any other case home it.

Early rumors counsel this would possibly not occur, however the scanner would possibly no less than be moved to the facility button, avoiding the awkward rear placement that it had on the XZ3.

2. A greater digicam

The Sony Xperia XZ3 truly has an excellent digicam, however not a class-leading one. Our overview discovered that it struggled with dynamic vary and low-light scenes, so we would wish to see some enhancements right here.

Early rumors counsel we would properly get some, because the Sony Xperia XZ4 is tipped to have a triple-lens digicam, up from only one rear lens on the Xperia XZ3. Of course, extra does not essentially imply higher, nevertheless it sounds promising.

3. Slicker software program

The Sony Xperia XZ3 runs Android 9 Pie, nevertheless it additionally has numerous bloat, together with some apps that may’t be uninstalled. Plus, there are some half-baked options like Side Sense.

So we would wish to see a back-to-basics method to software program on the Sony Xperia XZ4, with solely the important apps (or no less than the power to uninstall non-essential ones).

If Sony desires to attempt to stand out by way of additional software program options that is high quality with us, however we wish them to be sooner and extra polished than the likes of Side Sense have been.

4. Smaller bezels

While many telephones now use a notch relatively than a prime bezel, the Sony Xperia XZ3 caught with a conventional bezel and likewise had a reasonably sizeable one beneath the display screen, resulting in a a lot decrease screen-to-body ratio than some flagships and an arguably extra dated design.

We’re not the most important followers of notches, however we want to see much less bezel a method or one other on the Sony Xperia XZ4, whether or not which means including a notch or simply slimming down the bezels.

5. A much bigger battery

The Sony Xperia XZ3 has a 3,330mAh battery, which is on the small facet, particularly for a telephone with a 6.0-inch display screen. It’s no shock then that this interprets to lower than sensible life, with our overview discovering that you just’d get round a day of light-to-moderate use out of it. That’s common at finest.

So for the Sony Xperia XZ4 we need to see a a lot greater battery pack. If the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Huawei Mate 20 Pro can have a battery of 4,000mAh or extra then so can the Sony Xperia XZ4, particularly if it has an enormous display screen, as has been rumored.

6. More storage

The Sony Xperia XZ3 comes with 64GB of storage which, whereas not dangerous, is dwarfed by many flagships, a few of which now prime out at 512GB. It does even have a microSD card slot, however a microSD card is an additional expense, so we’d wish to see extra storage provided within the telephone itself for the following mannequin.

Ideally, Sony will supply a number of configurations in order that in case you solely want 64GB or 128GB you possibly can pay much less and go for that, however in case you want numerous storage then a 512GB and even 1TB possibility would even be accessible.

7. A standout function

The Sony Xperia XZ3 is a good telephone, however in some ways it was taking part in catch-up with different flagships – Sony was lastly upping the display screen decision on its major vary and switching from LCD to OLED for instance.

For the Sony Xperia XZ4 we need to see the corporate leapfrog the competitors and supply a number of compelling options or specs that the majority rivals can’t match. What these could be is anybody’s guess, however we’re certain Sony pays individuals brighter than us to give you some.