'Snail-paced' smartphone? Sony's Xperia XZ Premium is for you

Dubai - First with 4K HDR display and camera at 960fps; uses new Qualcomm chip

Sony Mobile has officially unveiled the Xperia XZ Premium in the UAE, boasting solid specifications and some firsts in smartphones - including a camera feature guaranteed to let you experience videos akin to a snail's pace.
The Japanese tech bellwether - demonstrated in front of media gathered from around the region in Dubai late on Monday - flaunted the new device's 19MP main camera, which is the first in a smartphone to be able to shoot videos at 960 frames per second, allowing super-slow motion viewing, which is roughly four times slower than those found in other flagships.
It is also the first smartphone to support 4K HDR (high dynamic range) technology; its 5.5-inch display has a pixel density of 807ppi, up to twice those found in the Apple iPhone 7 Plus, LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8.
Apart from those, the Xperia XZ Premium - named the "Best New Smartphone or Connected Mobile Device at Mobile World Congress 2017" at the annual Global Mobile Award - is also the first smartphone after the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus to utilise the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, allowing support for 1Gbps LTE download speeds.
The device runs on Android 7.1 Nougat and comes with a 13MP front camera, 64GB of internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card, and 4GB of RAM. It will also support PS4 Remote Play, now a staple on recent Sony Mobile flagships. It is also dust- and water-resistant with its IP65/68 rating and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 both on the front and rear.
The Xperia XZ Premium will allow Sony Mobile Communications to strengthen its position in the region, says Jason Smith, the company's vice-president for the Middle East and Africa.
"I think we've got a product that's totally different; we can really differentiate ourselves this time with our new line-up," he told Khaleej Times, referring to Sony Mobile's other recent launches, the mid-range Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra, and the sub-mid-range L1.
Sony Mobile's research revealed that consumers are very focused on three key aspects - camera, display and seamless experience - when it comes to smartphones.
As for user trends in the UAE specifically, Smith had this to offer: "As people are getting used to new phones and changing them all the time, it's become quite narrow in terms of what they're interested in."
"The trend is, basically, give people what they want."
As for safety when it comes to battery, Smith guaranteed no worries on the Xperia XZ Premium - as well as its other devices - due to Qnovo, a company Sony had acquired. Qnovo's technology analyses every aspect of the battery, from charging cycles all the way down to its individual cells, for better management of the battery's health.
Smith added that the Xperia XZ Premium will be available in the region soon. The pre-order programme will be announced soon, and while no price has been confirmed, Smith indicated that it would be in the Dh2,700 to Dh2,900 range.
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com

• Mobiles