Launched: Sony Xperia R1 and Sony Xperia R1 Plus

Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony has launched two new mid-segment Smartphones in India - Xperia R1 and R1 Plus. The company has earlier reported that both these Smartphones will be manufactured in India.

Price:

While the Xperia R1 comes with a price tag of Rs 12,990, the Xperia R1 Plus is priced at Rs 14,990. Both handsets will be available in Black and Silver colour options starting November 10 on all Sony Center and major mobile stores across India, along with e-commerce portals, Amazon and Flipkart. Pre-registration of the handsets start October 27 on Amazon.

Specifications:

Both the Xperia R1 and R1 Plus share almost identical specs and differ only in terms of storage. While the former comes with 16 GB internal storage coupled with 2GB RAM, the latter offers 32 GB internal storage and 3 GB RAM. Rest specifications remain the same.

Both handsets come with a 5.2-inch HD Display of 720x1280p resolution with a 2.5D curved glass protection. For camera, the devices have a 13MP auto focus rear camera and an 8MP front facing shooter. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 and offer GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C.

Both phones offer Dual-SIM functionality and are backed by 2620mAh battery. Weighing 154 g and measuring 146x73.2x8.89 mm, the handsets run Android N out-of-the-box and come with Android Oreo 8.0 upgrade.

Sony Xperia XA1 Plus with 23MP Camera

Japanese Smartphone maker Sony has added yet another Smartphone to its Xperia series. The company has launched Xperia XA1 Plus in India. The USP of the Smartphone is said to be its 23MP rear camera and battery life.

Price and Availability:
 
The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is priced at Rs 24,990 and it will come in Blue, Black and Gold color options. The device will be available across leading online and offline stores in the country. The Smartphone will compete against Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro and Motorola Z2 Play . 

Specifications:

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus features a 5.5-inch full HD display with 1080x1920 pixel resolution. The Smartphone runs Android 7.0 Nougat operating system and is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P20 processor.

The Smartphone comes with dual SIM functionality and offers 4GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage. Users can further expand the storage up to 256GB by adding a microSD card. The device incorporates a fingerprint sensor and is backed by a 3430 mAh battery.

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus comes with a 23MP rear camera with LED flash and an 8MP front shooter for selfies. The rear camera comes with a 1/2.3" Exmor RS for mobile sensor, bright F2.0 lens and superior lowlight capability. On the other hand, the 8MP 23mm wide-angle lens front camera to give you high quality images that capture all the action, even in a group selfie.

For the purpose of connectivity the Smartphone offers 4G, VoLTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and USB Type C.

Sony Mobile unveils Xperia X Series

At the MWC 2016, Barcelona, Sony Mobile has unveiled three smartphones under its new Xperia X series. The new Xperia Smartphones - X, XA and X Performance - feature a 5-inch display and Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The Xperia X smartphone feature a 5-inch Full HD Triluminos display and runs Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB Rom with support for microSD cards of up to 200GB. With 4G support, it offers a 23MP rear camera with predictive hybrid Auto Focus and pulse LED Flash along with a 13MP front camera. It is powered by a 2,620mAh battery. There is a dual-SIM version of it with 64GB internal memory.

The Xperia X Performance is powered by the flagship Snapdragon 820 processor and 2,700mAh battery. Other specs are similar to the Xperia X.

The Sony Xperia XA sports a 5-inch 720p HD display and is powered by a MediaTek MT6755 processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage which is expandable up to 200GB. It offers a 13MP rear camera with hybrid Auto Focus and LED Flash along with an 8MP front camera. It is supported by 2,300mAh battery.

Apart from the Xperia X Series Smartphones, Sony also introduced devices like Xperia Ear, Xperia Eye, and Xperia Projector at its MWC event.

Sony launches Xperia Z3+ in India

Sony has launched its new flagship phone, Xperia Z3+, in India at Rs 55,990.

The Xperia Z3+ was announced late-May. The model had earlier been launched in Japan as Xperia Z4, but Sony renamed it as Xperia Z3+ for the international release.

Among the major improvements of Xperia Z3+ over its predecessor is the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor (four 1.5GHz cores + four 2GHz cores). The Smartphone also comes with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) out of the box and is thinner (6.9 mm Vs 7.3 mm) and lighter (144 grams Vs 152 grams) than the 2014 Sony flagship.

Sony Xperia Z3+ comes with a 25mm wide-angle 5.1MP front camera for better selfies, compared to the 2.2MP front camera of Xperia Z3. The front facing snapper now has superior auto mode for selfies, including soft snap, night portrait, backlight portrait and infant.

While the microUSB port is not covered by a flap in the new model, it still carries the IP68 rating for resistant against water and dust, likely due to a nano coating. Though Sony has reduced the battery capacity of Xperia Z3+ compared to Xperia Z3 (2,930mAh Vs 3,100mAh), it claims that the new Smartphone offers up to two days of battery life.

Unlike Xperia Z3, which came with 16 and 32GB storage options, the new Sony Smartphone comes in only 32GB capacity.

The new model is considered a minor update over Xperia Z3. Xperia Z3+ has a 5.2 inch Full HD (1080p) IPS screen and glass-and-metal body; the glass used in the Smartphone is shatterproof.

Both Smartphones have 3GB of RAM, support microSD cards of up to 128GB capacities and have 20.7 MP rear cameras. Both Smartphones also have the same connectivity features: 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and microUSB 2.0.

Sony Xperia Z3+ is available in four colours - black, white, copper and aqua green.

Sony unveils Xperia Z4v

Sony has launched the Verizon-exclusive variant of its latest flagship Smartphone Xperia Z4 in the US. Named Xperia Z4v, this Smartphone has been announced just a few weeks after Xperia Z4 was announced globally and comes with a few upgrades. 

The single-SIM Xperia Z4v Smatphone runs on Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and is powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset (four 1.5GHz cores + four 2GHz cores) and 3GB RAM. 

The Smartphone sports a 5.2-inch (1440x2560p) QHD resolution with Triluminos display technology and packs a 3,000mAh battery. It comes with a 32GB internal storage with optional installation of microSD card of up to 128GB for external storage. 

The phone is equipped with a 20.7MP rear snapper with LED flash and 5.1MP front-facing camera. 

Xperia Z4v comes with an upgraded screen resolution and a built in Qi and PMA wireless charging support. It has connectivity options of 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and A-GPS and is available in white and black colours. 

The price of the Smatphone is yet to be revealed.

Sony reveals Xperia C4 price

Sony has revealed the pricing of the Xperia C4, its new selfie-focused Smartphone. The phone will be available at Rs 29,490 in white, black and vibrant mint colours. 

Sony Xperia C4 sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920p) IPS display. Powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core (Cortex-A53) MediaTek MT6752 processor coupled with 2GB RAM, the phone comes with 16GB internal storage expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. It's powered by a 2,600mAh battery which delivers up to 12 hours 47 minutes of talk time and up to 682 hours of standby time. 

The phone runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, and sports a 13MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera with front flash for selfies. 

It measures 150.3x77.4x7.9mm and weighs 147gm. In terms of connectivity, the phone supports Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot, 4G LTE, 3G, Bluetooth 4.1, and aGPS.

Sony launches Xperia M4 Aqua and Xperia C4

Sony has launched Xperia M4 Aqua, its mid-range water and dust resistant Smartphone at Rs 24,990. The company has also launched Xperia C4 selfie focused Smartphone. Xperia M4 Aqua will be available starting today, while Xperia C4 will launch in mid-June. Both the Smartphones feature dual-SIM support.

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua has a 5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display with HD (720x1280p) resolution.

The phone weighs 136gm and measures 145.5mm x 72.6mm x 7.3mm, and runs Android Lollipop.

Powered by a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Octa-Core processor, the Smartphone has 2GB RAM, and 8GB of internal storage, out of which 4GB can be used.

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua sports a 13MP primary camera with autofocus and LED flash, and a wide-angle 5MP secondary camera for improved selfies.

The Smartphone is water-proof and dust-proof, and also has a cap-less microUSB port.

The phone supports Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot, 4G LTE, 3G, Bluetooth 4.1 and aGPS. The Smartphone has a non-removable Li-Ion 2400mAh battery that can last two full days after charging once.

Sony Xperia C4 sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920p) IPS display. Powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core (Cortex-A53) MediaTek MT6752 processor coupled with 2GB RAM, the phone comes with 16GB internal storage expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. It's powered by a 2,600mAh battery which delivers up to 12 hours 47 minutes of talk time and up to 682 hours of standby time, as claimed by the company.

The phone runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, and sports a 13MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera with front flash for selfies.

It measures 150.3x77.4x7.9mm and weighs 147gm. The phone supports Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot, 4G LTE, 3G, Bluetooth 4.1, and a GPS.

Sony launches Xperia Z3+ Smartphone

Sony Mobiles has taken the covers off its 2015 flagship Smartphone Xperia Z3+, which offers only a few small upgrades over last year's Xperia Z3.

The model had earlier been launched in Japan as Xperia Z4, but Sony has named it Xperia Z3+ for the international release.

Among the major improvements of Xperia Z3+ over its predecessor is the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor (four 1.5GHz cores + four 2GHz cores). 

The Smartphone comes with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and is thinner (6.9mm vs 7.3mm) and lighter (144 grams vs 152 grams) than the 2014 Sony flagship.

Sony Xperia Z3+ also comes with a 25mm wide-angle 5.1MP front camera for better selfies, compared to the 2.2MP front camera of Xperia Z3. The front facing snapper now has superior auto mode for selfies, including soft snap, night portrait, backlight portrait and infant.

While the microUSB port is not covered by a flap in the new model, it still carries the IP68 rating for resistant against water and dust, likely due to a nano coating. Though Sony has reduced the battery capacity of Xperia Z3+ compared to Xperia Z3 (2,930mAh vs 3,100mAh), it claims that the new Smartphone offers up to two days of battery life.

Unlike Xperia Z3, which came with 16 and 32GB storage options, the new Sony Smartphone comes in only 32GB capacity.

Despite these differences, the new model is considered a minor update over Xperia Z3 as the two share many features. Xperia Z3+ has a 5.2-inch Full HD (1080p) IPS screen and glass-and-metal body; the glass used in the Smartphone is shatterproof. 

Similarly, both Smartphones have 3GB of RAM, support microSD cards of up to 128GB capacities and have 20.7MP rear cameras. Both the Smartphones also have the same connectivity features: 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and microUSB 2.0.

Sony Xperia E4 dual launched in India

Sony has launched its budget Smartphone Xperia E4 (dual SIM) in India at Rs 12,490. 

It is targeted at price conscious consumers and will be available at all leading retail stores and Sony outlets. 

The phone, along with its single-SIM variant, was launched in black and white color options in February. 

Sony Xperia E4 sports a 5-inch qHD(960x540 pixels) IPS display. Powered by a 1.3GHz Qualcomm quad core processor, Adreno 330 GPU and 1GB RAM, the phone comes with 8GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB via micro-SD card. It's powered by a 2300mAh battery and the company promises talk time of up to 12hours and 43minutes and standby time of up to 696hours. 

The Smartphone runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest iteration of the phone. Interestingly, no other phones from Sony feature this OS at this point in time. 

Xperia E4 has a 5MP rear camera (supports 1080p video capture) with LED flash and a 2MP front-facing camera. 

The phone supports Wi-Fi and WiFi Hotspot, 3G, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS. 

The phone will compete with the likes of Motorola Moto E (second-gen) and Xiaomi Redmi 2. 

Sony launches Xperia E4g with 4G support

Sony has launched Xperia E4g, the 4G enabled version of Xperia E4 Smartphone. Priced at 129 euros (roughly Rs. 9,100), the Smartphone will hit the markets in April.

Available in black and white colours, the E4g will also be available in a dual-SIM version.

Sony Xperia E4g sports a 4.7-inch FWVGA (480x854p) display. Powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek processor and 1GB RAM, the Smartphone has 8GB internal storage and a micro-SD card slot that supports cards up to 32GB.

The phone runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat and comes with a 2300mAh battery with a claimed talk time of about 13 hours and up to 653 hours of standby time.

Sony Xperia E4g features a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a 2MP front-facing camera.

The phone supports Bluetooth 4.1, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi and GPS, in terms of connectivity options.

Sony SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk available in India

Sony has launched its SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk wearables in the Indian market at Rs 19,990 and Rs 12,990, respectively. Both of the devices are available in variants of black.

Both wearable devices connect with Sony's Lifelog, an app that allows users to track their health, lifestyle patterns and smartphone usage.

SmartWatch 3 offers significant step ups from SmartWatch 2, including a 1.6-inch 320x320 TFT LCD Transflective display for visibility in bright sunlight, set within a stainless steel back panel. It is waterproof and charges via a standard microUSB port.

It has 4GB internal storage, allowing users to store music and connects with a Bluetooth headset.

The SmartWatch 3 is the first Sony Smartwatch to be powered by Google's Android Wear. The Smartwatch is equipped with Google's voice recognition service and can perform simple tasks including checking email, sending text messages and carrying out an online search at users' voice command.

The watch comes with a built-in microphone, accelerometer, compass, gyro and GPS sensor technology that make fitness tracking more accurate.

The device cannot make phone calls but can be connected to many of the latest Android-based Smartphones. The watch can be used with any Smartphone running Android 4.3 and above.

Like Sony's first-generation SmartBand, the SmartBand Talk is also a 'life-logging accessory' and not just a fitness tracker and offers additional features.

The wearable sports a built-in microphone and speaker, and comes equipped with a short call function allowing users to answer calls and listen to them via the band. The band comes with HD Voice support.

Through Sony's integrated Voice Control technology, users can also assign different sounds to life bookmarks and use their voice to carry out specific Smartphone operations.

SmartBand Talk features a curved, always-on 1.4-inch E-ink. It displays Lifelog activity, notifications and the time at a glance.

The band's built-in accelerometer and altimeter sensor technology helps the band provide an accurate overview of the users' daily physical activity including walking, running or climbing.

SmartBand Talk and SmartWatch 3 both enable and present lifelogging activity and data on the wrist, and connect to the companion app on an Android Smartphone via Bluetooth and NFC.

Sony developing e-Paper Watch

Sony Corp is developing a watch made out of electronic paper to be released next year in a trial of the company's new venture-style approach to creating products.

The watch's face and wrist band will be made from a patented material that allows the entire surface area to function as a display and change its appearance. The device will emphasize style, rather than trying to outdo more technological offerings like Apple Inc's watch and Sony's own SmartWatch.

At stake is more than a win against Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. A decade of cost reductions and job cuts has soured Sony's culture of innovation, once celebrated for the Walkman and the Trinitron television. Chief executive officer Kazuo Hirai formed a business creation division this year under his direct control to fast-track promising products, and the watch is one of the effort's first results.

Hirai's new division is aiming to come up with products and services that don't fit the mold of Sony's existing businesses.

Besides the e-paper watch, the group is developing technology building blocks designed to help professionals and amateurs rapidly create prototypes of new products. The MESH project -  for make, experience and share - is a collection of sensors, light-emitting diodes and buttons encased in colorful blocks smaller than a pack of chewing gum. The devices are linked wirelessly and can be operated via a tablet interface, friendly to people without programming or engineering skills.

The e-paper watch will be a litmus test for Sony's new division. Though the market for wearable technology is still small, with only 22 million of the gadgets sold worldwide this fiscal year, the industry is expected to grow fivefold in the next five years.

Focusing on appearance may help distinguish Sony's new product from the crowd of devices serving as a second screen for smartphones. The company's own SmartWatch acts as a music player remote control, while Samsung's Galaxy Gear offers hands-free calls. Both push e-mail and Facebook notifications and require a phone.