Berlin – Sony Mobile Communications went to IFA to unveil its latest flagship smartphone, the 5-inch Xperia Z1 with 20.7-megapixel camera, 2.2 GHz quad-core CPU, and 4G LTE.
The camera-optimized phone, which is waterproof and dust-resistant like other Z series models, will launch globally in September. A U.S. availability date wasn’t announced.
The company also unveiled its next-generation smart watch, the SmartWatch 2, which lets users read messages, handle calls, access notifications, and trigger the Xperia Z1 camera shutter.
Key smartphone features include Miracast to send audio and video wirelessly to a TV, IP55 and IP58 water- and –dust rating, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core 2.2 GHz processor, 3000 mAh battery, 2GB RAM, flash memory up to 16GB, 64GB microSD expansion slot, tempered glass and one-piece aluminum frame., F2.0 wide-angle 27mm lens, 3x zoom, and Bionz image-processing engine using the algorithm from Sony’s digital compact cameras. Bionz reduces noise and delivers a fast auto focus and high stable images to keep video shots from blurring, the company said.
The 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor is said to be a high-sensitivity sensor to capture sharp images in low-light conditions.
Key camera applications include Social Live, which broadcasts live video to Facebook,
Info-eye is a visual-search function that provides information on landmarks and items such as books or wine by capturing their images with the camera.
Timeshift burst takes 61 images in two seconds starting a second before and ending a second after pressing the shutter. AR effect lets users overlay customizable animations to create pictures using Sony’s SmartAR augmented-reality technology.
TrackID TV lets users search, share and explore information from broadcasted TV shows, including cast and crew, biographies, filmography and show-related Tweets.
The phone features the company’s series OmniBalance design to make holding the phone comfortable. The design also appears in the company’s tablets.
