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Sony owes Xperia owners a refund over faulty water resistance
When you buy a phone billed as water-resistant, you generally expect it to survive accidental dunks. Some Sony phone owners have a very different story, though -- their supposedly resistant phones took water damage that required an expensive fix. If you're one of them, we have good news. A preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit will offer a 50 percent refund of the retail price to US customers who bought a water-resistant Sony Xperia device and had to file water damage claims. The list of affected hardware covers a whopping 24 phones and tablets sold in the US, ranging from the Xperia Z1 through to relatively recent devices like the Xperia Z5.
Sony is testing a 'stripped back' version of Android
If you've ever wished that Sony would ditch its custom Android interface in favor of Google's 'pure' experience... well, you'll want to book an impromptu Scandinavian vacation. Sony is launching a 500-person Swedish trial of Concept for Android, a "stripped back" take on Android 5.1 for the Xperia Z3 that looks and feels like the stock Google interface while including Sony's more popular apps and features. If you're fortunate to be part of this test run, you'll both improve the software itself and shape Sony's overall strategy -- it's moving toward development based on "real user input" that will hopefully lead to more meaningful upgrades. And don't despair if you don't get in right now. The company is promising trials for more areas and more devices if this catches on, so you may still get a sneak peek at Sony's Android plans.
Engadget Daily: Galaxy Alpha and Xperia Z3 reviews, the new 'Smash Bros.' and more!
Interested in upgrading to the Galaxy Alpha or Xperia Z3? You've come to the right place. Today, we take both handsets for a spin, journey through the historical roots of Assassin's Creed: Unity, play a whole bunch of the new Smash Bros. for 3DS, and more. Read on for all our news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Where to buy Sony's Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact
It's a pretty interesting time to be in the market for a new mobile. Over the past month, we've seen Samsung's Galaxy Alpha and Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch, not to mention Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 will join that list in a few weeks. And as if you didn't have a hard enough choice already, Sony's latest handsets are now available in the UK, too. With a design that's almost identical to the company's previous flagship, the Xperia Z3 crams future-proof specs into a thinner and lighter package. The Xperia Z3 Compact is for those who prefer a smaller device, and while some specs like screen resolution have taken a hit in the shrinking process, the Z3's powerful chipset and camera have made a full transition to the miniature model. But how much are they, and where can I get 'em?! Woah, calm down with the questions there buddy -- we got you covered.
A closer look at Sony's Xperia Z3 flagship
The Xperia Z2 is just over six months old, but Sony's intent on staying ahead of the curve with the new Xperia Z3, announced today. With a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, a whopping three gigs of RAM and various other high-end components, like a 20.7-megapixel camera, we're talking about serious future-proofing, even if it's still a relatively incremental upgrade over its predecessor. Sporting more or less the same omnibalance design with aluminum detailing round the perimeter, you're going to need to be a fan Sony's previous work to appreciate the Z3. Anyone who may've found the Z2 unwieldy, however, might see the more refined, newer flagship as a viable option.
Sony announces its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z3
We hope you weren't getting too comfy with the months-old Xperia Z2 -- Sony has just unveiled another range-topping Android smartphone, the Xperia Z3. It's really a subtle evolution of its predecessor. You'll still find a 5.2-inch, 1080p display, a 20.7-megapixel camera and waterproofing, but there's now a more rounded aluminum frame. Sony has also added a new, wide-angle 25mm lens (to fit more into a shot) and extra-high ISO 12,800 light sensitivity. It's a little bit faster as well, with a speed-bumped 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor instead of the 2.3GHz chip you saw in the Z2.
The Xperia Z3 Compact is a cut-down version of Sony's latest flagship
Sony may've decided against making a pint-sized variant of its previous leading device, but not this generation. The company's announced at its IFA press conference the Xperia Z3 Compact, a smaller version of the new flagship also revealed today. Here's the thing to remember about the smaller variant -- it packs the same quad-core 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset under the hood, 20.7-megapixel rear camera (complete with Sony's Exmor RS sensor) and the same sort of rounded waterproof chassis as its big brother. It's the screen that differs most dramatically -- we're looking at a 4.6-inch Triluminos display running at 720p, a pretty significant step down from the 5.2-inch 1080p panel that graces the full-size Z3. Yeah, we know, a 720p screen seems downright passé these days, but it might be a small price to pay for someone tired of all these pocket-busting phablets floating around out there. Of course, you can also expect that slightly less impressive screen to drive the Z3 Compact's price tag down, though at this point we're not entirely sure how much cheaper it'll be than the Z3 when it launches this fall. Update: Check out our hands-on for a deeper look.
We're liveblogging Sony's IFA 2014 event today at 10:15AM ET!
In about an hour and a half, Sony representatives will be taking the stage at IFA 2014 to introduce a whole bunch of products that have more or less been leaked or rumored in some way. We still don't know all of the details, and Sony's known to toss out a few surprises at its press conferences. That said, we're fairly confident that we'll get officially introduced to the Xperia Z3, the miniature Compact and the Tablet Compact, as well as a couple wearables. It should be fun regardless, so join us at our liveblog here as we report on everything Sony! [Image Credit: Ausdroid]
Sony's next smartphone-mounted camera will let you change lenses
If you're looking to rule Instagram, Sony's about to give you the ultimate smartphone weapon, judging by a leak from Xperia Blog. The site posted several purported images of the Sony ILCE-QX1, a lens camera system that'd work with interchangeable E-Mount style lenses. Sony's niche-oriented lens camera lineup is currently fixed-lens only with the QX10 and QX100 models. The QX100, for instance, is based on Sony's fantastic RX100 camera and priced for serious smartphone photographers at $500. Assuming the rumor pans out, the QX1 would have an even larger APS-C (26.7mm) sensor and take compatible E-Mount lenses. There are no other specs, but as before, we'd expect that your smartphone will control the QX1 and capture images from it, with a mount that adapts to a wide variety of handsets. It'll also likely have a built-in memory card. There's no pricing yet, but as a rule, interchangeable-lens cameras are usually more expensive than fixed-lens models. Then again, Sony tends to break that rule. Update: Oh, and yes, that phone in the images appears to be the alleged Xperia Z3 that we spotted back in July.
Sony's next flagship phone allegedly shown off with new body, same camera
The jump from Sony's Xperia Z1 to the Xperia Z2 was relatively minor, so don't be surprised if this familiar-looking leak turns out to be legit. According to a Baidu Tieba post (which has since been deleted), we're looking at a prototype of Sony's upcoming Xperia Z3 aka L55t (China Mobile variant with TD-LTE) which is, surprise surprise, running on a more powerful Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC chipset (the Z2 uses MSM8974AB) plus Android 4.4.4. Judging by the photos, this device shares the same height as the original Galaxy Note and hence the Xperia Z2, meaning the screen size should stay at 5.2 inches. Likewise, the Z2's 20.7-megapixel camera is here to stay. What makes this prototype stand out is its new, simpler body design, which is a surprise given how the range's appearance has changed little since the Xperia Z. That is, unless, this phone turns out to be just a variant of the Z2, so only time will tell if our guess is right.
