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​Sony is done with the Xperia Z range
When Sony announced three new Xperias earlier this week, it wasn't really apparent where they fit into its grander smartphone plans. Turns out, the X, XA and X Performance are its future. Since 2013 Sony's flagships have been defined by the letter "Z." We've seen over 10 smartphones with the label, the latest of which were the Xperia Z5 Compact, Z5 and Z5 Premium, released last fall. That led many to expect that, at some point in 2016, an Xperia Z6 series would arrive to replace it. But that's not going to happen. Speaking to the British site uSwitch, a Sony Mobile senior product marketing manager confirmed that Sony "will not be releasing a Z6," adding that it's "turning to the next stage with the Xperia X series." We reached out to Sony for confirmation of the statement (it's made similar remarks to other publications) but it makes a lot of sense.
Sony's next phone is yet another rectangular slab
If you were hoping for a radical change in Sony's Xperia formula, bad news -- it looks like the company is sticking with its blocky "Omnibalance" design for now. A tweet from Sony UK is teasing a new smartphone that will be unveiled on September 2nd, immediately before the IFA trade show. It shows a blurry handset capturing a photo, with the tagline "a smartphone with greater focus" underneath. The combination would suggest an upgraded camera, although it's possible the message is also hinting at the new, stripped back Android skin it's been testing recently. Regardless, we're expecting this to be either the Xperia Z5 or Z5 Compact -- perhaps both, if Sony mimics last year's reveal. The photo might be a little blurry, but it's obvious Sony is preparing another rectangular slab. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but given the Xperia Z4/Z3+ is only a few months old, we're hoping Sony has made some changes elsewhere to make this model a worthy upgrade.
Sony starts rolling out Android 4.3 to the Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Tablet Z
Sony started delivering Android 4.3 updates to the shiny new Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra last week, and today it's rolling out those improvements to (slightly) older devices. The Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Tablet Z are all getting both Google's not-quite-newest OS as well as a host of improved Sony apps, including Smart Social Camera and Walkman software. Xperia Tablet Z owners may appreciate the update most of all -- they can implement restricted profiles that give users private settings and storage. Sony hasn't said how long the upgrade will take, but don't be surprised if your Xperia gets a gift of its own this holiday.
Sony confirms five devices will get Android 4.4 KitKat upgrade, 4.3 to roll out to ten next month
After taking a week to crunch the numbers, look at the data points and put together some fancy pie charts (we assume), Sony's finally ready to reveal its initial firmware upgrade plans. Five devices in the lineup made the cut to receive Android 4.4 KitKat at a to-be-determined future date, and ten in total are slated to get Android 4.3 Jelly Bean starting next month. Among the devices listed to get KitKat are the Xperia Z, Z1, Z Ultra and Tablet Z, though they'll receive 4.3 first alongside five other smartphones (including a trio of handsets that will jump a version from 4.1 to 4.3). While the rollout is set to begin next month, phones on different carriers or in different parts of the world may not get the upgrade right away. Sony doesn't appear to have closed the door on the remote possibility of other models getting updated, but as usual, we don't have high expectations of that happening. We've included the full list of eligible devices below.
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 29th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought overwhelming support for MoDaCo.Switch on the GS4, new markets for the budget-priced BlackBerry Q5 and a pint-sized Android handset from Acer. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 29th, 2013.
Sony names devices that will (eventually) see Android 4.3
With Android 4.3 being less than 24 hours old, it's nice to see manufacturers already addressing concerns about whether all those under-the-hood tweaks will reach their devices. On Sony Mobile's website, the company confirms that the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia SP and Xperia Z Ultra will get Android 4.3, though a concrete timetable hasn't been provided. Furthermore, if you own an Xperia ZR or Tablet Z, then consider yourself lucky, because you'll see Android 4.2 hit your device next month, making the wait for 4.3 that much more bearable. So yes, a Nexus might get its updates quicker, but can it receive them in the bath?
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 15th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Samsung added two new colors to its GS4 LTE-A lineup, Motorola teased its manufacturing facility for the upcoming Moto X and @evleaks spilled the beans on a new smartphone for Verizon. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 15th, 2013.
Refresh Roundup: week of July 8th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Editor's Letter: The mobile megapixel wars go thermonuclear
In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. Nokia has been teasing a zoomable Windows Phone smartphone for what seems like ages now, and finally it has been revealed. It's the Nokia Lumia 1020, stepping up another 100 over the 920 thanks to the addition of a 41-megapixel, backside-illuminated sensor sitting behind a six-element Zeiss lens. Video capture is 1080p and the cameraphone intriguingly offers full manual control, but it's basically a Lumia 920 beyond that, with a 4.5-inch, 1,280 x 768 display and a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor. So, naturally, the draw is that camera, and while we've seen some promising early results from stills and videos, we're obviously going to have to spend more time with the thing to see if it's worth the considerable dent it will make in your pocket. Admittedly, it's far more pocketable than Samsung's Galaxy S4 Zoom, but it remains to be seen whether megapixels can really sell phones. We'll find out on July 26th, when the phone will be available at AT&T for $300. %Gallery-193609%
The Daily Roundup for 07.10.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Xperia Z for T-Mobile available from Sony today, T-Mobile on July 17th
T-Mobile teased last month that it would bring an LTE version of the Sony Xperia Z to the US, and it's following through on its promise. The glass-backed flagship is on sale now at Sony's online and retail stores for $25 a month on an installment plan or $580 outright. As rumored, the phone reaches T-Mobile's stores on July 17th; wait until then and you can either pay the full $580 price or put $100 down for the installment option. While you'll want to read our review of the Xperia Z on T-Mobile before you fork over any cash, you'll get to pick up the device very soon if you like what you see.
Sony Xperia Z for T-Mobile: what's different?
What can you say about a phone that's half a year old, already been reviewed and poised to launch virtually unchanged on T-Mobile's LTE network? Not much, it turns out. But in the event you've been eyeing the Xperia Z as a suitable smartphone replacement, we're here to help guide that purchase decision. Forget specs for a moment -- the most important thing you need to know about this Xperia Z is that it'll be available on T-Mobile July 17th for $99 with a two-year payment plan and it comes in purple (online-only). Otherwise, you're stuck with the default black option, which is still mighty fine to hold and look at, but color is always a welcome differentiator. Variety, people. Spice! %Gallery-193420%
T-Mobile leak hints Lumia 925 and Xperia Z may launch on July 17th
T-Mobile customers may have to sit tight for a little while longer if they're planning to pick up a Nokia Lumia 925 or Sony Xperia Z. TmoNews has reportedly obtained a roadmap from the UnCarrier that has the two smartphones launching on July 17th alongside an unidentified (though likely budget-oriented) handset. While pricing isn't mentioned for the Xperia Z, the Lumia 925 is expected to cost $100 down with a $579 full price. The apparent leak gives us a date to mark on our calendars, although we won't base our lives around it -- carriers tend to change schedules at the last minute, after all.
Sony starts upgrading Xperia Z to Android 4.2.2
We dinged Sony for shipping the Xperia Z with an old version of Android, but the company is catching up today by posting an upgrade to Android 4.2.2. Most owners receiving the update are carrying unbranded HSPA+ and LTE models at this stage, although there are reports of at least a few carrier-specific phone variants getting the refresh. As with the Xperia ZL update, most of the user-facing changes are minor. The biggest addition is support for lock screen widgets; there's also slight (if noticeable) tweaks to the interface look and feel. If those revisions are still meaningful enough for you, we'd suggest a quick upgrade check through the usual desktop and OTA channels.
T-Mobile to offer Sony Xperia Z as a US exclusive in the 'coming weeks'
Interested in grabbing a Sony Xperia Z here in the US? If so, we hope you like T-Mobile. The UnCarrier announced this morning that it will not only be carrying the flagship device, it will be doing so exclusively (it's been available unlocked, but T-Mo will be the only network to officially carry it). The water-resistant phone will initially be available in both black and purple finish, though the latter color will only be offered for a limited time. No word on pricing or pre-order opportunities yet, but we'll keep our eyes peeled for more info as it comes out. Check out the press release below the break, or head to T-Mo's Xperia Z product page where you'll be greeted with a place to sign up for email alerts.
Refresh Roundup: week of June 10th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Sony CEO Hirai: Xperia Z coming to a US carrier shortly
Sony CEO Kaz Hirai had some good news to deliver on stage at D11 -- for US fans, at least. According to him, the Xperia Z, which currently serves as the company's flagship smartphone, is expected to arrive on a US carrier shortly. Unfortunately that's the extent of the details Kaz was willing to offer up, as we expect he wants to give the unnamed operator the opportunity to make the announcement itself. With that said, we have our suspicions that T-Mobile may be involved, thanks to its recent appearance in the FCC with T-Mobile radios. He did, however, mention that this success story is in part thanks to the company's increased marketing efforts in this part of the globe. We'll keep you updated with the news as it trickles out. Update: David Beren from TmoNews grabbed a few shots of the Xperia Z with T-Mo branding, which certainly adds credence to our suspicions that the Z will wind up with the UnCarrier.
Refresh Roundup: week of May 20th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Refresh Roundup: week of May 13th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Xperia Z goes on sale at the US Sony Store for $630, Xperia ZL gets a price cut
Americans wanting one of 2013's Sony flagships have had access to the Xperia ZL for awhile, but they've had to chase down an importer if they wanted the glass-backed chic of the Xperia Z. Sony has quietly put that dilemma to rest by offering the Xperia Z through the US Sony Store. For $630, locals can get an unlocked version of the flagship in black, purple or white, albeit only with HSPA+ 3G for carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile; there's no LTE to be found. Those who do want 4G speeds won't have to pay a premium, however, when Sony is selling the LTE-equipped ZL for the same $630. While neither deal will be quite as tempting as subsidized phones at major carriers, those willing to pay full price for Sony gear can now afford to be a little picky.