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Sony's Xperia Z5 family includes the world's first 4K smartphone
To say that Sony's mobile division has had a tough time lately would be an understatement. As the company puts out half-hearted efforts like the Z3 and Z3+, sales have been dropping steadily. We're now at the point where Sony is losing more than $1 million per day just keeping the division going. Something has to change. Sony has to take smartphones seriously, and this is its attempt to do just that. Meet the Xperia Z5 family, which includes the world's first 4K phone display, "next-generation" cameras and some tiny, tiny fingerprint scanners.
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's 'Metal Gear Solid V' devices flaunt your stealth action fandom
Are you a Metal Gear Solid fan? So much so that you bought an MGS edition PS4, and have no trouble making sense of the series' frequently intricate plots? You'll want to hit up your favorite Japanese exporter, then. Sony has unveiled a legion of limited edition Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain devices, all of which come with game-themed cases, engravings, sounds and wallpaper. Some are more extravagant than others, though. The Xperia J1 Compact phone, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact and Xperia Z4 Tablet we can understand, but there are also Phantom Pain versions of the Walkman A16 and audiophile-oriented Walkman ZX2. Yes, you too can demonstrate your fondness for stealth action by buying a soon-to-be-obsolete MP3 player -- something tells us that these models won't be wildly popular.
Sony's new mid-range phones take 13-megapixel selfies
These are dark days for Sony's smartphone business. The division saw sales drop 16.3 percent over the past year, and is losing money faster than PlayStation is making it. The answer to this problem, according to Sony, is to release two new mid range smartphones to this month, the Xperia C5 Ultra and the Xperia M5. Both focus heavily on imaging, with the C5 Ultra offering two 13-megapixel Exmor RS cameras (one on the front, one on the back) that will hopefully capture some impressive shots. The front-facing camera has a 22m wide-angle lens for all your #welfie needs, and even a front-facing flash. Cameras aside, the C5 Ultra (pictured above) has a 1.7GHz octa-core processor, a 6-inch 1080p display, and a 2,930mAh battery that Sony claims is good for two days use.
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.
Twitch game streaming comes to Sony's smartphones
Sony is launching a new app that'll let you broadcast streams of your Android gaming to the internet, straight from your smartphone. Screen Recorder has been built to connect to both Twitch and YouTube's Twitch-like live service, letting everyone across the world watch as you play mobile Minecraft. The app works with the company's Xperia Z3+, Z4 and Z4v, as well as the Xperia Z4 tablet that we reviewed last week. It's certainly a big coup for Sony as it continues to revive its formerly-flagging mobile division, since Twitch's spectator-only mobile app has nearly 35 million installs. Tempting even a small proportion of mobile gamers to buy a Sony smartphone would do some impressive things to the bottom line.
Sony's tweaked Xperia Z4v has a better screen and a wider waistline
Remember when Sony cooked up a new flagship smartphone for Japan called the Z4, then renamed it the Z3+ when it came time to take it overseas? Yeah, well, it's finally coming to the United States with a little help from Verizon, and it has another name for us to try and keep straight. Meet the Xperia Z4v. You'd be forgiven for thinking this was a straight-up rebrand of an existing phone, but that's not quite true -- it's a chubbier version of a phone we've already met with a better screen, to boot.
Sony's Xperia Z3+ is a familiar flagship
Sony announced the Xperia Z4 for Japan last month, but this isn't it. Well it is, but internationally Sony wants it to be known as the Xperia Z3+. Truth be told, that's a more appropriate name for the phone, given the incremental upgrade it represents over last year's model. The Z3+ may look virtually identical to its predecessor, but internally it has almost everything you'd expect from a 2015 flagship.
Sony makes it easier to put new operating systems on its phones
Sony's Android smartphones haven't been tinkerer-friendly to date -- since you couldn't boot from a recovery partition, you couldn't install CyanogenMod and other unofficial operating systems without jumping through hoops. It should be much easier to mess with your software from now on, though. Sony is quietly releasing bootloaders that let you boot from that recovery space, which opens the door to installing both custom Android ROMs as well as very different platforms, like Firefox OS or Ubuntu Touch. The catch? Right now, the only devices that support these bootloaders are lower-end models you probably don't use, like the Xperia E3, M2, T2 Ultra and T3. You won't be modifying the heck out of your Xperia Z3 just yet, then, but that's no longer a far-fetched idea.
Sony's new flagship smartphone has an image-stabilizing selfie camera
Sony's unveiled its new smartphone in Japan, the Xperia Z4, and like you might tell from the press images, it's a mighty familiar-looking one from a company still looking for its next big hit. Yep there's a lot of similarities compared to the Z3 (a phone that we were pretty happy with), including a 5.2-inch screen, metal frame, support for Hi-Res audio and the same wide-angle 25mm lens on the main camera. Upgrades since last year's model include a frame that's both thinner (down to under 7 mm) and lighter, while camera upgrades are focused on the front, which now gets the same wide-angle lens of the primary shooter as well as digital image stabilization to keep your selfie game completely on point.
How would you change Sony's Xperia Z1?
There's a familiar theme whenever Engadget reviews a Sony smartphone, which is that the hardware's great, but not compelling enough to make you buy one. When Sharif Sakr got his hands on the Xperia Z1, he found that the headline feature -- that 20 megapixel camera -- wasn't strong enough to compete with the Lumia 1020. That said, we imagine that some of you did splash out on this handset, so why not come to Engadget's product forums and spill your brains as to what you liked, and hated, about the Z1?
Sony has a new flagship tablet to fight the iPad Air 2
2014 was an odd year for Sony. Can you think of another company that released five flagship products in a single year? We're talking the Xperia Z2, the Z3, the Z3 Compact, the Z2 Tablet, the Z3 Tablet Compact. That's an awful lot of Z's. At MWC in Barcelona, it's leaving its flagship phones be, and bringing a new full-sized tablet -- the Xperia Z4 Tablet -- and the mid-range Xperia M4 Aqua.
Sony's search for profits could put an end to its mobile future
Focus. Surprise. Kando. Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has thrown these words around like crazy since he set out to revive the company with a three-year plan, and he's been coming up short ever since. Now he's pushing ahead with a new and improved strategy, one that sees Sony basically giving up on growing its mobile business. That's not to say it'll stop making smartphones (though that's possible too), but the company's done betting that its phones will find a home in everyone's pockets. What a shock, right?
Sony is reportedly cutting 1,000 jobs in its smartphone group
There's no doubt that Sony's smartphone division is struggling, and it sounds like that's about to exact a big toll on the company's workforce. Nikkei reports that Sony expects to cut 1,000 jobs in its mobile group, adding to the 1,000 layoffs it announced alongside its less-than-stellar summer earnings. All told, Sony will have slashed 30 percent of its phone team's staff by the end of its next fiscal year, in March 2016. The Japanese tech firm hasn't confirmed anything, but further cuts would make sense. Smartphones represent a big drag on Sony's finances, and its accountants are likely doing everything they can to right that sinking ship.
Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact review: light in the hand, heavy on the wallet
Sony's consumer electronics division is in an ongoing state of flux. Having already given up on PCs and e-readers, the company recently pledged to make fewer TVs and smartphones in a bid to get its books back in the black. How Sony's strategizing will affect its output of tablets remains unclear, but no doubt a keen eye is being kept on the reception of its latest slate, the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact (don't let that mouthful of a moniker fool you -- Sony only classes the 8-inch tablet as "compact" to differentiate it from its two previous 10.1-inch devices). The company is renowned for the quality of its premium products, and like the two smartphones that make up the rest of the Z3 family, its newest tablet is a testament to that legacy. Cutting to the chase, it's an elegant and powerful device, but with prices starting at $445/£300, those credentials might not be enough to make you choose Sony over the competition.
You can Remote Play PS4 games on your Xperia Z2 devices now, too
We're going to say that Sony's relationship with the PS Vita is a little bit, well, complicated. Why? Because one of the biggest reasons to even own one these days, Remote Play, is now available in more places. Specifically, the Xperia Z2 smartphone and its similarly-named tablet cousin. That's right, you no longer need to own the catch-up king's portable gaming system or Z3 device to play PlayStation 4 games while you're away from your console and TV. Given that it uses the console's DualShock 4 controller rather than the slightly cramped confines of the Vita, depending on the size of your hands it could be a better experience, too. Sony says that the Xperia line is the only place you'll get full Remote Play functionality, but folks on the XDA Developers forums are already working to get around that bit of exclusivity so it's available on all capable Android gizmos. Are you a new Vita (or Z3) owner feeling a bit slighted now? Let us know in the comments.
Sony loses a little less money thanks to the PlayStation 4 (update)
If you're rooting for Sony to pull through recent tough times, it's still a cliffhanger, according to its latest earnings report. On the plus side, PS4 sales have been stellar, up 83 percent over last year at 310 billion yen ($2.8 billion). The good news drops off sharply from there, however, especially with mobile. Though sales in that division were up slightly from last year, it managed to lose 172 billion yen ($1.5 billion). Since most of Sony's other divisions fared okay, that means its 86 billion yen ($770 million) operating loss can be directly chalked up to its mobile division. Though it warned investors that smartphone sales would be dismal, Sony decided nevertheless decided to fire its mobile division's CEO, Kunimasa Suzuki, and replace him with VP Hiroki Totoki. Update: Additional figures from Sony have shown us just how well the PlayStation 4 is doing: the company says it's sold 3.3 million over the past quarter. For contrast, Microsoft announced combined Xbox 360 and Xbox One shipments of 2.4 million in its latest financial results.
Here's every device getting Android 5.0 Lollipop so far
If you're a die-hard Android fan, you're probably champing at the bit waiting for that Lollipop upgrade -- when will you get it? Are you going to get it? Thankfully for you, a number of companies have already promised to upgrade some of their devices to this candy-flavored OS. Google's Nexus 4, 5, 7 and 10 models are naturally first in line, as are Android One and Google Play Edition hardware; its outgoing Motorola brand is equally on top of things with plans to patch the Moto E, G and X alongside Verizon's Droid Mini, Maxx and Ultra. HTC and OnePlus don't have full details, but they're both pledging to give their recent flagships a taste of Lollipop within 90 days of receiving finished code. NVIDIA and Sony, meanwhile, are being a bit vague. While they're respectively teasing plans to update the Shield Tablet and the Xperia Z series, they won't say exactly when just yet; Sony has committed to the "beginning of 2015" for Z2 and Z3 models.
Sony Xperia Z3 review: a classy flagship with great battery life
When you're trying to compete in the phone-making game, there are certain challenges. On the one hand, you want to dazzle customers with innovative features. On the other hand, you want to keep the suit-wearing shareholders happy with growth and strong, continued sales. The bottleneck in this equation is often technology. You can't force it to progress. So once you've more or less caught up, you're left with a choice: Innovate with software/hardware design, or take a risk with gimmicky features. Any of the above will do in lieu of the (unspeakable) alternative -- not releasing a new model this year. We're not trying to preload this review of Sony's new Z3 flagship, which arrives barely six months after its predecessor. Or maybe we are. What we're definitely doing is spelling it out right here in the intro: The Z3 looks a lot like the Z2, and after a quick glance at the spec sheet, you might argue it sounds a lot like it too. This is pertinent because, by its own admission, Sony isn't doing very well at competing in the phone-making game. Given the above, is the Z3 going to tempt existing customers to upgrade? Or perhaps lure those over from other brands? T-Mobile will be stocking it this fall, though the price isn't yet known. Currently it's £550 in the UK -- a touch above the HTC One and Galaxy S5. Let's have a look, shall we?
Sony expects losses to quadruple because of its smartphones
Once again recalibrating its bad news for the latest financial quarter, Sony has quadrupled its forecast loss for the financial year and it's down to those Xperia smartphones. The company already cut its forecast for smartphone sales in July, and this latest reassessment - to the sum of a 180 billion yen ($1.7 billion) "impairment" - comes following an internal review of it mobile arm in mid-summer. It found that the mobile arm was focused on "achieving significant sales growth" which apparently is no longer the game plan: the company is now aiming towards reducing risk, volatility and "more stable profits". (Some profit is likely a good place to start.) The revision will also factor new strategies depending on regions, and a focus on its premium smartphones -- and likely a reduction in its midrange devices. Update: The Wall Street Journal reports that in an analyst meeting in Tokyo, Sony admitted that it won't be a major player in smartphones due to rising competition from Chinese brands and the inability to penetrate the US market. So much so that the company currently has plans to cut about a thousand jobs in its mobile division. Instead, Sony hopes to focus attention on higher-end phones for elite customers and other markets such as wearables.