In January 2013, we saw the very first Sony Xperia Z smartphone.
On the surface it didn’t look that different to other devices in the market, however a
glance at the specifications and you knew it would be a game changer.
Innovation can be an overused word in mobile, yet Sony made it mean something, introducing
worthwhile features whilst iterating on what already worked well.
It’s this philosophy which has seen the Z range expand and develop quickly over the
past two years.
At the time the original Z’s raw specification was top of the range, something that continues
today.
In fact the 5 inch full HD screen, 2GB RAM, 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and LTE support
still don’t look out of place on moderately priced modern handsets.
Where Sony innovated though were extra flourishes: a water and dust resistant IP 55 & 57 rating
made this the first modern phone you didn’t have to worry about getting wet.
We even took our test Z down to a sandy Bournemouth beach in winter and it came back looking and
performing the same as when it left.
The IP rating came by sealing the handset and putting ingress ports such behind sealed
covers.
To avoid opening the USB port several times, an optional magnetic charging dock with contact
charging was provided.
These seemingly simple design decisions have been kept throughout the Z range – a testament
to their success.
Later in 2013 we were treated to the Xperia Z1.
This marked the first entry in Sony’s fast and iterative approach to Z releases.
A fair amount changed between the two phones; as well as some issues fed back to Sony being
addressed.
For many the Z1 may not have been an upgrade worthy of changing from the first Z given
the short release cycle, however it was a definite improvement that could capture the
eye of those who either weren’t sold first time around or perhaps missed the Z as part
of their upgrade cycle.
In the Z1 we saw Sony capitalise on a new 2.2 GHz quad-core processor from Qualcomm,
showing their commitment to keeping up to date with the bleeding edge of mobile tech.
The Android OS was suitably upgraded too, as well as getting the IP rating up to 58
(continuous submersion in water – up to 30 minutes).
The major improvement and ‘innovation’ with the Z1 however was the introduction of
an all new 20.7 megapixel camera sensor, developed in-house by Sony.
The first of its kind this allowed for incredible pictures; Sony’s camera application was
also overhauled with various features to satisfy the more particular amateur photographer.
Sony even trialled some standalone, bridge-style, remote controllable lenses that could be clipped
onto the phones – a unique accessory that again pushed the boundaries of what could
be done with a smartphone.
A few months after the Z1 saw the Z1 Compact.
Many smartphone manufacturers had ‘miniaturised’ their flagship devices before, although this
inevitably resulted in severely stripped down specifications.
Sony challenged the status quo once again – the Z1 Compact kept the big specifications
of its big brother (processor, memory and camera), whilst only reducing the screen size
and weight.
For many this was the perfect marriage of power, performance and portability.
Now a full year after the original Z, the Z2 launched.
Again quite a subtle, iterative move on the Z1, this new Xperia was significantly advanced
over the first in the range and therefore aimed at those looking to move on after a
year.
By this time Sony has started to soften the angular edges of their design to make the
Z easier to hold, as well staying ahead of the curve with the freshest processing tech,
an incrementally lager screen and now 3GB of RAM.
On paper the Z2 was the most powerful phone on the market at release and continued to
offer the best power to price ratio for many months.
Also during the Z2’s lifespan we saw the rise of connected living – Sony launched
a number of additional products such as the SmartBand.
With Sony’s wide ecosystem of devices, the Z2, as well as phones coming before and after
it, were poised to be the centre-point of modern living, information and content delivery.
Finally we approach the most recent devices in the Xperia Z line – the Z3 and Z3 Compact.
With these two phones, Sony managed a simultaneous release time and was able to harmonise the
range.
The Z3 was technically a tiny update on the Z2, perhaps the smallest improvement to date,
although the physical design was overhauled.
The body was a full mm thinner and moved to an all metal case, where previous Zs always
had glass (or plastic for the Z1C) backs.
The appearance of the Z3 was modernised and ‘machined’ whilst retaining the design
language of the Z range, with port covers and the magnetic charging port, plus the thoroughly
chamfered and rounded edges improved comfort.
The Z3 Compact, like the Z1 Compact before it, was billed as the same but smaller.
Staying true to their subversive play almost a year previously, Sony kept the top-end processor,
20.7 MP camera and full feature set of the full size model, whilst cutting down on size
and materials to deliver an incredibly good value-for-money phone.
Both the Z3 phones also urged users further into Sony’s wider entertainment ecosystem.
Where Sony Music and Movies had featured heavily on mobile previously with trials, offers and
giveaways, the Z3 handsets were now also showing off improved Playstation integration with
remote access features.
Sony’s story is more than one of their smartphones, although the quick development of the Z range
shows how important these portable computers are to their overall strategy.
As a hardware manufacturer, entertainment publisher and content producer, Sony as a
whole has a lot to do.
The improvement of the Z range in the last 48 months is indicative of a company aware
of changing trends and future possibilities.
They ride the wave of new consumer technologies such as remote access to other core products,
personal tracking and raw performance, whilst needing to respond quickly to consumer demand
and feedback which includes their introduction of fully featured, smaller and more affordable
devices.