According to a latest leak by a chinese news site, Sony is planning multiple flagship like devices for 2013. It seems that Sony will finally be embracing two factors that drive modern flagship android smartphones, namely quad core processors and the more recent 1080p display. Add to that a big display (read, 4.7" and higher) and plenty of RAM, oh might I mention, timely updates (or at least the latest OS at launch) and you do have a phone which can actually compete with other manufacturer's flagships released around the same time (instead of those released 6-10 months earlier). We are aware that Sony is the world's 2nd largest Android smartphone manufacturer, and if it is to clench 1st spot (from Samsung), this is the kind of push required to achieve it. The latest leak, if it is to be believed, outs nearly 5 devices, 4 of which can easily be mistaken for flagships. Let's have a step by step look and analysis of each of these devices.
Sony Xperia 4
The Sony Xperia 4 is the first of the devices whose details have been leaked. However, the Sony Xperia 4 is not the flagship you're looking for. It's more of a mid range replacement for those looking for a smaller, yet powerful smartphone, complete with a high resolution display and a fast processor. The specifications follow:
The Xperia 4 will use a new Snapdragon MSM8960T chipset. This is a 28 nm chipset packing two Krait based CPUs running upto 1.7 GHz each. The primary difference between this chipset and the older MSM8960 is the use of the newer (and faster) Adreno 320 GPU (in place of the previous gen Adreno 225). The 1.5 GB of RAM is an odd configuration, but then again people would find a way to complain about 1 GB of RAM "only". 1.5 GB seems to be a nice compromise between 1 and 2 GB.
Sony Xperia 5
The Xperia 5 is the next stop in the planned Sony smartphones for 2013. The Xperia 5 doesn't have many of it's details leaked. That said, we believe it will be sharing many of it's features with the Xperia 4 itself. The only new features seem to be the following:
If the Xperia 5 packs the same chipset and internals (remainder of it) as the Xperia 4, we might have a budget smartphone packing a 1080p display. We aren't sure if a dual core would suffice for a 1080p panel, but again the display is run by the GPU (GPU acceleration in Android). The Adreno 320 is a powerful GPU, as it has proven with the HTC Droid DNA, which uses the same GPU and a 1080p display. Also, going by the naming convention, we believe it will pack a 5" display.
Sony Xperia 5 R
The Sony Xperia 5R is exactly the smartphone that every 5" 1080p bearing droid is, or will be in the next couple of months. Packing a 5" display with 1080p resolution, Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, 2 GB of RAM, loads of internal storage, and of course a big battery (unlike the Droid DNA, which simply needs a bigger battery. HTC you listening?), the Xperia 5R will simply be Sony's offering, adding more devices with different names to essentially the same phone. Anyways, it's specifications, again if the leak is to be believed are:
The phone is looking pretty decent. Shapes up well as a flagship right? Wrong. Because Sony thinks otherwise (methinks too! need some variation already). And that's where Sony steps the game up with these next two devices. Read on.
Sony Xperia 6
The Sony Xperia 6 is the company's flagship phablet device for 2013. And rightly so (which you will come to believe, once you complete reading this). And in case you're guessing, the naming convention does match with the device's display size. Yes, we are talking 6" 1080p display. How is it possible? Well Toshiba has already demonstrated a 6" panel, and since Sony and Toshiba are under the same display technology joint venture, it is entirely plausible for Sony to use the very same panel.
The specifications go like this:
Packing the same specifications more or less as the Xperia 5R, what makes the Xperia 6 stand out is it's 6" display. That said, the 3 GB of RAM that this device is rumored to pack is a first for an Android device too, and the humongous 3,500 mAh battery tells us that Sony is finally serious about long battery life (all hail Sony, they have achieved enlightenment). The devices 6" display puts it out as a rather large piece of equipment to carry around in one's hand. It's still possible that the device has no bezel at all, but we will find out about that soon.
But we are still looking for that true flagship that will blow away in performance, pack those stunning specifications, and of course Sony's well known good looking design (a new one for a new generation). And maybe Sony does have something on the card for those who feel that way. And that's where the unnamed flagship for 2013 enters into the picture.
Sony Xperia *unnamed*
The unnamed Xperia flagship for 2013 will be Sony's fastest and flagship "smartphone" (excludes phablets), and 5" now comes under smartphone territory, so there you go:
That's what we are talking about, an ARM Cortex A15 based quad core, which will blow away current Krait based Snapdragon S4 Pro chips out of the water. Add to that the new Sony standard of 3 GB RAM (we are yet to see a Sony device with 2 GB RAM and now Sony's planning 3 GB, something really has put the company on over drive), and a humongous 16 MP camera sensor with a 3,000 mAh battery and you realise just how serious Sony is about 2013.
Well, we can only hope all these rumors indeed turn out to be true. That would be rather pleasant news indeed.
Source: IT168
Sony Xperia 4
The Sony Xperia 4 is the first of the devices whose details have been leaked. However, the Sony Xperia 4 is not the flagship you're looking for. It's more of a mid range replacement for those looking for a smaller, yet powerful smartphone, complete with a high resolution display and a fast processor. The specifications follow:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960T
- 1.7 GHz dual core Krait CPU
- 1.5 GB of RAM
- 720p display - 360 ppi - 4" display
- 12 MP camera
- 16 GB of internal storage
- micro SD card for expandable storage
- 1800 mAh battery
The Xperia 4 will use a new Snapdragon MSM8960T chipset. This is a 28 nm chipset packing two Krait based CPUs running upto 1.7 GHz each. The primary difference between this chipset and the older MSM8960 is the use of the newer (and faster) Adreno 320 GPU (in place of the previous gen Adreno 225). The 1.5 GB of RAM is an odd configuration, but then again people would find a way to complain about 1 GB of RAM "only". 1.5 GB seems to be a nice compromise between 1 and 2 GB.
Sony Xperia 5
The Xperia 5 is the next stop in the planned Sony smartphones for 2013. The Xperia 5 doesn't have many of it's details leaked. That said, we believe it will be sharing many of it's features with the Xperia 4 itself. The only new features seem to be the following:
- 5" 1080p display
- 2400 mAh battery
If the Xperia 5 packs the same chipset and internals (remainder of it) as the Xperia 4, we might have a budget smartphone packing a 1080p display. We aren't sure if a dual core would suffice for a 1080p panel, but again the display is run by the GPU (GPU acceleration in Android). The Adreno 320 is a powerful GPU, as it has proven with the HTC Droid DNA, which uses the same GPU and a 1080p display. Also, going by the naming convention, we believe it will pack a 5" display.
Sony Xperia 5 R
The Sony Xperia 5R is exactly the smartphone that every 5" 1080p bearing droid is, or will be in the next couple of months. Packing a 5" display with 1080p resolution, Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, 2 GB of RAM, loads of internal storage, and of course a big battery (unlike the Droid DNA, which simply needs a bigger battery. HTC you listening?), the Xperia 5R will simply be Sony's offering, adding more devices with different names to essentially the same phone. Anyways, it's specifications, again if the leak is to be believed are:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064
- 1.5 GHz quad core Krait CPU
- 2 GB of RAM
- 1080p display - 440 ppi - 5" display
- 13 MP camera
- 32 GB of internal storage
- micro SD card for expandable storage
- 2800 mAh battery
The phone is looking pretty decent. Shapes up well as a flagship right? Wrong. Because Sony thinks otherwise (methinks too! need some variation already). And that's where Sony steps the game up with these next two devices. Read on.
Sony Xperia 6
The Sony Xperia 6 is the company's flagship phablet device for 2013. And rightly so (which you will come to believe, once you complete reading this). And in case you're guessing, the naming convention does match with the device's display size. Yes, we are talking 6" 1080p display. How is it possible? Well Toshiba has already demonstrated a 6" panel, and since Sony and Toshiba are under the same display technology joint venture, it is entirely plausible for Sony to use the very same panel.
The specifications go like this:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064
- 1.5 GHz quad core Krait CPU
- 3 GB of RAM
- 1080p display - 370 ppi - 6" display
- 13 MP camera
- 32 GB of internal storage
- micro SD card for expandable storage
- 3500 mAh battery
Packing the same specifications more or less as the Xperia 5R, what makes the Xperia 6 stand out is it's 6" display. That said, the 3 GB of RAM that this device is rumored to pack is a first for an Android device too, and the humongous 3,500 mAh battery tells us that Sony is finally serious about long battery life (all hail Sony, they have achieved enlightenment). The devices 6" display puts it out as a rather large piece of equipment to carry around in one's hand. It's still possible that the device has no bezel at all, but we will find out about that soon.
But we are still looking for that true flagship that will blow away in performance, pack those stunning specifications, and of course Sony's well known good looking design (a new one for a new generation). And maybe Sony does have something on the card for those who feel that way. And that's where the unnamed flagship for 2013 enters into the picture.
Sony Xperia *unnamed*
The unnamed Xperia flagship for 2013 will be Sony's fastest and flagship "smartphone" (excludes phablets), and 5" now comes under smartphone territory, so there you go:
- ARM Cortex A15 based quad core CPU
- 3 GB of RAM
- 1080p display - 440 ppi - 5" display
- 16 MP camera
- 3000 mAh battery
That's what we are talking about, an ARM Cortex A15 based quad core, which will blow away current Krait based Snapdragon S4 Pro chips out of the water. Add to that the new Sony standard of 3 GB RAM (we are yet to see a Sony device with 2 GB RAM and now Sony's planning 3 GB, something really has put the company on over drive), and a humongous 16 MP camera sensor with a 3,000 mAh battery and you realise just how serious Sony is about 2013.
Well, we can only hope all these rumors indeed turn out to be true. That would be rather pleasant news indeed.
Source: IT168