TOKYO: When the “phablet” craze started to take over the market, Sony were one of the companies that took particular liking to the idea, and they actually had a rather innovative approach. Now, they’re preparing for the release of the Xperia Z4, according to rumors, aiming to make it a 5.5 inch phablet with a Quad HD resolution and some impressive specifications beneath that glossy screen.
The release of the Z4 will mark a change in Sony’s market strategy, as the company has traditionally been more active than its competitors in releasing flagship devices. Most others tend to release their flagship phones on an annual basis, while Sony have preferred to keep their line up to date with more regular new releases. This might reportedly change in 2015 with the release of the Z4 however, as rumors indicate that the device is going to be the only flagship the company releases that year.
This wouldn’t be a very strange move anyway, as Sony seem to be making a more serious entry into the market with their new model. It’s not just about performance – Sony are reportedly going to have a more aggressive marketing approach for the device, having struck a deal for product placement in the new James Bond movie; at least if the rumors are true. Sony are actually going to take this one step further, getting Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes on board to help out with the design of the device. Whether or not this makes sense as a design move, it’s hard to tell – it depends on the extent to which their input will be considered in the phone’s production.
Beneath the surface, the new Z4 is aiming to be a serious powerhouse, with a 2.86 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and 6 GB of RAM. No, that’s not a typo – Sony are actually reported to be trying to fit 6 GB of RAM into their newest smartphone! This may sound outrageous and even a bit of a waste of resources, but given the current trends in the Android app market, as well as what’s expected to come in 2015, it makes sense that Sony would want to give their users a bit more freedom in what they can run.
Last but not least, Sony are also reportedly looking at a serious upgrade of the device’s battery, in order to provide sufficient usage time with the above hardware. If the rumors are true, the device will be powered by a whopping 12,100 mAh battery, a serious precedent in the smartphone market. However, judging by how smartphones have been evolving, it could soon become a standard solution.
