Sony has released a flagship and mid-range smartphone, along with wearable and smartwatch devices, in a major overhaul of its product line.
The devices, unveiled in Berlin ahead of the IFA consumer electronics show, include a 5.2-inch smartphone called the Xperia Z3, along with a more compact 4.6-inch version known as the Xperia Z3 Compact.
The Android smartphones are based on a 2.5 GHz quad-core CPU and are fully waterproof, with Sony claiming they feature the best camcorder in any smartphone, shooting 4K resolution at four times Full HD. They also act as a remote screen for the company’s Playstation 4 game console.
Sony also released the Z3 Tablet Compact, a waterproof Android tablet featuring an 8-inch Full HD LCD display and powered by a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor. The company claims it is the world’s slimmest and lightest compact tablet, weighing just 270 grams and measuring 6.4 mm in depth.
Sony’s first Android Gear smartwatch, the SmartWatch 3, features a 1.6-inch 320×320 TFT LCD display. However, the device doesn’t feature a round display like LG’s G Watch R or Motorola’s Moto 360, nor can it make calls without a smartphone, as Samsung’s Gear S does.
Sony’s new wearable, the SmartBand Talk, is a fitness tracking bracelet that features a 1.4-inch e-paper display and is capable of making calls. However, the device lacks the full functionality or full sized screen found on most smartwatches.
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
