Though much of the focus in the gadget world has been focused on Nokia and Google products (both companies are holding conferences this week), Sony refuses to be outdone and has announced its Xperia ZR smartphone. With this handset Sony appears to be building on imaging technology, a growing trend among smartphones these days highlighted by the Nokia Lumia 928. The Xperia ZR though, will boast the “highest level of water-resistance for filming in Full HD underwater,” according to an Xperia Blog.
Under the hood Sony has confirmed the Xperia ZR will sport a 4.55-inch 720×1280 OptiContrast display, which is 319 ppi. The Xperia will feature an adequate 8GB of internal storage with MicroSD support for more, a solid 2GB of RAM, and a respectable 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor with Adreno 320 graphics.
While the specs seem capable enough, the real innovation is in the form of Sony’s camera imaging technology. The 13mp Exmor RS Sensor with HDR bolsters both snapshot and video capabilities. Sony also notes the Xperia
“is IP55 and IP58 compliant, being both dust-resistant and ‘waterproof’. You can keep the phone submerged in 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. To easily take pictures or videos under water, the Xperia ZR also has a dedicated camera button, something that was missed on the Xperia Z as well as last year’s Xperia V.”
Other goodies include LTE, NFC, MHL, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 2300mAh battery. Its important to note that while it seems almost all devices have NFC and NFC itself isn’t that most groundbreaking technology, it is a feature that was uncharacteristically omitted from Apple’s iPhone 5 though it may make an appearance on the upcoming iPhone 5S. The device will be available in black, white, pink, and mint.
No word on price yet, though the Xperia fan blog is pegging a June release in “select markets.” Keep checking back with BostInno for updates on the Xperia ZR. In the meantime, lets hear from the Sony users and haters out there. Is a Sony smartphone worth switching from a Apple, Samsung, LG, or Nokia device? Are you content with the current Sony handset you have? Or are you more likely to ditch the Xperia ZR for a rival gadget? Keep us posted in the comments section below.
