Sony Xperia Z4 Philippines Price and Release Date Guesstimate, Complete Specs, Features

Last April 20, 2015 in Tokyo - unbeknownst to many of you guys - legendary Japanese electronics giant Sony quietly announced the Sony Xperia Z4, which - as its name suggests - is the 2015 follow-up to its svelte imaging powerhouse Sony Xperia Z3.

Sony Xperia Z4

If you ask me, I think the 2014 TechPinas Badge of Excellence Awardee - Sony Xperia Z3 - was an incredible release - in terms of not only its stunning design and top-notch imaging features but also when it comes to technical specifications. That's why I find it rather odd that Sony seems to be having second thoughts about its capabilities in taking on its more successful rivals in the mobile industry.

For me, confidence is what Sony needs now more than ever and I'm really hoping that the Team Xperia could find it in themselves to just go out there - brimming with pride for their brand - and prove that Sony is not to underestimated even amidst these trying times for the company. This apparent reservation is not doing them any favor. I think they need to remind themselves that Sony is a legendary brand.

Sony Xperia Z4

Anyway, going to back to the handset; As you can see in these photos (courtesy of SCMP and Tokyo Times), Sony Xperia Z4 looks largely similar to its flagship predecessors -- flaunting the same scratch-resistant glass front and back panels sandwiching an aluminum frame and having an IP68-certified water-resistant construction. Nonetheless, it still represents design excellence as the Z4 is actually the thinnest and lightest top-level Xperia that Sony has released to date, weighing only 144 grams and measuring just 6.9 millimeters at its thickest point.

As a Sony Xperia Z1, Z Ultra, Z1 Compact, and Z2 owner, I'm totally fine (and happy) with the fact that Sony has chosen to stick to this look in crafting the Xperia Z4. As the old adage goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." And for me, this 'smartphone design language' is one of the best out there. I mean, if it's not, then why did other companies copy it?

Sony Xperia Z4
In terms of its construction, one thing I love about the SXZ4 is that it no longer has a metal flap covering its microUSB charging port, yet Sony still managed to make it resistant to water ingress. Cool, right?

Sony Xperia Z4

Real Sony fans would know that flagship-level Xperia handsets are some of the best cameraphones that are available in the market. And the same thing can be said of this 2015 model. The Z4 is equipped with a 20.7 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash, 1/2.3” ExmorRS mobile sensor and BIONZ mobile processing engine, a new 25mm wide-angle G Lens - allowing you to fit more of the subject into every shot, and ISO 12800 sensitivity delivering vastly improved low light performance.

Sony Xperia Z4
Sony Xperia Z4's main camera is almost the same as that of the Z3 but its front-facing selfie cam represents a vast improvement as it is now a 5 MegaPixel Wide-Angle shooter (versus just 2.2 MP on the previous model) and it even comes with this fun 'AR Mask' mode, which allows you to morph your face with that of other people or some animals.

SXZ4's display share similar specs as that of the 2014 model; It's a 5.2 inch Full HD TRILUMINOS IPS panel with 424 ppi pixel density. This is not quite in line what we're seeing on other 2015 flagship releases - most of which already have a 2K screen - but I guess, it's Sony's way of ensuring that the device will deliver a smooth and stutter-free touch and gaming performance, apart from giving it stellar internal specs headlined by the powerhouse Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3GB of RAM, and a choice between 32GB and 64GB of expandable storage. You see, a super high resolution screen can often be the source of limited uptime and lag-laden touch response.

Sony Xperia Z4
Speaking of gaming performance, you can connect the Z4 to your PS4 via home WiFi and use the DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller with the GCM10 Game Control Mount to play games anywhere at home, even away from the TV. I'm sure avid gamers will love this feature.

Sony Xperia Z4
The Z4 is powered by a 2,930 mAh Li-Ion battery which is - oddly enough - slightly smaller than the 3,100 mAh pack of the Z3. I believe Sony did this to make the 2015 update a whole lot thinner and lighter, which appears to be the trend in battleship smartphone models this year.

As of writing, Sony hasn't given official word on the Xperia Z4's official launch and pricing details in its key markets around the world, including the Philippines. However, based on Sony Xperia Z3's local release last year, I believe that the SXZ4 should land here sometime in Q3 2015 with retail price in the area of Php 36,000 to Php 37,000; That's just our TechPinas Guesstimate. (Actually - to be honest - given the changes in strategy that Sony is implementing in its mobile business, I'm not 100% sure that this model will see formal launch in our country. Here's to hoping that it will happen.) Stay tuned for updates regarding this amazing handset, TP Friends!

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Sony Xperia Z4
Type Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category High End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions146 x 72 x 6.9 mm
Weight 144 grams
Available Colors Black, White, Copper, Aqua Green
Operating System Android 5.0 Lollipop
Display 5.2 inches (~424 ppi pixel density), 1080 x 1920 pixels, Triluminos, IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, X-Reality for mobile – Sony’s intelligent super resolution technology which analyzes each image and optimizes the quality to deliver super sharp videos, Shatter-proof and scratch-resistant glass, Smart White Balance and Contrast
Processor Octa Core = Quad Core ARM Cortex-A53 + Quad Core Cortex-A57 CPU, Adreno 430 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 chipset
RAM 3 GB RAM
Internal Storage 32/64 GB options, expandable via microSD card slot, supports up to 128 GB
Camera Main: 20.7 MegaPixels, autofocus, LED flash, BSI Sensor, 1/2.3'' sensor size, 25mm wide-angle G Lens, ISO 12800 sensitivity
Features: Geo-tagging, Touch Focus, Face Detection, Image Stabilization, HDR, Panorama
Front: 5 MegaPixels, Wide-Angle, Exmor R, BSI Sensor
Video Capture 2160p 30 frames per second, 1080p @ 60fps, 720p @ 120fps frames per second for main camera, video stabilization, Full HD 1080p for front camera
Audio and Video Playback MP4, H.263, H.264, MP3, eAAC+, WAV, Flac player
Ports microUSB v2.0, TV-out (via MHL 3 TV-out), USB Host, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, ANT+, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.8 Mbps; LTE, Cat6, 50 Mbps UL, 300 Mbps DL
GPS Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS
Sensors Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope
Network 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, 4G Network LTE800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600
SIM Card Type nanoSIM
Battery Non-removable Li-Ion 2,930 mAh battery
Uptime TBD
Value-Added Features Triluminos Display with Live Colour LED and X-Reality, Big Battery, X-Reality for mobile, PS4 Remote Play, S-Force Front Surround, Top-notch Imaging Capabilities, IP65 and IP68 Certified Dust and Water-Resistant
Announcement Japan ~ April 20, 2015
Availability TP Guesstimate: Q3 2015
Price TP Guesstimate: Php 36,990