Sony Xperia Z2 Philippines Price and Release Date Guesstimate, Specs, Antutu Benchmark Score, Key Features

Last year, the legendary Japanese company hit it big with its flagship Android smartphone releases Sony Xperia Z, Sony Xperia Z1, and Sony Xperia Z Ultra. These devices were so good that they practically set the standard by which we judge the design, performance, and imaging capabilities of today's Android handsets -- regardless of brand.

Last February 24, 2014 - at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain - Sony formally introduced the Sony Xperia Z2, the official 2014 follow-up to the company's highly successful flagship line.

Sony Xperia Z2 Philippines

"With Sony Xperia Z2 we have taken our premium Z series to the next level, delivering unique experiences that only Sony can offer," shared Mr. Kunimasa Suzuki, President and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications.

"We have redefined the smartphone once again through our camera. Xperia Z2 offers an innovative experience that captures memories in stunning detail through 4K video shooting, or offers new ways to use the camera with our unique Xperia camera apps. Furthermore, the Best of Sony has been delivered in the sound quality and customers are now able to listen to their music even in noisy environments without interruptions thanks to our acclaimed digital noise cancelling technology."

Sony Xperia Z2 Philippines
Sony Xperia Z2 measures only 8.2 millimeters at its thickest point and yet Sony still managed to put a dedicated camera button on the side of the device, which should make it easier for users to launch the camera and start snapping photos. Personally, I love this button because it makes it possible for me to take selfies using the main camera; You all should know by now how much I love taking selfies!

Obviously, SXZ2 looks almost identical to its predecessor - having the same glass-metal-glass sandwich Omnibalance design identity and Dust-and-Water-Proof construction - but it does come replete with several improvements both on the outside and inside the shell. For one, not only will you get a larger 5.2-inch Full HD Triluminos Display with superior viewing angles - thanks to IPS screen technology - but you'll also have the bigger 3,200 mAh battery pack delivering an extended uptime.

Sony Xperia Z2 Philippines

Users will get practically the same 20.7 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash (with 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor, Sony’s award-winning G Lens, and intelligent BIONZ) that's on the Z1 but they'll now enjoy the new enhanced video mode, which captures memories in stunning detail in 4K resolution (3840 × 2160 pixels at 30 frames per second) at four times the detail of Full HD, delivering the world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone. Plus, SteadyShot image stabilisation technology ensures your footage will stay smooth even if you are walking. The new Movie Creator allows you to trim and crop your videos so that you can easily pick out what you want to share. Insert dramatic slowdown effects at one or more places on the timeline of the video, then preview the results before you save and share your video.

Sony Xperia Z2 Antutu Benchmark Score

As for the innards, the flagship phone runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system out of the box skinned by the latest version of Sony's Xperia UI with its Quad Core 2.3 GHz Krait 400 CPU and Adreno 330 GPU based Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 801 SoC, handles multitasking with 3GB of RAM, and has 16 GB of ROM that can be expanded via microSD card slot supporting up to 64 GB. These internal specifications combine to give Sony Xperia Z2 an Antutu Benchmark Score of 33,329, which merely reflects the fact that this handset is truly one of the most powerful Android devices out there.

Of course, just like any other Xperia smartphone, Sony Xperia Z2 features top-notch multimedia and gaming services that are unique to the Japanese company's handsets. These include the following:
  • “What’s New” app helps you discover new and recommended movies, music, games and apps for enjoyment on your Sony Xperia Z2 – all accessible from an informative and interactive widget on the home screen.
  • “WALKMAN” and Movies applications provide access to a global catalogue of more than 25 million songs on the “WALKMAN” app through the Music Unlimited service and tens of thousands of movies and TV series on the Movies app through the Video Unlimited service from Sony Entertainment Network.
  • PlayStation App gives you the chance to enjoy an enhanced gaming experience – keeping you connected to your gaming friends and the games you love to play.
  • PlayMemories Online – a cloud-based image and video service that is integrated into the Album application. A new ‘All Sync’ feature enables users to instantly auto-upload all of their photos without storage limitation to enjoy on all your devices.
  • TrackID TV- enhances your TV-viewing experience as it lets you search, share and explore information from broadcasted TV shows such as cast & crew, biographies, filmography or show related Tweets.
So when will Sony Xperia Z2 hit store shelves in the Philippines and how much will it cost? As of writing, TechPinas is still awaiting word from Sony Philippines on this smartphone's release date and official pricing details in the country. Nevertheless, I'm personally expecting the handset to land here very early in Q2 2014 if not within this month. As for the price tag, the TechPinas Guesstimate is around Php 33,000 or roughly the same as that of Sony Xperia Z1 during its launch in the Philippines in Q4 2013.

Update as of March 7, 2014: We've just been informed by a reliable source that SXZ2 will don an official SRP of Php 33,990 when it lands in the Philippines next month, April 2014.

Update as of June 2, 2014: Sony Xperia Z2 is now officially available in the Philippines. You can get it at all Sony Stores and authorized retailers nationwide.

What do Pinoy consumers think about Z2? Last February 26, 2014, I asked my TP Friends on Facebook and Twitter what they think about Sony's new flagship smartphone. Here are some of the top responses:

Mic Jam shared, "I like the design: It's slimmer but still water-proof. [I also like] the new IPS screen, which improves the viewing angles, the camera, which can now shoot 4k video, and of course, the stereo speaker that can rival HTC's Boomsound."

Francis Michael Velasco Depalco said, "It's Sony, so there's no question about [its quality]. Besides awesome specs, the premium executive look is always a plus against other leading brands. Xperia user for 3 years now."

According to Noel David, "Sony Xperia Z2's design is almost the same as the previous flagship, Z1. They added only few changes to "patch" the issues of the previous flagship which is already a great phone. They changed from TFT display to IPS, they put additional power by adding RAM (3GB) and increasing its processor's clock speed (2.3Ghz). They increased the battery capacity (3,200mAh from 3,000 mAh). And also they removed the Anti-Shatter Film that many users complain about because it gets scratched easily. As of now, I can say Sony Xperia Z2 will be one of the best smartphones upon its release."

Finally, quoting Pat Mark R. Evangelista, "Sony Xperia Z2 is definitely [a clear upgrade] to last year's Xperia Z1. Viewing angles on the phone is improved, thanks to the newly adopted IPS technology. This phone is first to [get the freshly released] Snapdragon 801 chipset, which promises an improvement on imaging and decoding department plus speed improvements than that of the Snapdragon 800 series. Sony UI, formerly known as TimeScape UI, had its relatively minor overhaul. The notifications panel now has quick settings tab to separate the notifications from the settings toggles, which is not present in the previous Sony smartphones. This phone ships with the most recent version of Android, Android 4.4.2 KitKat which delivers a very smooth experience. Overall, Sony Xperia Z2 is just like the Sony Xperia Z1 with some minor improvements both on the hardware and on the software side."

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Sony Xperia Z2
Type Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category High End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
Weight 163 grams
Available Colors White, Purple, Black
Operating System Android 4.4.2 KitKat
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
Processor Quad Core 2.3 GHz Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 801 chipset
RAM 3 GB RAM
Internal Storage 16 GB, expandable via microSD card slot, supports up to 64 GB
Camera 20.7 MegaPixels, autofocus, LED flash, BSI Sensor, 1/2.3'' sensor size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, image stabilization, HDR, panorama, Front: 2.2 MegaPixels, 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 A/V link), 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, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 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 microSIM
Battery Non-removable Li-Ion 3200 mAh battery
Uptime Up to 740 Hours of Standby, 120 hours of Music Play, 19 Hours of Talk Time
Value-Added Features Triluminos Display, Big Battery, Sony’s ClearAudio+ which automatically optimizes the audio experience without the need to adjust individual settings, X-Reality for mobile, Top-notch Imaging Capabilities, IP58 Certified Dust and Water-Resistant at 1 Meter for 30 Minutes
Announcement February 24, 2014 - MWC 2014 in Barcelona
Availability TP Guesstimate: Q2 2014
Philippines - June 2, 2014, Official
Price TP Guesstimate: Php 33,000
Official SRP: Php 33,990