Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Price in Philippines is Php 30,990, It's Official : Initial Impressions, In the Flesh Photos

Many of you have been sending me inquiries via email, Twitter, and Facebook about this svelte handset's availability in the Philippines ever since it was introduced by the legendary Japanese company last September at IFA 2014 in Berlin.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines

Well, today, I bring you great news! Sony Xperia Z3 Compact - along with its bigger sibling, the regular Sony Xperia Z3 co-flagship - will finally be hitting store shelves across the archipelago later this month with an official suggested retail price of Php 30,990 -- and I heard you can get a big discount if you're going to make a straight cash purchase.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines, Mark Milan Macanas

As I've shared on Instagram, I graced Sony Philippines' warm invitation for the much-anticipated event and at the venue's exhibit area, I got the chance to play with this very cute but powerful handset. I own a Sony Xperia Z1 Compact - this release's predecessor - and I have to say, the 2014 follow-up truly brings this line to a higher level.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact - as its very name suggests - is practically just a condensed version of the Sony Xperia Z3, which makes it an ideal smartphone for users who want a smaller device but aren't keen on compromising raw power and stellar imaging capabilities.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines

The phone's 4.6-inch HD Triluminos display - which is considerably smaller than the 5.2-inch screen of the regular variant - pretty much dictated its very 'pocket-friendly' design identity and dimensions. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact measures 127.3 x 64.9 x 8.6 millimeters, which should make it a joy to keep in the pocket or to hold -- for users who have smaller hands

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines

Apart from its brilliant Triluminos IPS display featuring with a wider color gamut and better contrast for a more enjoyable viewing experience, the handset also comes with a 20.7 MegaPixel autofocus camera at the back (which is just the same as that of the larger version) with 1/2.3” Exmor RS mobile sensor, BIONZ mobile processing engine, a new 25mm wide-angle G Lens - allowing you to fit more of the subject into every shot, and the world’s first ISO 12800 sensitivity in a smartphone, which greatly boosts its low-light imaging performance. This main camera is complemented by a 2.2 MegaPixel front cam with BSI sensor that delivers clear and crisp selfies even when there's little ambient light.

The Japanese company likewise made sure that there are enough new social camera apps and editing features that will take the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact camera experience to the next level. For instance, you can capture an event and your reaction to it at the same time with the Face-In add-on; Add scribbles and animations to pictures with AR Fun; Create a movie from your photos and videos with Movie Creator; Record from multiple angles with up to three compatible Xperia devices filming at the same time with Multi-Camera; Or add sound to a photo with Sound Photo.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines

"Small but incredible" -- that's how I described this release in my previous post and it's largely because of its internal hardware, which is largely similar to that of its bigger sibling. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat operating system (featuring the company's own user interface) with the same, powerful Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 chipset that incorporates four Krait 400 cores clocked at 2.5 GHz and an Adreno 330 GPU. While Sony Xperia Z3 has 3 GB of RAM, this Compact variant only has 2 GB -- but the two of them share the same expandable internal storage of 16 GB. For regular consumers, this set of innards should translate to a lag-free gaming and buttery smooth overall touch experience on the device.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines

Looks-wise, Sony Xperia Z3 Compact flaunts the company's OmniBalance design identity, which we also see on their other flagship handset releases. Basically, the device has two sheets of scratch-resistant tempered glass panels sandwiching a tough, translucent plastic frame that mimics the look of real metal. Yes; Interestingly, unlike the 4.3-inch Sony Xperia Z1 Compact from 2013, the refresh doesn't have an aluminum body. I guess Sony did that to make the 2014 release noticeably lighter.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Philippines
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is IP68 Certified, which means that its stellar build and construction prevents water ingress when the phone is submerged in a meter of liquid for up to 30 minutes. So I guess we can really call the device 'water-proof'.

One of the cool new software features that you can get on the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is PlayStation Remote Play, which lets you connect the handset to the console and use it as 'game screen'. It's great for those times when the TV is being used by your folks and you just have to get your fill of your favorite PS4 games. Just connect your Xperia smartphone to your PS4 via home Wi-Fi and use Sony's DUALSHOCK4 Wireless Controller with the GCM10 Game Control Mount to continue playing games anywhere at home on the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. On top of that, the PlayStation App lets you use your new Xperia smartphone as a second screen to remotely watch the game play of your friends, communicate with friends on the PlayStation Network, or purchase PS4 games. Isn't that coolest?

To wrap this up, let me share with you what Mr. Vince de la Cruz, Manager for Mobile Communications at Sony Philippines, said during the exclusive media launch event: "At Sony Mobile, ‘flagship’ now means offering a choice to consumers of enjoying a large screen Xperia Z3 for immersive entertainment or a more compact, lighter Xperia Z3 Compact that doesn’t ask you to compromise on features. Consumers demand and deserve greatness from their smartphone – in design, camera and battery life. That’s precisely what we aim to deliver with Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact, at the same time as delivering leading innovations such as unique Sony camera experiences and, for the first time, PS4 Remote Play in two beautifully designed, fully waterproof smartphones."

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Type Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category Upper Midrange (Flagship Level)
Dimensions127.3 x 64.9 x 8.6 mm
Weight 129 grams
Available Colors Black, White, Green, Mandarin Orange
Operating System Android 4.4.4 KitKat skinned by Sony's Xperia UI
Display 4.6 inches (~319 ppi pixel density), 720 x 1280 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 2.5 GHz Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 chipset
RAM 2 GB RAM
Internal Storage 16 GB, 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: 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 2,600 mAh battery
Uptime Up to 920 Hours of Standby, 110 hours of Music Play, 14 Hours of Talk Time
Value-Added Features Triluminos Display with Live Colour LED and X-Reality, X-Reality for mobile, PS4 Remote Play, S-Force Front Surround, Top-notch Imaging Capabilities, IP65 and IP68 Certified Dust and Water-Resistant
Announcement September 3, 2014 - IFA 2014 in Berlin
Philippines: October 14, 2014 at Century City Mall in Makati City
Availability Last Week of October 2014
Price Official SRP: Php 30,990