Published in Mobiles

Sony Xperia XZ now available in US

by on06 October 2016


Unlocked at Amazon and Best Buy for $699

Sony’s flagship smartphone this year, the Xperia XZ, first became available in Taiwan last week and is now available in the US after it sold out of pre-orders overseas in about 45 minutes.

sony xperia xz
Image credit: GSM Arena

The device features a solid metal build with a 5.2-inch, 1920x1080p IPS display (424ppi) and runs with a quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of internal storage. It also has a 23-megapixel rear-facing camera with phase detection and laser autofocus, a 13-megapixel front camera and supports 4K video capture at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps. Other specifications include 24-bit 192KHz audio with DSEE HX technology, 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, stereo speakers, a USB-C connector and a non-removable 2900mAh battery.

sony xperia xz front androidcentral

Image credit: AndroidCentral

As for size, the phone measures 146mm wide, 72mm tall and 8.1mm thick, just about the same size as the Google Pixel smartphone (8.5mm thick) with 5-inch display. The phone is also IP68 certified for dust and water resistance.

For some reason or another, the US version of the device does not include a fingerprint reader, and this has been a recent trend with Sony’s smartphones in the region. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, the pre-order bundle included a charging dock, a 16GB USB-C storage connector, a flip-cover case and a back cover case.

While the Xperia XZ is the company’s flagship phone this year, the company has also released a smaller Xperia X Compact featuring a 4.6-inch display, Snapdragon 650 and the same 23-megapixel rear camera for $499.

Pricing and availability

The Xperia XZ is currently available in Mineral Black, Platinum and Forest Blue in 32GB models at Amazon and Best Buy for $699. It will also be available in Deep Pink, and according to one source, the company may also include some extras in its US bundle such as a Sony SBH70 Stereo Bluetooth headset and an additional warranty.

The device is currently available for pre-order in the UK for £539 and is expected to arrive on October 18th, but may get there sooner.

Last modified on 06 October 2016
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