Sony has introduced at IFA in Berlin its new flagship smartphone, the XZ3. Coming barely six months after the XZ2, the new device adds an OLED screen and a range of AI functions. It will also be among the first to launch with the new Android 9 Pie software. Available from the end of September, the phone's recommended retail price is EUR 799.
In line with other recent flagships, the Sony Xperia XZ3 features an OLED display with 18:9 screen ratio. The six-inch screen offers QHD+ resolution as well as Sony's X-Reality technique for mobile, which will "up-convert" SDR content to near HDR.
The phone comes with a more curved appearance than the XZ2, with 3D glass on the front and back over an aluminium frame for durability, together with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and IP65/IP68 certification for water resistance. The glass casing is shown off in a choice of black, white silver, forest green or bordeaux red colours.
New AI features include 'Side sense', to bring forward apps used often. By double-tapping anywhere on either side of the phone, the device displays apps often used for quick access. The XZ3 also comes with the new 'Smart launch' option, launching the camera when the phone is held up in landscape mode.
The XZ3's camera is similar to its predecessor, a 19-megapixel Motion Eye Advanced camera with support for 960 fps super slow-motion and 4K HDR video recording. On the front, the device has a 13-megapixel camera, which can also use the 3D Creator functions for adding facial expressions to images.
The same as the XZ2, the new phone runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with support for gigiabit LTE and fast charging, as well as coming with the S-Force Front Surround Sound speakers and support for hi-fi audio resolution. The XZ3 has a slightly larger battery of 3,330 mAh and also comes with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage.
