Sony is reported to be readying a new mobile flagship onslaught at the Mobile World Congress next month which could see the launch of the Xperia XA 2017, the successor to the current Xperia XZ. With less than a month left for the grand event to unfold in Barcelona, a new video believed to depict the new Xperia XA has surfaced online, providing eager enthusiasts a sneak peek of what lies ahead.
Among the aspects that are immediately perceptible from the video is the rather longish design of the handset, with thick bezels along the top and bottom. Whether that has to do with the lack of it along the sides is not known though it does make the design look a bit different, or maybe even awkward. That said, looks has a lot to do with personal choice, and it wouldn’t be surprising if there are many who swear by the XA’s looks.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Sony Xperia XA Ultra unlocked smartphone,16GB Black (US Warranty) | $792.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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Sony Xperia XA2 Factory Unlocked Phone - 5.2" Screen - 32GB - Silver (U.S. Warranty) | $599.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The rest of the details that has come to the fore are a 5.5-inch 2160 x 3840-pixel 4K display with a Snapdragon 835 chip running the show from the other side of it. Further, the handset codenamed ‘Yoshino’ will have either a 4 GB or a 6 GB LPDDR4 RAM for blazing performance.
Bearing the model number G3121, the device is also shown featuring a front facing camera along with a Type-C port. That apart, the device will also come with a 23 mp rear cam backed by IMX400 sensor. Sony’s flagship devices have always been known for their superior camera performance, and the new XA is only expected to take the attribute to newer heights. There is also likely to be stereo speaker included as well.
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- Large 6” near borderless display on a narrow, curved 5.5” grip
- Front 16 MP Camera with optical image stabilization and a slow sync flash for the perfect selfie or group picture
- Main 21 MP Camera with fast Hybrid Autofocus to capture any moment
- 16GB onboard memory and up to 200GB expandable with MicroSD card
- SIM unlocked and compatible with GSM/LTE carriers utilizing GSM network such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Straight Talk, MetroPCS, Simple Mobile, Bright spot, Net10, h20 Wireless, Cricket Wireless
Overall, the build quality seems top notch, as has always been the case with Sony devices. The rear cam is placed along the top left corner with the LED flash just below it. There is no fingerprint sensor to be seen, though, and it would be quite a glaring omission if Sony misses out on that; unless Sony has some other means of making up for it. That could mean a fingerprint sensor placed beneath the front display itself and so on.
Apart from the flagship Xperia XA, other sources have also pointed out Sony might have at least four new handsets to unveil at the MWC. As such, the next in line is a model codenamed ‘BlancBright’ that will have slightly lower specs.
Those includes either a Snapdragon 835 or 635 chip mated to a 4 GB RAM. It will have a 5.5-inch QHD display and will come with the same IMX400 camera sensor as the top-end model. Overall, the BrancBright can well be seen as the more budget version of the Yoshino.
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- 5.2” edge-to-edge full HD display (1080P) with curved 2.5D Corning Gorilla glass.
- 23 MP Main Camera with 1/2.3" Exmor RS for mobile image sensor and 24mm wide-angle F2.0 lens, 4K video recording, and 120fps slow-motion video.
- 8MP Exmor R front-facing Camera with 120-degree super-wide-angle lens.
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 Octa-core processor. Always-on fingerprint sensor, 3,300 mAh battery, and SmartAmp for more immersive sound.
- Verizon Certified, Unlocked, and compatible with carrier networks such as Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Straight Talk, MetroPCS, Cricket wireless, simple mobile, and others.Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PtFKWwWCnc
Next, comes the ‘Keyaki’ and ‘Hinoki’ that would be mid-range offering and is expected to come powered by a MediaTek Helio P20 chip. However, Keyaki will be slightly upmarket and will feature a 5.2-inch full HD display, 4 GB of RAM along with 64 GB of storage. It will also have a 16 mp rear and 8 mp front cam.
Hinoki, on the other hand, will come with a 5-inch 720p HD display along with a 3 GB RAM and 32 GB of storage. However, it will have the same 16 mp/8 mp rear and front camera setup as the Keyaki.
The Mineo will be the last and the cheapest in the series. However, there is nothing that we know of the device except that it is going to be priced around $350.
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