Sony has officially launched the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact, its two new flagship smartphones for 2018.
True to the earlier rumours, both the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact will come equipped with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 845 processor. The Xperia XZ2 will sport a 5.7″ display, while the Xperia XZ2 Compact’s display will measure in at 5″. What’s new is that the display on both phones are now following the 18:9 display-to-body ratio.
Surprisingly, both displays will output HDR Full HD+ resolutions, so expect both phone to be capable of extremely accurate colour reproductions. Further product specification lists states that both model will ship out with 4GB of RAM and a 64GB UFS internal storage capacity, the latter of which can be expanded by up to 400GB via microSDXC card support.
Like its predecessors, the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact will launch with Google’s Android 8.0 Oreo installed. On the subject of battery life, Sony has packed the Xperia XZ2 with a 3,180mAh battery, while the XZ2 Compact gets 2,870mAh battery. On that note, both models will also support Sony’s Qunovo Adaptive Charging and Smart Stamina mode, which allows for more efficient battery use and consumption.
Size-wise, both the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are actually quite chunky, with a thickness of 11.1mm and 12.1mm respectively. To provide a sense of perspective; the Xperia XZ1 has a thickness of 7.4mm, while the XZ1 Compact was only 9.3mm.
The cameras are carry-on from the last generation; both phones sport the same 19MP Motion Eye camera that was first introduced on the Xperia XZ Premium and XZs. This means that the phones will also be capable of recording slow-motion video at 960 fps.
Also making a comeback is the 3D Creator app, which debuted with the Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact. To recap, the app essentially allows users to scan and capture a 3D image of a subject (e.g. a face or object), and then create a 3D avatar for future use. With te new flagships, Sony has now extended the use of the app to front-facing camera of the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact.
Having a Snapdragon 845 processor inside also means faster and more efficient LTE download speeds, thanks to the new Qualcomm X20 LTE modem. Regrettably, Sony had removed the headphone jack on both phones, and the specs sheet for both models will ship out with a USB Type-C to 3.5mm Audio Jack Adapter.
They did, however, announce that both the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact will be available sometime next month, though they did not specify any exact dates. As usual, there’s still no official word as to when the phones will be arriving on our shores, but here’s to hoping that we’d be one of the first countries in Southeast Asia.
