One of the features we miss the most on Sony’s 2016 range of Xperia devices is the humble lanyard hole. Sony supported the use of the lanyard throughout all of the Xperia Z range since 2013, straight through to the Z5 family last year. It also supported the lanyard across a number of other mid-range Xperia handsets over the years.
It is a simple, but very useful, feature that is not natively supported by many smartphone manufacturers these days. Sony was one of the last to support the lanyard in 2015, so it was a shame to see its removal with the Xperia X series. [read more…]
A quick head-up to let our US readers know that the Sony Xperia X Compact is now showing as in stock through Amazon.com
. All three colours of the handset are available to order for $499.99, including Mist Blue, Universe Black and White. Let us know if you’ve stuck an order in below, and if not, what’s stopped you – price, specs or something else entirely? Please do chime in below. [read more…]
Sony Mobile USA finally announced launch details for the Xperia XZ earlier in the week, but up until now the handset was not available to pre-order. Well that now changes, as Amazon.com
has the handset up for pre-order for $699.99 across all three colours (Forest Blue, Mineral Black and Platinum). The Xperia XZ will be released on 2 October 2016.
At the time of writing, there does not appear to be any kind of credit promotion like there was for Xperia X Compact pre-orders, where Amazon offered $50 back. The Xperia X Compact is still on pre-order for $499.99, but that $50 promotion appears to have ended. The handset is due to be released tomorrow in the USA. [read more…]
Sony Slovakia held a press conference earlier today and also let slip when its Xperia devices would receive the update to Android 7.0 Nougat. According to a Sony slide, the Sony Xperia XZ and X Performance will be the first devices to receive the Android N update in October 2016. The Xperia X and X Compact are expected to follow in November 2016.
We should then see the 2015 Xperia Z series be updated around December 2016. This will include updates for the Xperia Z5 family, the Xperia Z3+ as well as the Xperia Z4 Tablet. Finally, the Xperia XA and XA Ultra will be updated in ‘early 2017’, which could mean any time up until March 2017. [read more…]
We previously reported that Sony Mobile was planning an Xperia Beta Program for Sony Xperia X Performance owners. This would allow select Xperia X Performance owners a first look at Sony’s pre-release version of Android 7.0 Nougat.
Well, registration for the Xperia Beta Program for X Performance owners has opened today. Sony Mobile has updated the “Xperia Beta Program” app in the Google Play Store to take account for this – previously, the app was designed for Xperia Z3/Z3 Compact owners in the Beta Program. Sony is notifying users of the Beta Program’s existence through the Xperia Lounge app. [read more…]
Sony Mobile has so far introduced seven Xperia models that support a fingerprint scanner. This includes last year’s Xperia Z5 series (Z5, Z5 Compact, Z5 Premium) and this year’s Xperia X series (X, X Performance, X Compact and XZ).
What all of these handsets have in common is that none of the equivalent models launched into the United States support the finger print scanner (apart from the Xperia Z5 Premium, which never officially launched in the US). Sony has never detailed the reason behind this move, apart from saying it was a “business decision”, which could mean it might have had to pay some kind of licensing fee in the US if the feature was enabled. [read more…]
Sony Mobile launched a new app earlier in the year called “Xperia Tips”. The app was designed to get the most out of your phone, based on your usage patterns. The app first featured in Sony’s Concept firmware releases and is also included in all 2016 Sony Xperia devices. These tips may seem quite basic to some of our readership, but we’re sure they serve a purpose for those that aren’t tech-minded.
Below you will find three new tips that will hit the “Xperia Tips” app later in the year. The great thing about these ideas is that they were all chosen by the Xperia Concept community, through a competition that took place earlier in the year. The designs/text below are still work-in-progress, but give an idea of what to expect when they hit your device. [read more…]
For some reason (don’t ask us why), Sony has offered double the internal storage on dual-SIM versions of key Xperia devices launched this year, versus their single SIM counterparts. Everybody likes to have as much storage as possible, so when the dual SIM variants of the Xperia X, X Performance and upcoming XZ carry 64GB, it somewhat grates that the single SIM variants of the same handsets only carry 32GB.
When you launch a flagship device there is an expectation over the level of specifications that go into the handset. We have not seen Sony do this in the past, so it is frustrating knowing that there is a ‘better’ version of your handset somewhere else in the world. So, please Sony, make these the last devices where single SIM owners are treated as second-class citizens. Share the love in 2017. Peace out.
Sony Mobile has confirmed that it will launch the unlocked Xperia XZ for $699, with a release date of 2 October 2016. The handset will be offered in three colours (Forest Blue, Mineral Black and Platinum) through Amazon, Best Buy and other participating retailers.
We have already reported on the Xperia X Compact being up for pre-order in the United States. The Xperia X Compact has a recommend price point of $499, although Amazon are offering $50 credit for a limited time, and it will launch on 25 September.
We are noticing a trend here. . . Sony Mobile has kicked off pre-orders in the UAE and is offering a free gift during the pre-order period. Popular retailer Jumbo is offering either a free Sony Bluetooth headphone or a free Sony wireless portable speaker (each are worth around AED 799), when you pre-order the Xperia XZ Dual. The Xperia XZ Dual is being sold for AED 2,299 with orders expected to ship on 1 October 2016. [read more…]
If you find that your Sony Xperia device is playing up a bit, then one way to help diagnose what might be wrong is to boot your phone into a ‘safe mode’. Booting into safe mode disables third-party apps, which means that if you are suffering from excessive battery drain or performance issues then you can use this mode to help determine whether it is one of your installed apps that is the problem.
Safe mode won’t isolate the problem to a specific app, but if you don’t experience any issues in safe mode then there is a strong likelihood that one of your apps is the culprit. This function has existed for years, but many people are not aware of its existence in Android. We often receive emails asking for support with Xperia devices and this is one of the methods that we refer people to. Please see the below instructions on how to boot into safe mode. [read more…]
. All three colours of the handset are available to order for $499.99, including Mist Blue, Universe Black and White. Let us know if you’ve stuck an order in below, and if not, what’s stopped you – price, specs or something else entirely? Please do chime in below. 
has the handset up for pre-order for $699.99 across all three colours (Forest Blue, Mineral Black and Platinum). The Xperia XZ will be released on 2 October 2016.