Xperia Z4 slips down the Japanese charts, just one week after launch

The Sony Xperia Z4 launched in Japan on 10 June and almost immediately we saw reports of users complaining about heat issues. There’s no denying that Sony has had a bit of a torrid time since then, with various reports regarding throttling and overheating as the handset saw a wider release, including the Xperia Z3+ globally.

These reports were always going to impact sales and now we are starting to see the first impact of that. Looking at the top 10 smartphone sales in Japan, the Xperia Z4, which debuted at number 1 and 2 respectively for the NTT docomo and au by KDDI variants respectively, has taken a tumble. Just one week later, the Xperia Z4 now sits at positions 7 and 8 with iPhone models dominating the top five and the Xperia Z3 Compact at position 6.

Typically after a Sony Xperia flagship has launched in Japan, the handset has sat towards the top of the charts for a number of weeks or longer. Japan remains one of Sony Mobile’s most important and historically strongest markets, so to see such apathy towards the company’s latest flagship is concerning. The high price points are unlikely helping, especially when combined with reports of overheating. Sony may need to price the handset more realistically in the coming weeks/months to drive greater attention.

Japan Top 10 Smartphone Sales_2015.06.21