In what appears to be a growing trend among recent popular Android smartphones, Sony's flagship, waterproof Xperia Z will be getting a Google Edition variant. The Xperia Z will join both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One as one of Google's new "Nexus user experience devices." The move leads many to suspect that Google is encouraging Android licensees to ditch custom skins so it can once and for all get rid of the phrase "Android fragmentation."
It was a little shocking that Google announced it would begin selling the Samsung Galaxy S4 with a Nexus user experience on its Google Play Store. Smartphones and tablets sold through Google have always been Nexus-branded devices. It was the first sign that Google is aiming to put its foot down and get its partners to try a new plan of offering a popular smartphone running stock Android with the added benefit of receiving updates when Google releases them. Many people buy Nexus devices over other smartphones and tablets because they are guaranteed to not have to wait for manufacturer and carrier testing before receiving an Android update.
Google soon followed up by announcing an HTC One Google Edition smartphone that would be sold alongside the Galaxy S4 Google Edition. It was evident that Google was trying to take control back of its mobile operating system by releasing another smartphone with stock Android and getting rid of the customizations HTC has laid on top of the Android. HTC even followed up by announcing that it was already looking for a way to bring stock Android to current HTC One smartphones for users who would prefer a Nexus user experience without buying the HTC One Google Edition. That statement alone was enough to make the tech world see a huge shift in the future of Android.
Sony is the third Android smartphone maker to offer its flagship smartphone with a Nexus user experience. Sources have confirmed that Google and Sony have joined forces to bring the waterproof Sony Xperia Z to the Google Play Store to be sold next to the Galaxy S4 and HTC One.
The smartphone, which is expected to be sold unlocked for $599, will be announced in July, and include the same specs of the current Xperia Z. It will feature the same 5-inch 1920 x 1080 TFT shatter proof and scratch-resistant glass display, and will be dust- and water-resistant up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. It will be powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, and will feature 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, microSD expansion slot with support for up to 64GB cards, 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash with full HD video recording, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and 4G LTE radio to support AT&T and T-Mobile's networks in the U.S.
Just like the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, the Xperia Z will only be initially available in the U.S. We'll have to wait and see what other smartphones and tablets Google plans on offering with stock Android, but the future of Android looks to be one the way Google intended.
