Sony has announced the Xperia Z1S exclusively for T-Mobile in the U.S. The waterproof smartphone packs a 5-inch HD display, a 20.7-megapixel camera and more.
When Sony launched the Xperia Z1 back in September, many smartphone fans were wondering when the handset would make its way to U.S. carriers. Sony and T-Mobile have just announced that the Xperia Z1S (the U.S. version of Xperia Z1) will be exclusively offered to T-Mobile customers beginning on Jan. 22 for $528 outright or $22 per month over two years.
The Xperia Z1S retains all of the features that made the Xperia Z1 a hit, including its high-end 20.7-megapixel rear camera. The shooter features Sony's f/2.0 aperture G Lens and BIONZ image processing system, which the company claims will allow users to capture images with less noise and enhanced auto-focus. Sony is shipping the Z1S with camera-centric software, including Social Live, which allows users to broadcast video directly to Facebook, and a new Timeshift Burst feature, which allows the camera to capture up to 61 images in two seconds.
Users will find a 5-inch Full HD TRILUMINOS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean on board. The smartphone is powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. The Z1S will include 32GB of internal storage and a microSD expansion slot that will support up to 64GB microSD cards.
Its wireless connectivity options consist of a 4G LTE radio, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and NFC. In addition to the 20.7-megapixel rear camera, the Z1S will sport a 2-megapixel front facing camera for video chat and selfies. The Z1S ships with a large 3,000 mAh non-removable battery.
Unlike the Xperia Z1, the Z1S is now rated with IP58 certification, which means the smartphone is completely waterproof and can be submerged in up to 4.9 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It is also IP55 dust-resistant.
"As a waterproof smartphone complete with the best of Sony's technology, Xperia Z1s breaks the mold of not only what you can do with a smartphone, but where you can take it," said Ravi Nookala, President, Sony Mobile Communications U.S. "Building on the momentum of the successful partnership for the launch of Xperia Z, T-Mobile's shared vision of delivering an uncompromised mobile experience makes them the perfect exclusive partner to bring Xperia Z1s to the U.S."
T-Mobile is allowing customers to pre-register for the Xperia Z1S and will begin taking pre-orders for the smartphone on Jan. 13 and the handset will be available in T-Mobile stores beginning on Jan. 22.
