Sony is apparently planning to launch a successor to the Xperia Z1 Compact, as a handset believed to be the Xperia Z2 Compact has dropped by the FCC.
When it released its Xperia Z1 Compact, not too long ago, Sony revolutionized the trend of "Mini" devices. While other Mini versions of flagship smartphones came with watered-down specs, Sony released its smaller Xperia Z1 model without compromising much at all, aside from a few subtle changes.
It now seems that the company is working on a smaller version of its new Xperia Z2 flagship smartphone as well, if a recent FCC listing is any indication. As the Xperia Blog reports, a new Sony Xperia smartphone has dropped by the FCC with the codename "Altair" and model number SO-04F, which is the model number designation for Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo.
The NTT Sony Xperia Z1 had model number SO-01F and the Xperia Z1 Compact was SO-02F, which suggests that the Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Compact will come with model numbers SO-03F and SO-04F. Judging by these indications, the SO-04F model that passed through the FCC is expected to launch as the Sony Xperia Z2 Compact.
FCC images reveal the back panel of the Xperia device, showing a 1/2.3", 20.7-megapixel shooter and Sony G Lens, which grace the Xperia Z series of smartphones.
The FCC schematic for the device further shows the phone has a similar camera placement as the Xperia Z1 Compact. Moreover, the location of the LED flash further suggests that this is a Compact model, as the full-size Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z2 have the flash under the camera lens. The position of the front camera and sensors also fall in line with the design of the Xperia Z1 Compact.
Considering that the Xperia Z1 Compact launched with uncompromising specs, its successor is expected to be high-end as well. The Xperia Z2 Compact should match the specifications of the Z2 flagship (aside from the display size, of course), but may come with a larger screen compared to its predecessor.
Sony has yet to announce plans to launch an Xperia Z2 Compact smartphone, but the FCC listing suggests that it may not be long until the smaller version of the Xperia Z2 becomes official. We'll keep you up to date as soon as we learn more, so stay tuned.
