Have you ever felt the urgent need to send a text message while in the shower? Ever debated whether to get up and take a bath or to simply continue your marathon TV session? If so, Sony has got just the right phone for you.
Not known to be a big player in the phone industry, Sony is attempting to make some noise at this year's International CES (CES 2013). On Tuesday, it finally took the lid off its newest smartphones, the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL. Outside of one noteworthy feature, both phones are exactly the same. The Xperia Z, though, is interesting because of Sony's claim that it's waterproof, enabling users to take it pretty much wherever they please.
"If you want to want to sit in the bath and watch an HD movie this is the device for you," said Sony's Steve Walker. To prove that Xperia Z is waterproof, Sony has gone to great lengths to dunk the device in a bowl of water at its CES booth.
Before getting too excited about sending Instagrams on the next scuba diving trip, though, it's worth noting that the Xperia Z is only waterproof in depths of up to one meter. The phone will survive for 30 minutes, but it also needs to have all of its connecting ports protected with a plastic cover.
In addition to being water resistant, Sony is touting the phone's one touch functions and "Stamina" system, which reportedly doubles the set's battery life.
"With Xperia Z, were are bringing over a half century of innovation in TV, music, film and gaming to create a superphone with experience that truly stands out," said Kuni Suzuki, president and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications. "With great specifications, Sony's media applications, One-touch functions and outstanding battery life, Xperia Z is well positioned for leadership in the smartphone market. By putting smartphones at the heart of our strategy, Sony is enabling people to create, enjoy and share content and experiences like never before."
Hopping on the "ridiculously large phone" bandwagon, the Xperia sports a 5-inch screen and has the privilege of being the first smartphone to support 1080p resolution. Rounding out the features are a 13-megapixel camera and a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor.
The Android-based phone will launch running on Jelly Bean 4.1, with an update to 4.2 arriving shortly after. The phone will be available in the first quarter of 2013, though no specific date or price has been set.
