In a mobile world dominated by Apple and Samsung, Sony tends to struggle when it comes to introducing eye-catching products. The company tried to change that perception recently with its Xperia Z smartphone line-up, and on Monday, Sony announced that the Xperia phones are getting a big brother: the Xperia Tablet Z.
The new tablet shoots onto the scene with an impressive array of features behind it. At 6.9mm thick, it is even thinner than the iPad Mini (previously the thinnest tablet on the market at 7.2mm thick). For further comparison, the iPad 4 is 9.4mm while Google's Nexus 10 sits at 8.9mm thick. Aside from that headline-grabbing specification, the 10.1-inch Tablet Z weighs only 495 grams. So in one announcement, Sony suddenly boasts the thinnest and lightest tablet available.
Like the Xperia Z smartphone, the Tablet Z is also waterproof and dustproof, though to what depths, we're not exactly sure of yet. The smartphone can withstand being submerged up to one meter, so it's likely that the tablet will be capable of roughly the same.
Powering the new device is a Qualcomm 1.5Ghz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and support for microSD expansion. The display features a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels enhanced by Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine, and the product even works in an 8-megapixel camera on the back. Sony is also bragging about a new feature that it's calling "S-Force Front Surround 3D." According to The Verge, this "apparently helps convey the movement of sound and a spacious feeling."
The Xperia Tablet Z will launch running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, sport LTE and NFC support, and retail in two available colors: white and black.
The specs for Sony's new tablet were actually leaked onto the Internet last week, though obviously they weren't confirmed until the official announcement.
As of now, there's no word on plans to release the tablet outside of Japan, where it's set to launch in the spring. No word on pricing, either.
Why Sony decided not to show this new tablet at the 2013 International CES is unknown, considering it would've likely garnered a lot of attention. The announcement comes just a few days after the company revealed it's selling its New York City headquarters as well as remarks by some analysts skeptical of a long-term turnaround. So maybe it was saved as a way to quickly turn some bad news into good.
