Apple need not resort to marketing ploys to promote the latest version of its iconic iPhone, the iPhone 5, but the Cupertino-based company cannot afford to just sit pretty either, as several challengers are looking to pull the rug from underneath its feet.
Sony launched its waterproof and dust resistant Xperia Z smartphone at the CES 2013 in January, and the device is already creating quite a stir.
With the Sony offering gearing up to topple the iPhone 5 from its pedestal, we check out how the two smartphones stack up against each other:
Processor
The iPhone 5 features a dual-core A6 processor, which is clocked at 1.3GHz, whereas the Sony Xperia Z features an asynchronous 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with Adreno 320 GPU.
"The Snapdragon S4 Pro processor is asynchronous, which means each core is powered up and down independently. So you get the precise amount of power when you need it, without wasting power when you don't," notes Sony.
Both the processors are good for the speed-hungry smartphones.
Display
The Xperia Z sports a 5-inch full HD Reality Display (1920 x 1080 pixels) with Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, which gives the "same quality you'd expect from a top quality HDTV." On the other hand, the iPhone 5 has a smaller 4-inch IPS LCD Retina display with just 1136 x 640 pixels resolution.
Moreover, the Xperia Z has a higher pixels density of 443 ppi when compared to the iPhone 5, which packs in only 326ppi.
Form Factor
The Xperia Z measures 5.47 x 2.79 x 0.31 inches, while the the iPhone 5 measures 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 inches, making the former taller, wider and thicker than the latter.
Weight-wise, at 5.15 ounces, the Sony offering is heavier than the Apple smartphone, which is 3.95 ounces.
Storage
The Xperia Z has 16GB of on-board storage, whereas the iPhone 5 is available in 16/32/64GB internal storage options.
However, unlike the iPhone 5, which does not have the option to expand the storage, the memory of Xperia Z can be expandable to a further 32GB using a microSD card.
Software
The Xperia Z comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box and the iPhone 5 comes pre-loaded with iOS 6.
Battery
Apple does not officially disclose the battery size of the iPhone 5 but teardowns of the smartphone reveal that it packs in a 1440mAh battery, which supports 8 hours of talk time and 225 hours of standby time. By contrast, the Xperia Z has a bigger 2330mAh battery with the Battery STAMINA mode, which saves unwanted battery drainage. The Xperia Z's battery supports up to 11 hours of talk time and 550 hours of standby time.
Camera
The Xperia Z features a 13-megapixel rear-facing Fast Capture camera with Exmor RS for mobile. The Xperia Z also has a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The iPhone 5, on the other hand, has an 8-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera,
Availability and Colors
The Xperia Z hit the UK shelves in February and is slated to release in other regions within Q1 2013. The iPhone 5 was released in September 2012.
The Xperia Z sports three colors: black, white and purple. The iPhone 5 is available only in black and white options.
It will be interesting to see if the waterproof and dust resistant Xperia Z can steal the iPhone 5's thunder.
