MWC 2017
The world's largest annual mobile event - Mobile World Congress - takes place on the last days of February. We're on the ground in Barcelona to bring you all of the week's news. Tune in here for our full coverage, including hands-on with new phones from LG, BlackBerry, Huawei, Alcatel, ZTE, Sony, and more.
Also, follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-second news and extras:
Jolla Ports Sailfish to Sony Xperia X, Launches China Venture
Sailfish OS will find a new home on the Sony Xperia X smartphone. Jolla and Sony today said Jolla has created a custom version of Sailfish that can run on Xperia X handset. Jolla is taking advantage of Sony's Open Device program to make this happen. The Jolla-enabled Xperia X won't be sold to consumers, however, and is instead meant to serve more as a developer platform. It's a modern handset that's more powerful than the aging Jolla C device, allowing developers and enthusiasts to make use of newer technology in their projects. Jolla said the Sailfish Xperia X will be made available to its community members later this year. Jolla today also announced that it has formed a consortium in China. The Sailfish China consortium will develop Sailfish OS based platforms for smartphones, the automotive industry, TV, IoT, and smartwatches. Jolla says a number of companies plan to join the consortium. Jolla is run by ex-Nokia employees. Sailfish OS is based on Nokia's failed Meego/Maemo mobile Linux platform. Sailfish originally intended to sell its own phones, but was forced to reorganize. It now develops the operating system and licenses it to other companies.
Hands On with the Sony XZ Premium
Sony's luscious new phone is to die for. The 4K HDR screen is the best display you've ever seen on a mobile device and Sony wrapped it up in a serene metal-and-glass package. We spent a few moments looking at what might be Sony's finest-ever smartphone.
Hands On with the Sony Xperia XZs
The XZs is a carry-over from last year. Sony took the XZs and gave it many of the amazing powers lurking under the hood of the XZ Premium, such as the camera sensor and image processor. The XZs is a better phone than last year's, even if it looks mostly the same. Here are our first thoughts.
Hands On with the Sony Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra
Sony is betting on these two mid-range Xperia smartphones to help it find traction with U.S. buyers. They have reasonable prices, reasonable spec sheets, and that Sony design language. Here are our first impressions with Sony's XA1 and XA1 Ultra
Sony XZ Premium Dazzles with 4K HDR Display
Sony today announced the XZ Premium, a high-end smartphone that has a 4K HDR display. The screen measures 5.5 inches across the diagonal and packs 3,840 by 2,160 pixels for the ultimate in high definition. It includes Sony's TriLuminos and X-Reality technologies to improve video performance. The phone features Gorilla Glass 5 both on front and back, with an aluminum frame in between. The XZ Premium is powered by the Snapdragon 835 processor with an Adreno 540 GPU. It includes 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, with support for memory cards up to 256 GB. Sony has updated its camera and lens technology for the XZ Premium, which has a 19-megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization, and the ability to capture 960fps super slow-motion video. Other camera features include predictive focus, predictive capture, and an anti-distortion shutter. The user-facing camera captures 13-megapixel images and shoots full HD resolution video. Sony gave the phone a 3,230mAh battery with rapid charging and Qnovo adaptive charging to help lengthen the life-span of the battery over multiple charge cycles. Other specs include USB-C, IP68 for waterproofing, high-end audio processing, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and NFC. The device ships with Android 7.1 Nougat. Sony did not announce pricing nor availability.
Xperia XZs to Stand In As Sony's Flagship for Everyone
Sony today announced the Xperia XZs, a flagship phone that carries forward the company's design philosophy of metal-and-glass slabs. It may not be as impressive as the 4K Xperia XZ Premium, but it is still meant to compete with the likes of the iPhone 7, Galaxy S8, and G6. The XZs has a 5.5-inch full HD screen and is powered by a Snapdragon 820 processor with an Adreno 510 GPU, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, and support for memory cards up to 256 GB. The phone has the same 19-/13-megapixel camera combo as the XZ Premium, which includes 5-axis stabilization, 960fps super slow motion video, predictive focus, and triple-image sensing. Sony gave the phone a 2,900mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 and Qnovo adaptive charging to help lengthen the life-span of the battery over multiple charge cycles. Other specs include USB-C, IP68 for waterproofing, high-end audio processing, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and NFC. The device ships with Android 7.1 Nougat. The phone will cost $700 when it goes on sale in early April. Sony plans to sell the phone directly to consumers unlocked.
Sony's XA1 and XA1 Ultra Find a Home In the Middle
Sony today announced the XA1 and XA1 Ultra, two mid-range Android smartphones. These devices rely on the same design language seen on Sony's pricier handsets and share almost all internal components. The biggest difference is in screen and battery size. Where the XA1 has a 5-inch 720p screen and 2,300mAh battery, the XA1 Ultra (pictured) has a 6-inch full HD screen and a 2,700mAh battery. The XA1 series feature MediaTek octa-core Helio P20 processors with the Mali T880 GPU, 2 or 4 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of storage. The devices support microSD memory cards up to 256 GB. Each has a 23-megapixel Exmor RS camera with 24mm lens and an aperture of f/2.0. The XA1 has an 8-megapixel selfie cam, while the Ultra improves upon that with a 16-megapixel sensor and optical image stabilization. Other specs include USB-C, Qnovo adaptive charging, rapid charging, Cat 6 LTE, and Android 7 Nougat. The XA1 will go on sale April 26 for $300. The XA1 Ultra goes on sale this summer. Pricing for the larger Sony wasn't announced.
