Sony Xperia Z

The body of the Xperia Z is a rectangular slab compared to Sony's more curved Xperia T and Xperia Arc S.[12] This design is called "OmniBalance", which "is focused on creating balance and symmetry in all directions", according to Sony.[13] The Xperia Z has subtly rounded edges and reflective surfaces on all sides, which are held together by a skeleton frame made from glass fiber polyamide. The aluminum power button is placed on the right-hand side of the device, which is said to make one-handed operation of the phone easier.[14]

The Xperia Z originally ran Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Sony's launcher and additional applications, including Sony's media applications (Walkman, Album, and Movies), as well as a battery stamina mode.[8] The device received an update to Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) on 24 June 2013.[25] In December 2013, the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean software update rolled out for Xperia Z devices.[26] In May 2014, the Android 4.4.2 KitKat software update rolled out, followed by Android 4.4.4 in September 2014.[27]

On 16 October 2014, Sony reported that it would be updating the entire Xperia Z lineup of devices to Android 5.0 Lollipop, beginning in early 2015, for the core Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z2 devices, with others following soon after. Later in CES 2015 at Sony's event, they announced that the Android 5.0 Lollipop would be rolled out to the Xperia Z series starting in February 2015.[28]

On 29 May 2015, Sony released Android 5.0 Lollipop for the Xperia Z, followed by Android 5.0.2 on 23 May 2015. On 7 September 2015, Sony released Android 5.1 Lollipop for the Xperia Z.[29] This was the final firmware update for the device, as Android 6.0 Marshmallow was released for the Xperia Z2 and later Xperia devices only.[30]

The following table shows which UMTS and LTE bands are supported. See the list of UMTS networks and the list of LTE networks to find which bands are required to use a cell phone service provider.

All variants support four 2G GSM bands: 850/900/1800/1900.

The Xperia Z has received mostly positive reviews from critics. Damien McFerren of CNET gave the phone 4 and a half stars out of five and said "The Sony Xperia Z combines looks, power and connectivity to supply one of the most impressive Android experiences we've seen in quite some time. The lack of Android 4.2 at launch is unfortunate and that 5-inch screen isn't going to suit everyone, but there's little room for complaint elsewhere. This is easily Sony's best phone yet, and one of the best Android phones ever released".[12]

Android Central gave the phone a positive review, saying "For Android fans, the Sony Xperia Z was one of the highlights of a fairly quiet CES. A 5-inch, 1080p phone with a bold new design language and fancy new camera technology, the Xperia Z was probably the most compelling phone of the show. And just a couple of months later, it's now available to buy in the UK. Without a doubt, Sony Mobile's new baby is one of the largest, with full specs Android phones around".

Audience reactions to the phone have also been positive. At CES 2013, the Xperia Z won the ‘Best Smartphone' and ‘Best of Show' awards.[38] According to Sony executive Calum McDougall, early Xperia Z sales have been strong. He states, "It [the Xperia smartphone] sold over 150,000 units in its first week in Japan, taking a 24 percent market share straight away." "It may be a bit too early to say but the first signs are very positive."[39]

• Xperia Z series
• LTE (telecommunication) (3GPP Long Term Evolution)
• LTE Advanced (next version of LTE)
• List of LTE networks
• UMTS frequency bands
• E-UTRA

• Official website