Sony Xperia Z4 preview

With the New Year comes the countdown to this year’s top new smartphone releases. And firmly in the Sony camp sits the Sony Xperia Z4- or Xperia Z3S as it’s rumoured to be called- a flagship which is due to be accompanied by a phablet sized Xperia Z4 Ultra, a music orientated Xperia Z4 Music and a smaller Xperia Z4 Compact.

Apple Watch Review: Price and Release Date

$349-$17,000! Apple has finally announced the Apple Watch price details at a packed press event in the US. The company announced that Apple’s smartwatch will be on the shelves on April 24th, and will start from from $349 (£299) to a massive $17,000 (£13,500) depending on the style of watch you opt for.

You’ll be pleased to hear that the most expensive Apple smartwatch, the Apple Watch Edition, deserves its huge price tag, being made of 18ct rose gold, though when you put it in perspective, Apple’s infamous Mac Pro computer will only set you back $4,000!

If there’s any wearable tech that’s been on the tip of everyone’s tongue more than the watch from Apple this year we’re yet to hear about it. It’s is sure to make a splash when we finally get it round our wrists in Spring and could be the ultimate complimentary piece to the already successful iPhone 6.

Impressive TRILUMINOS display

The Sony Xperia Z4 will be without any doubt a visual spectacle as Sony resizes its latest TV technology for the new flagship phone.

A 5.2-inch TRILUMINOS display will fit into a metallic frame of less than 7mm thick, making it one of the hottest phones yet.

A resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels will highlight every detail, converting to an impressive 565 pixels per inch with IPS technology for enhanced viewing angles. On top of that Sony is said to include Live Colour LED technology on the upcoming Xperia Z4, and this combines green and red phosphor with blue LEDs along with custom colour filters for a brighter and more uniform result where true colours are displayed without the risk of saturation.

The actual design of the Xperia Z4 could also see an overhaul with rumours of a new shade of blue spreading across the web.

Z4 specs: Smart technology inside and out

The Sony Xperia Z4 will be smart, both inside and out. The IP68 certification will give enhanced dust and water resistance to the handset, saving you if you’ve got clumsy tendencies.

Inside the Z4- or Z3S- there will be an octa-core processor and a huge 4GB RAM. The good news continues with a healthy 32GB internal memory and support for 128GB memory cards.

Bluetooth 4.1 and smart wearables

Bluetooth 4.1 is an important addition for the Xperia Z4. Previous versions of Bluetooth entangled themselves with the 4G signal, degrading the performance of both. Bluetooth 4.1, however, is said to completely overcome this issue.

Bluetooth 4.1 also allows Bluetooth devices to become independent, with an enhancement that should increase efficiency and reduce battery drain.

Now, instead of your Bluetooth fitness band requesting your heart rate from a heart rate monitor via your smartphone, the wearables will talk to each other and then send the results directly to your handset.

Advanced Power Saving

The good news in the battery department keeps on coming, with fast battery recharging capabilities allowing you to charge your phone to 60% in just 30 minutes. The Android Lollipop 5.0 operating system also helps out by using less power, so the welcomed visual updates are coupled with practicality at every step of the way.

Sony Xperia Z4 Camera Features

As with all other Sony smartphones, a 20.7 megapixel camera is expected on the Z4 which will rival almost every other camera phone out there, and then some. As digital camera experts, Sony will introduce its curved Exmor RS CMOS sensor that delivers better image quality and greater sensitivity. This is achieved with a lens shape that mimics the eye and therefore lets in more light.

This Sony camera can also shoot 2160p video in Handycam mode.

Here the resolution is four times more detailed than HD and with SteadyShot any movement during shooting is counterbalanced for perfect results.

On the front face of the Xperia Z4 will be a 5MP selfie camera that can itself shoot high definition video footage at 1080p. This camera can also be used with Sony’s Face In feature to capture the shooters reaction to the action captured on the main camera.

We will also see the return of the photographic trickery we enjoyed on the Xperia Z3. This includes object tracking for locking the focus onto a specific object and AR Fun for writing on or overlaying animations onto a photo. Underwater photography adds another element of fun and once again you will be able to capture sound with your still images for a little added atmosphere.