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At the Mobile World Congress convention in Barcelona, Spain, Sony Mobile took the wraps of its latest smartphone, the Xperia Z2, a waterproof handset with an improved display, 4K recording capability and digital noise cancelling technology.
Launching globally in March, the latest addition to the company’s flagship Z line of devices features a 20.7 megapixel camera matched with 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor, Sony’s G Lens and intelligent Bionz for mobile image processing engine resulting in enhanced photo and video quality.
The major feature of the smartphone is the ability to record in 4K resolution (3840×2160 pixels/30p), which boasts four times the detail of Full HD. SteadyShot image stabilization technology helps footage stay smooth even if the user is walking.
In addition, the new Movie Creator application allows users to trim and crop videos so that they can pick out what they want to share. For example, users can insert slowdown effects at one or more places on the timeline of the video, then preview the results before the video is saved and shared.
The Xperia Z2’s screen is built using Sony’s Bravia TV technologies optimized for mobile, boasting a 5.2-inch Full HD Triluminos display for mobile with Live Color LED, which uses red and green phosphor with blue LEDs and customized color filters to produce a brighter and more uniform light.
“With Xperia Z2 we have taken our premium Z series to the next level, delivering unique experiences that only Sony can offer,” Kunimasa Suzuki, president and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications, said in a statement. “We have redefined the smartphone once again through our camera. Xperia Z2 offers an innovative experience that captures memories in stunning detail through 4K video shooting, or offers new ways to use the camera with our unique Xperia camera apps.”
With a dust-resistant and waterproof (IP55 & IP58) casing, an evolution of the company’s OmniBalance design, the Xperia Z2 has a slimmer and more comfortable feel, which results by having the glass panels encased in a single, solid aluminum frame with smoother edges.
A dedicated camera button on the side of the casing allows users to take photos instantly, and Sony has preloaded five camera-centric applications, including creative effects that enhance clips with a range of effects such as colors, image trails, mirror and motion effects.
Of particular note is a background defocus app, which simulates a shallow depth of field. This allows users to capture two photos at different focus settings and blend together the different depths, leading to a blurred out background for more professional looking shots.
Finally, the Xperia Z2 is armed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.3 GHz quad-core Krait central processing units (CPUs) and 4G LTE. The Snapdragon 801 also features the Adreno 330 graphics processing unit (GPU) for richer graphics and gaming and a dual ISP for a seamless camera, camcorder and display experience.
With Sony’s Battery Stamina Mode, the phone automatically turns off the functions users don’t need to save power when the display is inactive. As soon as the user presses the power button to wake up the screen, everything is up and running again.