Sony Unveils 4K-Shooting Smartphone, Tablet

BARCELONA, SPAIN—Sony went to the Mobile World Congress to launch its first smartphone and first tablet with 4K video capture. The smartphones and tablets run Android and feature 4G LTE. Both are promoted as being waterproof.

The 4K tablet and smartphone, part of the premium Xperia series, are the company’s first with built-in noise-cancellation technology, which is promoted as reducing ambient noise by up to 98 percent when used with a compatible wired noise-canceling headset from Sony. The 4K phone and tablet will be available globally in March. The mid-tier Android phone and the smart band will be available in April. Prices weren’t disclosed.

The 4K smartphone is the Xperia Z2 with FullHD 5.2-inch Triluminous display, 20.7-megapixel camera, 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm CPU, Adreno330 GPU, 3GB RAM, 3,200 mAh battery, 8.2mm depth, dedicated camera button and optional plug-in stereo microphone. It is rated at IP55 for dust resistance and carries an IP58 waterproof rating.

The Z2 phone is promoted as offering “the world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone.”

A new Timeshift mode lets users shoot video at 120 fps to create slow-motion effects.

The phone’s glass panels are encased in a single, solid aluminum frame with smoother edges than before. Like other Xperia phones and tablets, the new model features Sony’s OmniBalance design for a comfortable grip, the company said.

The Xperia Z2 10.1-inch tablet is promoted as the world’s slimmest and lightest waterproof tablet in the 8-inch-and-larger class. The Wi-Fi version is 6.4mm thick and weighs 15 ounces and the 3G/LTE version is 15.49 ounces.... (See more details at TWICE.)