Sony Reveals Xperia Z2 Launch Date

Sony’s latest flagship smartphone will be released in the region in the second half of April, priced at Dhs2649.

The Z2 includes the same dust and water resistance that has become a staple of the Xperia line, with a 5.2 inch triluminos display offering 424 pixels per inch and full HD resolution. It will use the Android Kitkat operating system.

Among the standout features are 3GB of RAM, higher than other premium devices including Samsung’s soon to launch Galaxy S5, and the 20.7 megapixel camera, which includes 4K video recording, augmented reality and slow motion video modes.

The device manufacturer has also placed more emphasis on sound quality, with new front facing stereo speakers and included noise cancelling headphones, claimed to cancel out 98 per cent of ambient noise.

At a launch event in Dubai’s International Financial Centre, Ruediger Odenbach, VP MEA, Sony Mobile Communications, told the audience that Sony has grown its MENA business 30 per cent in the last year and is aiming or 50 per cent growth in 2014.

Sony also has ambitions to become one of the top three manufacturers in the premium smartphone segment.

Izzat Kittaneh, business director MEA, Sony Mobile Communications, told Gulf Business the company is hoping to double the sales of its previous device, the Z1, with its latest offering.

Over 400,000 Z1 units have been sold in the region since launching in October, he said.

Part of Sony’s strategy to gain market share includes a six-month upgrade cycle on its flagship line, setting it apart from other manufacturers like Apple and Samsung with yearly cycles.

When questioned whether this would put off some consumers, Kittaneh said:

“Technology savvy people who we are targeting with the flagship series are into every single feature. They want the latest and the greatest all the time. It is very hard to integrate the latest when we have a one-year launch cycle.”