Week 17 in review: Sony Xperia Z4, Xiaomi Mi 4i and LG G4

Here we are, again, at the end of a busy week and, naturally, we give you a quick recap of the most-interesting topics in the news. The past few days were jam-packed with new device announcements, as well as a few interesting scoops on upcoming phones and the future of the mobile industry.

First things first, the Sony Xperia Z4 is finally official. But before you break out the champagne, there are a few notes to be made. The phone was officially announced, but only in Japan and chances are it won't be making it to other countries in this form. Furthermore, the long-overdue device, really didn't manage to live up to a lot of fan expectations and sea of rumors. To quote just a few - the Z4 isn't metal, although it does have a new metal frame. It doesn’t come with a fingerprint reader and seems to be equipped with the same 5.2 FullHD display and 20.7Mp main camera as the Xperia Z3.

But there might still be hope at the end of the tunnel, as Sony has promised that there is a true next-gen flagship phone on the way this May. Also, there is already word of an Xperia Z4 Compact and a Z4 Ultra model, which allegedly made it through certification, so Sony is one again keeping us on our toes. A few other devices were unveiled this week. The LG G Stylo is now official in Korea, with mid-range specs. And so is the Micromax Canvas Spark - an ultra-affordable Lollipop phone for just $79.

Xiaomi made major headlines thanks to its newest smartphone - the Mi 4i. Most of us thought that it would be nothing more than a cheaper version of the Mi 4, but the device has gone way beyond that and offers formidable specs and quite impressive camera performance in a budget-friendly package of only $205. Lenovo also unveiled a new smartphone this week - the K80. It boasts a a 64-bit Intel Atom CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 4000 mAh battery and is also quite competitively priced at $290.

LG is still the center of attention with the impending release on the LG G4. After some controversy, it became clear that the market release will happen on April 29, which is just a few days away. Naturally, we are excited to see the new genuine-leather stitched back in person and also quite intrigued by the possibility of a slightly curved screen on the device, as well as a dual-SIM version.

If you think you might have missed something from the week, here is a list of what you, our readers, found most interesting in the tech world.