Relive the evolution of Sony Xperia design in two minutes
- K
- Kangal
- uCX
- 04 Mar 2018
Start from the SONY Z5 Compact.
Reduce the retail price from €699, to €499.
This eliminates the biggest problem with SONY phones (priced out of competitors).
Next, Remove the top and bottom bezels/chin.
This puts the phone's Screen to Body ratio at 80%.
That eliminates the second biggest problem (modernisation).
Upgrade the device's specs from the overheating QSD 810, to a tamed QSD 845. From a lean 3GB RAM to a future-proof 8GB RAM. From a paltry 32GB storage to a standard 64GB unit. Also bump the battery to a 3,000mAh unit. And the screen to a 4.7inch OLED with 720p resolution. And upgrade the selfie-cam to the best in the industry. And upgrade the rear-cam to the best industry not just hardware, but proper software (think Pixel).
This eliminates the third problem with SONY flagships (uncompetitive specs).
Keep the 16:9 ratio, the great front-facing stereo speakers, IP68 ingress protection, the removable microSD, the macho 8.9mm thickness, and those ergonomic Loop Service shape. The software and software support are good, but, it could be improved if they embraced MaterialDesign and transformed them into Project Silver/AndroidOne phones.
This eliminates the fourth problem with them (slow-ish updates).
And lastly I would update the design slightly firstly by embedding an in-screen fingerprint scanner. And upgrading the sides of the phone to a good Titanium Alloy, and the back to a High-Quality 7000-series Aluminium (like OnePlus 5t), this ensures little scuffs with the highest bend and drop protection. Also the LED flash needs slightly more power, and it needs to be placed above the camera in a landscape orientation (for more natural end-result). The camera needs to be upgraded to proper Sapphire lens, and be slightly recessed inwards. Where the front display must be all-glass as usual, but importantly flat to allow users to install Glass Protectors perfectly to the device (unlike the curved S6/S7/S8 fronts). Ideally, the Glass Protector must be installed by the OEM, so that its combat ready out of the box, and a good kickstand case inside the box would also be a treat. Next place the headphone jack on the bottom-left like the SGS8, the USB-C in the middle, and perhaps give the bottom-right corner a lanyard slot. Whilst giving the right-side of the phone a volume up, volume down button, towards the top, and spaced in the middle a power button, then spaced down a music button and a camera button which can be user changed. Flipping the phone upside-down means it is symmetrical, and so the buttons are now suitable for left-handed users.
This eliminates SONY's last problem (lack of practical superiority or selling point)
This hypothetical SONY Z6 "Compact" version would do great as mentioned above, however, a SONY Z6 "Pro" version would be neat at the €699 mark if they bumped the display to a 5.7inch, 4K with Dynamic OLED for VR purposes. This would of course warrant an upgrade to a healthy 4,000mAh battery, and 256GB storage. And gave the phone's rear, some stereo-cameras (identical lens, spaced 80mm apart) to capture photos/video. Whilst doing the same camera duplication on the from selfie-shooters for a decent 3D, 360, and AR capability. This is a bonus round, but it would be the biggest revolution in the smartphone market since the first Samsung NOTE device. And the only casualty here in all of this would be the lack of wireless charging, which isn't a dealbreaker when you have great battery life and fast-charging at your arsenal (and most new cars allow AndroidAuto through USB connection).
- V
- Vegetaholic
- sX2
- 04 Mar 2018
Sony design team is probably one of the worst in industry. Last really good looking Sony phone was(technically Sony erricson) Arc/Arc S, well Xperia S was okey too, but not as good as Arc, after that with their omnibalance design everything went to shit. Massive phone with humongous bezeles until today. Completely copy HTC design with still massive bezeles even it is 18:9 just disaster. I can't see anyone would approving this design in 2018, awful looking phones xz2 and compact
- D
- AnonD-179722
- tDR
- 04 Mar 2018
XZ2 design is great unlike the edge design which is boring. Some may not know that square-ish design is timeless compared to edge or curve. Definitely Sony will make me spend some money on this phone. Keep it up.
- D
- AnonD-742160
- rJI
- 04 Mar 2018
imparanoic, 03 Mar 2018Bet you couldn't guess which phone won the best smart phone... morePlease don't spread these rumours. Who declared xz2 as the best phone dear? If at all it was the S9+ which was the best phone. XZ2 is a great phone no doubt but I feel it's taken Sony a few steps back. It looks like a copy of HTC U11! The human curve gimmick was advertised by Motorola for Moto G 5 years ago to hide the thickness! As far as SONY is concerned this has got to be their least innovative design. I was a die hard fan in the good ol' SonyEricsson days. The last truly exciting design was the Xperia Z(for its time). They stretched it for too long now. But it was better if they stayed true to the same omnibalance design language and just given us a bezel less screen. Anyways in the end to each his own! I've made peace with Sony and moved on to Samsung. I still miss the beautiful SonyEricsson phones....
- Y
- Yann
- gxE
- 04 Mar 2018
Anonymous, 03 Mar 2018It's 6mm at the edges and the fps has been relocated becaus... moreI'm not living in US and IDK about it. I want FPS side mounted, not on the back. Camera sensor is the same as my XZP. Not expecting any major differences. Same bad quality low light photos etc.
Stereo speakers you say.... What about my XZP then? It is 7.9mm with stereo speakers. DVS? If that makes phone fat as elephant - remove it!
This is thickest phone on the planet in last 4-5 years. Without battery improvement.
Not to mention that the design is copycat from HTC U11.
- ?
- Anonymous
- 3Yb
- 04 Mar 2018
AnonD-683013, 03 Mar 2018Evolution of sony design? Hahaha, yeah right you must be jo... moreHahah true.
- C
- Cassy O
- vgM
- 04 Mar 2018
imparanoic, 04 Mar 2018Really, this site says otherwise
https://www.phonearena.... moreWell, that's from PA awards, and the Galaxy S9 & S9+ got it too.
I'm talking about GLOMO awards by GSMA,
Do you know GSM Association is? It's the association who held the MWC exhibition event.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSMA
- ?
- Anonymous
- Ibx
- 04 Mar 2018
Vic, 03 Mar 2018This video is an attempt of stupid excuse for terrible design... Sure design engineer,,, LOL
- i
- imparanoic
- 2IH
- 04 Mar 2018
Cassy O, 03 Mar 2018Sony Xperia XZ2? Not even in the list.
https://www.mobilew... moreReally, this site says otherwise
https://www.phonearena.com/news/Best-and-worst-phones-tablets-and-accessories-tech-of-the-MWC-expo-2018_id102917
- M
- Mark
- tRr
- 04 Mar 2018
Omnibalance for me hands down.
But we'll see about this latest design.
- V
- Vic
- 35k
- 03 Mar 2018
This video is an attempt of stupid excuse for terrible design...
- T
- Tann Hauser
- p41
- 03 Mar 2018
Thing is....I had a Xperia Neo.
And although liking Unified design, as they call it, much more...
My brain is subconciously digging this design, because I liked Xperia Neo design back then. And this XZ2 is like Neo V and Neo L child coming to life.
I still hate no jack tho, even Neo had that.
I bought it coming from SE w910 with no jack, just an 3.5 mm adapter for the custom charger.
And I aint going back to year 2007 standards Sony!
Give us the darn jack back!
- L
- Levy
- q{r
- 03 Mar 2018
Anonymous, 03 Mar 2018At first sight... i hate this design.. but after watch seve... moreAt first sight I hated the design too. Now the more I see it I hate it even more.
- D
- AnonD-683013
- E7E
- 03 Mar 2018
Evolution of sony design? Hahaha, yeah right you must be joking, from my view they have stop evolving their design long ago.
- ?
- Anonymous
- 7X7
- 03 Mar 2018
Yann, 03 Mar 2018Isn't it thick enough? 9mm in edges and 11.1mm in the midd... moreIt's 6mm at the edges and the fps has been relocated because the patent for power button embedded fingerprint scanners belong to Apple in the US so they moved it to thw back so that they can activate the sensors there. I don't mind the thickness as long as it's manageable and easy to hold. Imagine a triple stacked 1/2.3" sensor stacked behind an IPS LCD and let's see if the thickness argument is still there...The DVS also takes up space as it is two vibration motors on each aide of the phone and also those stereo speakers which have to partially be behind the screen so that they could fit and the camera has no hump there, just a protruding protective lip.
- D
- Daany
- Nue
- 03 Mar 2018
Yann, 03 Mar 2018Who exploded? Galaxy S8+? It is 8.1mm thick and didn't expl... moreOh please just move along now...
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- AnonD-170381
- X}Q
- 03 Mar 2018
Yann, 03 Mar 2018Who exploded? Galaxy S8+? It is 8.1mm thick and didn't expl... moreI speak as s8 and s8+ and note 7 user . Yes it explored right infront of me . I got 10 times the money from samsung tho so no complain here .
- A
- Alien
- 3RM
- 03 Mar 2018
Does anyone know the name of the XZ2 designer/s?
I want to nominate him/her/they for the Golden Raspberry Award!
I know it's for movies but there's no such thing for designers :))
At least not that I know of..
- ?
- Anonymous
- Hk%
- 03 Mar 2018
Yann, 03 Mar 2018Who exploded? Galaxy S8+? It is 8.1mm thick and didn't expl... moreWho the heck needs a thin phone, the break quite easily if you sit them, plus thick phones can fit more cool stuff in it, you don't remove the fingerprint scanner, *cough cough* iPhone X. OK they might have remove the headphone Jack we all know and love, but Sony doesn't go for looks, they for quality, efficientness(idk if that's a word) and other cool things. Like Sony said, they want to be different.