Flashback: Sony Xperia Z, ZL and Z Ultra lay the foundations for the modern Xperia flagships

18 April 2021
The Xperia Z introduced waterproofing, the Z Ultra improved it. Their Omni-Balance design is the precursor to the design language of the Xperia 1 III.

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  • W
  • Woohoo
  • 7kk
  • 18 Apr 2021

I much rather prefer a dock with pogo pins (or just a type-C end) like shown with the Z Ultra rather than Wireless charging.

    • W
    • Woohoo
    • 7kk
    • 18 Apr 2021

    I've only used the Xperia Ray for a couple of months on loan from a friend in college since my phone stopped working. It was a beautiful tiny device, especially that light around the home button (white, red & green) was really cool even in 2014. Battery life was also decent for a typical day's use, but browsing or watching videos was not as comfortable on such a small display (I had the SII b4 that which had the same display res as the Ray but was 1" bigger & more powerful as well).

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • pWD
      • 18 Apr 2021

      Akinaro, 18 Apr 2021You should mention that Z series had one of worst touchscre... moreWhoa. I thought a friend of mine was just joking when he told me that his old Sony got a very small chip in the display and that made the whole thing disabled just like that. Never saw another phone with such a horrible "feature", was Sony the only one using panels like that or were there others too? My first Android phone ever - ZTE Blade dropped to the floor and the panel cracked very noticeably. It still worked fine.

        • S
        • Salat
        • p7x
        • 18 Apr 2021

        I had just such a smartphone. I liked it, but it got too old for me and for 2017-2018. Then I bought C4.And for 2020, it was again old and slow for me. it is a pity that now there is no inexpensive smartphone from Sony. I Love Sonya for its simplicity. And now I am using Nokia 7.2. For me Sony is a legend!

          • R
          • Religious Playboy
          • 39r
          • 18 Apr 2021

          Sony camera and battery life were garbage back then and that hasn't changed a decade later.

            • S
            • Shab
            • sUv
            • 18 Apr 2021

            I really love sony. Always I am always honored with sony's products. Great products with great quality

              • A
              • AlienKiss
              • 3RM
              • 18 Apr 2021

              My Xperia Z (C6603) is still working even today without any lagging. The only problem is that the battery doesn't last long, but after so many years of intensive daily use, I think it's normal. Hands down, one of the best Android phones I've ever used!

                These photos are so obsolete this review was outside the latest upgrades for this device that its camera was so much improved. It was the best device at its time! Sony was a champ from the start! It was the only manufacturer having the know-how shared with Crapsung and Icrap (today's OLED were many years ago Sony's concepts). Its flaw was that he didn't have GSM patents and made some combo with Ericsson and let others improve its batteries and camera sensors. In anyways Sony won big time, nowadays, still THE KING!

                  • S
                  • Shui8
                  • KZK
                  • 18 Apr 2021

                  Akinaro, 18 Apr 2021You should mention that Z series had one of worst touchscre... moreAgreed, happens to my ZR, self crack screen & ghosting touches after that 🤦. On that era, lots of same complain on Sony Mobile forum. The same issue goes to all Z line (Z, ZL, ZR).

                  Bought Z1 after that, problem gone.

                    • N
                    • Necropedro
                    • JGk
                    • 18 Apr 2021

                    Sony Z Ultra is my favourite phone ever.

                    If they would release it today with the same screen size(16:9 is the superior ratio) with SD888, 16 GB ram, 7-8k mAh, IP68 I would buy it inmediately.

                      You should mention that Z series had one of worst touchscreen technology of all time. Even small crack on any part of the screen could disable WHOLE touchscreen. Even small chip on the corner or tinny crack line could kiII whole screen.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • YTx
                        • 18 Apr 2021

                        RIP Sony, hope they will come back to the smartphone market in the future

                          Z ultra was such a great phone, wish manufacturers would bring back 16:9 screens

                            The Xperia Z was and is still a great looking design, like all the Sony phones, but the Z was one of the best of its time, among likes of the HTC One lineup that also quite popular then. The Xperia ZL was perhaps, among the first of the smartphones to reduce the top and bottom bezels, with it's five inch screen in a body as tall as an iPhone 12 mini of today, which is remarkable considering that the phone came way back in 2013. The Xperia SP, which is my personal favourite had an illuminating LED bar at the bottom which was very enticing to look at. I'm glad Sony phones are still the same good looking designs with minimal changes. All the Sony phones I've owned have been an amazing experience to have, right since their Sony Ericsson days, even those feature phones were simply beautiful to look at, with one of the best music experience at that time in a phone

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • mvI
                              • 18 Apr 2021

                              Great article.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • fIP
                                • 18 Apr 2021

                                to this day, Z Ultra is still among my top favourite.. it's big ( normal by today standard), the design is timeless, and the spec is top during it's time... now that it is replaced by the Xperia 1, I will definitely buy it..

                                  • k
                                  • khan
                                  • sUv
                                  • 18 Apr 2021

                                  Amazing article loved reading it.

                                    I'm really amazed by Xperia Z.
                                    Design is very beautifull and waterproof.
                                    I'm using several xperia phone in my life
                                    - Sony Ericsson Xperia X8
                                    - Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray (beautifull design with bright display and camera but really hot)
                                    - Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo
                                    - Sony Ericsson Xperia M2 (design is good but built & quality is bad)
                                    - Sony Xperia XZ1 (until now). This xperia still amazing in 2021. Fluid performance, camera is comparable to my Xiaomi Redmi Note 8.
                                    Im really love sony design. Its simple but elegant.
                                    Sorry for my bad english, because im Indonesian 😁🙏

                                      • s
                                      • santiagorrr
                                      • 8Gw
                                      • 18 Apr 2021

                                      greetings to all the fans of gsmarena this I am commenting from my sony xperia ZL still working and beloved sony phone if you read my comment please make a phone as well as the ZL with infrared FM radio HDMI output via usb jack 3.5 and if you can radio band frequency transmitter to stream music to the car like my old nokia N900 did

                                        • D
                                        • DQ
                                        • 8Gw
                                        • 18 Apr 2021

                                        Awesome series. I had the Xperia Acro S (basically the S with waterproofing) and it got me hooked into Sony Mobile. The Z1c and Z3c were fantastic devices but they were too fragile. Then I had the X/XZ and they went back to building robust devices... And now I'm loving my X5II.