Sony's Xperia Z Smartphone Isn't Afraid of a Little Water

Let's say you're out playing golf and you shank the shot so badly, you end up near a pond. You walk over, whip out your smartphone to snap a pic for Facebook, and then...oops! That slippery sucker jumps right out of your hand and dives into the drink. You then fish out your phone, but it's dripping water and appears dead. What a day!

That's just one of many ways you can get a smartphone wet, and it's not necessarily the end of the world (or your phone). Try sticking it in a bag of uncooked rice for at least 24 hours. Or just wipe it down and resume playing golf, which is entirely possible with Sony's newly announced Xperia Z handset.


The Xperia Z ascends rank as Sony's flagship Android smartphone, and among other things, it's both dust and water resistant with a double glass display. That doesn't mean you can take it snorkeling or deep sea diving, but a little bit of water isn't going to ruin your day, provided all ports and covers are firmly closed.

It's also a comparatively sturdy phone with tempered glass and an anti-shatter film on the front and back. Sounds like just the device for clumsy folk.


As for the specifications, the Xperia Z wields a 5-inch Full HD 1080p "Reality Display," 1.5GHz quad-core SnapDragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 4G LTE radio, 13MP rear-facing camera, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (with a promised upgraded to Android 4.2 shortly after launch), among other features. Fully loaded, in other words.

"With Xperia Z, we are bringing over half a century of innovation in TV, imaging, music, film and gaming to create a superphone experience that truly stands out," said Kuni Suzuki, President and CEO, at Sony Mobile Communications. "With great specifications, Sony’s media applications, One-touch functions and outstanding battery life, Xperia Z is well positioned for leadership in the smartphone market. By putting smartphones at the heart of our strategy, Sony is enabling people to create, enjoy and share content and experiences like never before."


Sony also promises longer battery life via "Battery STAMINA Mode." What this does is turn off battery-draining apps whenever the screen is off and then fires them up again when the screen is back on. This little trick results in up to four times (or more) of standby time, Sony claims.

The Xperia Z will launch in the first quarter of this year.