With Samsung and HTC offering mini and outdoorsy versions of their premium handsets, Sony has joined the fun and has unveiled the Z1 Compact at CES 2014. Upon seeing the new Xperia family member, iPhone buyers might just say "why didn't Apple do that to their product?"
Apple was adventurous when it decided to create a colorful version of its flagship phone. Beyond the rainbow offering of the iPhone 5c, its specs make it clear that it is not at par with the iPhone 5s. In terms of processor speed, for example, the former makes use of the older A6 chip while the latter has a faster A7 processor plus an M7 motion co-processor. Then the list of differences go on with the fingerprint scanner, camera, and storage.
We cannot blame Apple as its rival Samsung also did the same with the Galaxy S4 Mini. Consumers who scrutinize the specs of gadgets they buy will know that the S4 Mini is a toned down version of the S4. However, Sony has approached things differently. It has created a mini version of its $650 flagship Xperia Z1 and what people can find on the Xperia Z1 can enjoy on the newly unveiled Xperia Z1 Compact.
"We've taken the power of the Xperia Z1 and we have made it smaller without compromising on features. The Xperia Z1 Compact houses all of the power of the flagship Z1," said Kunimasa Suzuki, president of Sony Mobile.
Just as the name suggests, the new handset is smaller than its sibling. The Xperia Z1 Compact comes with a 4.3-inch high definition Triluminos display and the rest such as quad-core processor, sleek glass with aluminum trim design, 20MP camera, LTE connectivity, and waterproof feature were not dropped from the list of specs. It will also come in various eye-catching colors such as lime green and hot pink.
Critics may point to the 720p display used for the Xperia Z1 compact compared to full HD screen on the Xperia Z1, but it doesn't mean Xperia Z1 Compact is compromising on image quality or sharpness. In fact, Xperia Z1 Compact has pixel density of 340 pixels per inch, which is one of the highest on any smartphone in the market.
According to Sony, the Xperia Z1 Compact will be available globally in February but with no announcements about specific markets. The pricing is yet to be announced.
