Sony and Verizon revealed that it would be cancelling the release of the Xperia Z4v, which was supposed to be the Verizon-exclusive flagship smartphone of Sony for the United States market.
The Xperia Z4v under Verizon was supposed to be the only version of Sony's mid-2015 flagship device in the United States. The device is also known as the Xperia Z3+ and the Xperia Z4 in the other parts of the world where it was released.
However, the Xperia Z4v was not even able to hit the United States market and see how it would do, as the companies jointly cancelled the smartphone.
"Verizon will no longer be launching Xperia Z4v, however we are committed to supporting Sony Mobile's product portfolio and will support existing products," Verizon said, adding that it considers Sony as a strategic partner with discussions ongoing for future collaborations.
Sony Mobile echoed Verizon's statement of a strategic partnership, adding that it remains to be dedicated to the United States market with the aim of building a stable presence in the country.
The cancellation of the Xperia Z4v, however, is a big blow to that goal of Sony. While the company has found massive success in the video game industry with its PlayStation 4 gaming console, only a handful of the market even know that the company makes smartphones.
"The decision was made after we have taken into consideration such factors as the competitive landscape and launch timing," said a spokeswoman for Sony, which was reiterated by a spokesman for Verizon without adding any significant details.
The decision to cancel the Xperia Z4v was due to the fact that the device was stalled too long by back-and-forths between the two companies. In addition, Sony has released its new flagship, the Z5 series, and it would be awkward for Verizon to continue to push for the Xperia Z4v when the focus of Sony is already on its Xperia Z5 devices.
There have already been hints regarding problems with the Xperia Z4v, as after it was unveiled in June as a modified version of the Xperia Z4 with wireless charging and a larger battery, news about the product became silent. A summer event by Sony in New York features the PlayStation, virtual reality and a host of other products, but the Xperia Z4 was only given a small area for display.
