Introducing the New Sony Xperia X Series (Plus Accessories) Michael Kwan February 22, 2016 News, Press Release It may be the wee hours of the night here in North America, but it’s a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed morning over in Barcelona for MWC 2016. We already got introduced to the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the LG G5 yesterday and today, we’re seeing the new vision for the Xperia brand from Sony. More specifically, they’ve got the new Xperia X series smartphones, along with a quartet of smart accessories to “redefine communications.” Even though they’re saying that the Xperia X series “embodies Sony Mobile’s new brand vision,” the three new smartphones that make up the new series really don’t depart from what Sony has already been doing these last few years. Just as we had the Xperia Z5, Z5 Premium and Z5 Compact, the X series has a regular Xperia X, along with a higher-end Xperia X Performance and a more mid-tier Xperia XA. The same design language carries through here and Sony is hardly reinventing the wheel. They’re still the same rounded rectangles with the dedicated camera button and now round power button on the side. What’s new is the Predictive Hybrid Autofocus Technology in the Xperia X and X Performance (but not the XA) for better spur-of-the-moment shots. There’s also an improved battery stamina mode with “smart” battery management, along with Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology. It looks like the glass back may have been replaced with metal too. Said to “fit perfectly into your hand as into your life,” the Sony Xperia X gets a Snapdragon 650 chip, while the higher-end X Performance gets the same Snapdragon 820 as its competing flagships. All three phones are expected to launch in the summer. The more interesting announcement to come out of MWC for Sony was the new line of Xperia smart accessories. These are meant to extend and expand your communication experiences. The Xperia Ear is an advanced Bluetooth earpiece with a Siri or Cortana-like digital assistant. Using verbal commands, you can ask it to perform actions for you like dictating a message or making a call. It’s set to launch in the summer too. The other smart accessories appear to be still in the concept stage. The Xperia Eye looks like a Flip Mino HD pocket camcorder that you clip onto your shirt or hang around your neck. The Xperia Projector is a short-throw projector where you can interact with the image on any clear surface. And finally, there’s the incredibly cute Xperia Agent. It’s somewhere between an Amazon Echo and Eve from Wall-E, except it’s got a projector built into it too. Sony says it is their vision “for a personalized assistant.” The photo gallery and press release are embedded below with more information. This slideshow requires JavaScript. [hide-this-part morelink=”Full Press Release”] Sony Mobile introduces an evolution of the Xperia™ brand to redefine communications Re-imagined Xperia brand will bring increasingly personalised and intelligent products to enrich everyday life First “X” series smartphones, “Xperia™ X”, “Xperia™ X Performance” and “Xperia™ XA”, featuring next-generation technologies in camera, battery and design Xperia™ Ear brings a new way of communicating, without compromising on enjoying the world around you All-new Xperia smart product concepts challenge conventional categories with machine learning, natural user interface and sensing RM-X7BT in-car Bluetooth® commander enables wireless music streaming and hands-free smartphone functions whilst driving Barcelona, Mobile World Congress, 22nd February 2016 – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today unveiled a new-look XperiaTM brand with the first “X” series smartphones and a vision for the future of communications, with ambient connected devices capable of changing the way you interact with the world. “Sony Mobile will continue to create increasingly personalised and intelligent products and services that empower you to do more, and live more creatively than ever. Our products and services will connect you to each other and become essential and beloved parts of your lives.” said Hiroki Totoki, President and CEO at Sony Mobile Communications. “With our continued passion for technology, we will keep adding new and exciting features to evolve our smartphones. At the same time, we want to change how you access information and interact with friends and family in a closer, natural and more meaningful way.” First “X” Series smartphones: Xperia X, Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA The Xperia X series embodies Sony Mobile’s new brand vision through adding new layers of intelligent technology across popular and acclaimed Xperia features: camera, battery and design, to make every day smarter and simpler. Predicting the unexpected is difficult, but not impossible – the next generation Xperia camera takes spontaneous capture to another level allowing you to shoot in sharp focus, even for spur-of-the-moment shots. The all-new Predictive Hybrid Autofocus in Xperia X and Xperia X Performance is developed in close collaboration with Sony’s ?TM camera engineers, it lets you choose your subject and then predicts its motion, so you can capture the action in perfect focus, free from blur. Advanced features require the battery stamina to match, and Xperia X series incorporates Sony’s smart battery management to deliver up to two days battery life1. Not only will it keep your phone running for longer from one charge, Xperia X series benefits from a battery lifespan that’s up to twice as long with Qnovo’s Adaptive Charging technology2 and Sony’s smart battery management system. Each phone is powered to make the most of their advanced capabilities, with Xperia X featuring the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 650 processor and Xperia X Performance introducing the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor for ultra-fast connectivity. As part of their unified design concept, Sony designers researched premium materials, texture and curvature for the most natural palm fit. Each X series smartphone brings a curved glass display within a rounded, continuous frame for a familiar form that feels comfortable in your hand. The unified design concept is also extended to Xperia XA, which features a stunning edge-to-edge display to integrate seamlessly into your life. Xperia X, Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA each have a range of matching Style Covers and will roll out in four elegant finishes; White, Graphite Black, Lime Gold and Rose Gold, from Summer 2016. Introducing new Xperia smart products, with expanded communication experiences. The new Xperia smart products and concepts are designed to adapt to your situation and environment, whether at home or on-the-go. Sony Mobile envisions this new category as intelligent devices that understand preferences, activities and behaviour, to provide useful and contextual information. Xperia Ear is a next-generation wireless ear-piece that brings a new way of communicating, without compromising on enjoying the world around you. It provides you with useful information such as your schedule, weather and the latest news to keep you up-to-date on the go. Powered by Sony’s voice technology, it responds to verbal commands, so you can ask it to make a call, perform an internet search, dictate a message or navigate to a certain location. It enables you to face forward and get things done, for a convenient hands-free experience. It connects to your Android smartphone via NFC or Bluetooth® and talks to a host application, where you can customise settings, including the info you need when you first connect in the morning, touch commands and app notifications. Its lightweight and comfortable soft silicone ear-bud is built for continuous wear, with IPX2 water-protection and all-day battery life3. It’s available in Graphite Black and the innovative case doubles as a charger, so you can simply pop it in when you need to recharge. Xperia Ear will roll out from Summer 2016. All-new Xperia smart product concepts, a communications vision with machine learning, natural user interface and sensing Xperia Eye is a conceptual vision for an ultra compact, wearable wide-angle lens camera – with the flexibility to be easily attached to clothing or worn around the neck. It represents a proof-of-concept exploration to bring Sony’s acclaimed camera and sensing technology to its smallest ever form-factor – featuring a 360-degree spherical lens for a natural field of view. Its intelligent shutter technology will use facial and voice detection to capture images, allowing you to enjoy and preserve life’s moments without thinking about the technology. The Xperia Projector concept will enrich, empower and stimulate creative family communication using a natural and interactive interface projection on any clear surface. It will respond to touch, voice and gestures just as you would interact with your smartphone screen. The Xperia Agent concept is a vision for a personalised assistant. It will enhance everyday life by responding to voice and gestures – providing you with useful information, communication assistance and home appliance controls. It is also powered by Sony’s voice technology and will respond to a number of commands – and has a built-in camera and projector display for projecting content onto surfaces. RM-X7BT in-car Bluetooth® commander, from Sony Corporation, enabling wireless music streaming and hands-free smartphone functions. RM-X7BT is an in-car Bluetooth® commander that enables wireless music streaming and uses Sony’s voice technology to activate smartphone functions whilst driving. It consists of two units – an ‘adaptor’ module that enables wireless audio streaming and hands-free calls, and a ‘commander’ facilitates smartphone functions such as navigation, all whilst driving safely. RM-X7BT in-car Bluetooth® commander will roll out from Summer 2016. About Sony Mobile Communications Sony Mobile Communications is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation, a leading global innovator of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for both the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Through its Xperia™ smartphone and tablet portfolio, as well as innovative SmartWear products, Sony Mobile Communications delivers the best of Sony technology, premium content and services, and easy connectivity to Sony’s world of networked entertainment experiences. 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