Sony focuses on endurance and camera quality with new phones
Sony's latest mid-range smartphones, unveiled on Monday, offer industry-first camera technology and place a premium on battery life but are aimed squarely at the mass market.
A week after the Lenovo-owned company took the wraps off its Moto G and Moto X smartphones, Sony has launched two new mid-range handsets of its own that put a premium on the things that matter to consumers rather than just the features technophiles deem as must-haves.
So, the Xperia C5 Ultra has a gloriously large 6-inch display that has next to no bezel for better multimedia consumption and gaming, plus -- and this is an industry first -- a 13-megapixel front-facing camera for taking selfies in a higher quality than most smartphones' rear-facing cameras can manage to shoot things other than their owners. It even packs High Dynamic range (HDR) for getting light balance and contrast right and has a 22mm wide-angle lens for getting everyone in shot. An equally good 13-megapixel camera can be found on the back and the handset's battery is big enough to offer up to two days' use between charges -- like the new Moto X Play -- or, claims Sony, seven hours and 47 minutes of video playback.
Xperia M5
Sony's other handset is slightly smaller -- its display measures just 5-inches from corner to HD corner. But like the C5 Ultra it has a 13-megapixel selfie camera. However, on the back there's a 21.5-megapixel unit, just like on the Moto X Style and it can film video in full 4K. It also has a 5x zoom that Sony says will help people get closer to subjects without having to physically move towards something potentially dangerous. Like the C5 Ultra, the M5 should be able to handle two days' use between recharges, but unlike its sibling, the M5 is water and dust resistant. Other companies -- notably again Motorola -- have started offering handsets that are water-resistant, but let's not forget that it's a trend Sony started and it was also the first company to offer this premium feature on mid-range phones which, despite their impressive specs, both of these devices are.
"We are pleased to present two new products that highlight Sony's advances in camera technology," said Tony McNulty, Vice-President, Value Category Business Management at Sony Mobile Communications. "We understand that camera capabilities are important to smartphone users, so we ensured that Sony's existing camera brilliance was once again surpassed in the new Xperia C5 Ultra and Xperia M5 without compromising on other features across design and performance."
The Xperia C5 Ultra has an aluminum frame and will be available in three colors -- black, white and gloss mint; while the Xperia M5 has a glass front and rear and will be offered in black, white or gold when they go on sale "in selected markets" starting mid-month.
