Sony Unveils Xperia Z5 Smartphone
02 Septembre 2015 - 07:20PM
Dow Jones News
Sony Corp. on Wednesday introduced a flagship smartphone that
highlights improved camera functions to help feed the global
self-photography craze and has the world's first 4K ultra
high-definition display to showcase its motion picture
technology.
The new Xperia Z5 series comes with three handset sizes, all
with a 23-megapixel Sony image sensor and faster shutter speed, as
well as beefed-up capability to take pictures in dark settings.
As it tries to differentiate itself from rivals, including
Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy and Apple Inc.'s iPhone
smartphones, Sony has been focusing on multimedia functions,
borrowing expertise it has accumulated over time.
The largest model, Xperia Z5 Premium, is equipped with a
5.5-inch 4K display, the first adoption of the ultra
high-definition screen for smartphones. Previous Sony phones were
capable of recording 4K videos, but the handset wasn't able to
playback the clips with the picture quality. Previous Xperia Z
series handsets had 2K-or-lower displays
Another feature of the handset, which was announced at the IFA
trade show in Berlin, is a fingerprint sensor that can be used to
unlock the phone. Unlike Apple's handset, Sony's fingerprint sensor
is built in a power bottom placed on the side of the phone.
Still, it is unlikely that the new Sony handset will become a
blockbuster product, like iPhones. Xperia has notable presence only
in Japan, and it is difficult to find in some of the world's
largest smartphone markets.
Sony in July lowered a forecast for its global smartphone sales
in the fiscal year ending next March to 27 million units from the
original view at 30 million. Sony in the most-recently completed
fiscal year sold 39.1 million handsets.
The company has failed to increase its market share in
smartphone by adding affordable handsets because Chinese makers
rapidly have taken up that segment of the market. Meanwhile, needs
for high-end handsets are being satisfied by Apple's iPhones. Faced
with operating losses, Sony last year decided to focus on
profitability rather than market share. And the lowered forecast
for handset sales this year reflects that policy.
Sony's chief executive Kazuo Hirai said the company remains
committed to consumer electronics, but the product category is no
longer an area for the group's aggressive investment. Supporting
the entertainment conglomerate are its camera image sensors that
are also used in the Galaxy and the iPhone. Another cash cow is the
PlayStation game network business, in addition to movies and
music.
Hiroki Totoki, the head of Sony's smartphone unit, has been
saying he is confident he can turnaround the unprofitable business,
but the group's financial chief Kenichiro Yoshida has said the
company won't hesitate to sell the business should that become
necessary. The electronics company last year sold its longtime
loss-making Vaio PC arm to a Japanese private-equity fund.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 02, 2015 13:05 ET (17:05 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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