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Xperia XZ3: the sex appeal Sony needs

AndroidPIT Sony XZ3 8388
© nextpit by Irina Efremova

I’m not a big Sony fan. I can recognize that the brand creates quality devices, but I’ve never fallen in love with the design and the camera’s software experience. But with the Xperia XZ3, something happened...

Xperia XZ3: You’ve finally arrived!

The Sony Xperia XZ3 has something different than its predecessors and you’ll notice it as soon as you lay your eyes on it. The Japanese brand decided that it needed to change the look of its devices in 2018. They’ve abandoned sharp edges in favor of softer lines that fit better in your hand. And despite these changes, the XZ2 family didn’t win me over: the XZ2 and XZ2 Premium are too thick and heavy for my taste...

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The XZ3 is beautiful to look at and comfortable to hold. / © NextPit

The XZ3 feels good in your hand, has good ergonomics, and is significantly lighter this time around. It’s a welcome chance and comfortable to use. Even from just looking at the device, the large display with integrated curved edges make the device compact. Sony has learned from users' habits and the smart menu offers apps you need at the right time, which optimizes the user experience.

The XZ3 won’t come in a compact version, and that makes sense: “For all users who want to buy a more compact smartphone there’s the Xperia XZ2 Compact,” said Marco Pacchetti, product specialist for Sony Mobile. The device is still fairly recent and was released at MWC 2018 last February.

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If you want an even more compact smartphone, there's the XZ2 Compact. / © NextPit

If you know anything about Sony, you’ll know very well that every six months a new device arrives with the aim of offering users all the latest technologies available. The XZ1 is also a fairly recent device, but if you already own the device, hearing about the XZ3 may not be the best news. After the XZ3’s release, the prices for the XZ1 and XZ2 family will likely decrease and slowly leave the scene.

Quality and upgrades guaranteed

Choosing a smartphone is always personal, but there are still some factors that can be considered objectively. Sony smartphones are good devices that are durable and dependable. The hardware is high quality and the manufacturer is keen on keeping the devices up to date. The Sony Xperia XZ3 will arrive in the U.S. in October and will cost $900 and will come with Android 9 Pie.

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The Sony Xperia XZ3 comes with Android 9 Pie. / © NextPit

The turning point may have arrived

What will critics have to say about the XZ3? Marco Pacchetti said that “the heart and soul of Sony is inside the XZ3”. And despite the fierce competition from Chinese rivals, “this is a good turning point for Sony” and the XZ3 looks like a complete and well-made smartphone that focuses on quality. Will it be able to sell? We'll have to wait and find out.

The fact that a Compact version won’t be released could help focus attention on the XZ3. Sony has some communication and marketing issues it needs to resolve, and the price of the XZ3 will probably scare some users, but the fact remains the same that the Japanese manufacturer seems to have found the right recipe for success. The XZ3 is an unusual Sony device, and it should attract new users and not just the fans who for years have relied on the quality of Japanese devices.

What do you think about XZ3 and Sony's strategy? Which one do you prefer?

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Jessica Murgia

Jessica Murgia
Editor

Italian editor and Android lover: with her, all the most intimate secrets of Android will be revealed! Chronic traveler, a lover of good wine and good food, Jessica is crazy for shopping and passionate about technology! What's never missing in her bag? A book, an MP3 player, her Android smartphone and an external battery!

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9 comments
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  • Felix Peraza Gonzalez 2
    Felix Peraza Gonzalez Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    Please somebody let the executives at Sony know that people who cared about their phones loved the straight lines of the Xperia brand. Besides that they where more practical and ergonomic. I hope they will forget this soapy design experiment ASAP. Only Samsung fans didn't like the Xperia design! Now the same people that used to say that the Xperias where ugly (absolutely wrong and subjective) are now saying that this one is slippery and unstable (apparently right).
    I admire my XA1 design. When the time comes to upgrade I hope to find a classical straight lines Xperia available.

    Alan Rangel


  • 2
    Panos C'kaplanis Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    The back of the XZ3 looks like it has a swollen battery. I much preferred the older series design.

    Alan RangelJohn A


  • 54
    Deactivated Account Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    This XZ3 looks a bit like a soap at the backside, Thats not sexy for me, but at least it hasnt to be sexy, but I dont like the soap dign and the position of the finger print reader. Anyway a good phone, but the headset jack is not there and that´s a no go

    Eric Houser


  • Doug McPhie 1
    Doug McPhie Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    I have been a Sony Xperia user since the Xperia Z. That was my first Sony phone. Then was the Z3+. Now I have the xz2. The first purpose of a phone is phone calls... But the Z3+ intermittently stopped receiving and sometimes making calls. I figured that my Z3+ had somehow broken. So I bit the bullet and purchased the new xz2. While it's a gorgeous device, it sucks as a phone! Same problem right out of the box. On the T-Mobile network at least, it's just horribly intermittent on receiving and sometimes sending calls.
    I'm thinking it had to do with a software upgrade because the Z3+ worked great and then didn't.
    I've Loved Xperia but just can't tolerate the missed business calls. I'm out!


  • Alan Rangel 3
    Alan Rangel Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    Sony gain new users, and loses the old ones. I prefer sharp edges and straight lines, and a aluminum body, and the side mounted biometric sensor. All that XZ3 is not. I just bought the XZ1 now, before it disappears. In my opinion xz1 was the last masterpiece of Sony Xperia's. All major brands have curvy designs, and now Sony joined them, losing its differentiation and appeal to old fans. XZ3 is beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it's a sad choice when compared to XZ1.

    John AFelix Peraza GonzalezEric Houser


    • Eric Houser 3
      Eric Houser Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

      Right on, love my XZ1, perfect design. Sadly Sony went about following everyone else. I just bought the XZ1 in May but hopefully they keep their midrange as good as they are now like the recent XA2 Plus, I could definitely live with that.

      Felix Peraza Gonzalez


  • Eric Houser 3
    Eric Houser Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    I agree, when I'm paying a lot of money for a phone I look for comfort and functionality. No one cares how your phone looks, especially when people put cases on em. I have the Xperia xz1and love it. Has a slim design, metal and looks great and very comfortable. Also has a headphone jack, which is huge to me. Oems are going about everything wrong, forgetting about the consumer.

    John AFelix Peraza GonzalezDeactivated Account


  • 15
    Bruce Lee Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    I'd rather get an OP 6T or Samsung S9+. Sony can take this $900 phone and shove it.


  • Rusty H. 33
    Rusty H. Sep 6, 2018 Link to comment

    To each his/her own, but, the first thing I DO NOT look for in a phone, is how "sexy" it LOOKS. It would also be nice, after reviewers wipe the drool off their lips, if they could give a review of how it works AS A PHONE.

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