Sony introduced four new devices at Mobile World Congress today. Hiroki Totoki, President and CEO, at Sony Mobile Communications started with a concept device called the Xperia Ear which is an open-ear pair of earphones that not only lets you listen to music or whatever is being played back on the device they’re connected to, but also the world around you.
The technology is developed by Sony's Future Lab Program, an incubator that enables consumers to trial and shape prototypes from Sony’s R&D division. Hopefully, we will see a retail product based on this soon.
What is being released is the Xperia Touch- a short throw projector that turns any flat surface into a 23” HD touchscreen. Powered by Android, the Xperia Touch was demoed at the Sony booth running Android apps, including games such as Fruit Ninja. The Xperia Touch uses using Sony’s SXRD projection display technology. Touch recognition is made possible through a combination of Infrared light and real-time detection via a built-in camera, at a rate of 60 frames-per-second. The Xperia Touch will be available in Japan in Europe first at a price of 1500 Euros.
On the phones side, Sony announced the first Snapdragon 835 powered phone today with the Xperia XZ Premium. Besides the upcoming processor and Gigabit LTE, the XZ Premium also features a 4K HDR screen which is also a first on any mobile phone. Sony has previously released a 4K display with the Xperia Z5 Premium although that did not feature HDR technology. Also a first for a phone is the new Motion Eye camera based on Sony’s image processor with built-in memory. The new camera technology allows you to capture at 960fps for a super slow motion video. Sony says it’s four times slower than any other smartphone. The Xperia XZ Premium will be available globally in in Luminous Chrome and Deepsea Black from late Spring 2017.
Finally, Sony also revealed it’s new “super” mid-ranged Xperia XA1 and the Xperia XA1 Ultra phones with a borderless design and edge-to-edge screens. Both of these phones offer a high-end 23MP rear camera. The Ultra has a bigger the 6-inch screen and a superior 16MP front camera. These phones will be preloaded with Android Nougat and be released in Spring with four colours- White, Black, Pink and Gold.
