All Sections

Sony Xperia Tablet Z finally launches at MWC: The ‘Slimmest, lightest, tablet in the world’

We’ve known about the existence of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z nearly as long as the flagship smartphone which was revealed at CES last month, but whilst the Xperia Z has been making its presence known on the sides of buses, on TV and online, its tablet counterpart has eluded the spotlight, until now.

This morning Sony Mobile’s CEO, Kuni Suzuki brought out onto stage the successor to the Sony Xperia Tablet S which utilises new hardware, a new version of Android and a new design language to Sony’s tablet line. Kuni explained that the Sony Xperia Z is a smartphone with a ‘superphone’ experience, but does the Xperia Tablet Z do the same for the company’s tablet line.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z at MWC 2013 - Recombu
The new Sony Xperia Tablet Z will bring the specs of the Xperia Z smartphone to Sony’s tablet range when it launches later this year

What specifications does the Sony Xperia Tablet Z feature?

Just as the Sony Xperia Z held a number of firsts for the company, the same is true of the Tablet Z too. As well as maintaining that IP55/57 dust and water resistance, it’s the first Sony tab to make use of a quad-core processor and the first to sport Android Jelly Bean out the box.

OS Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Screen 10.1-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) LCD panel
Processor 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro 
Graphics Adreno 320
RAM 2GB
Storage WiFi only – 16/32GB (expandible via microSD up to 64GB), 4G LTE – 16GB (expandible via microSD up to 32GB)
Camera 8-megapixel rear facing with Exmor RS sensor, 2.2-megapixel front facing
Connectivity Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, WiFi, 3G, 4G (LTE)
Dimensions (mm) 266x172x6.9
Weight (g) 495
Battery 6000mAh
Colours Black, white

Where does it sit in Sony’s lineup?

As we already mentioned, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z takes the torch from the Xperia Tablet S which we saw at IFA in Berlin last year. Based on Sony’s current product release schedule we doubt that it’ll undergo the six month revamp which its smartphone cousin will far more likely receive, but the hardware on offer should hold it in good stead to stay competitive for the next 12 months at least.

What are the Sony Xperia Tablet Z’s alternatives?

WIth its Full HD display and quad-core chip, the likes of Asus’ Infinity Pad stands out as the obvious rival which in addition to its own HD display has the option of a detachable keyboard too. Should the Android camp not suit your tastes then of course the iPad 4’s high resolution screen is a great alternative too.

When will the Sony Xperia Tablet Z launch?

Kuni gave us an approximate launch of Q2/Spring this year.

How much will the Sony Xperia Tablet Z cost?

Pricing has not yet been announced.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *