Sony announced the company is releasing a new smartphone, the Sony Xperia Z. With this news, many are wondering what's new and different with the device. How does it compare to current models available in the market? Is it worth buying the Xperia? Can Sony capture a good share of the Android market with the Xperia Z?

Getting to know Sony Xperia Z

• Screen and size

The new Sony Xperia Z is fitted with a 5-inch screen and has a resolution of 1920x1080 or 441 pixels per inch. There’s enough viewing room there while still fitting nicely in one hand for intensive multitasking. It weighs 149g, is 7.9mm thin and 139mm long comparable to other Android phones in the market.

• Camera

It has a 13MP rear and 2.1 front camera for crisper and brighter photos. It is also capable of taking HDR video.

• Design

Sony is not known to skimp on the quality of materials used in its products and the Xperia is no exception. Its case is an elegant chassis in black (other colours will be made available, too) showing the fine crisp lines of the gadget. The backglass cover screams style and the elegance of a premium product. Buttons and control are located in easy to reach places without cluttering the look.

• Performance

Fitted with a 1.5GHz quad-core (Snapdragon S4 Pro) processor, Xperia is blazing fast and fully supported by an Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) software. Alas, in this aspect, it falls short of other Android phones in the market which have the 4.2 version running. However, data handling and wireless communication are powered by LTE (long-term evolution) which is fast compared to HSPA.

• Storage

It has a 2GB RAM and a 16GB storage capacity. There is also a micro SD slot to expand memory.

• Battery life

While Sony products are often known for poor power management, the Xperia Z promises to change this. Its battery life is at 2200 mAh. The new feature here is "Battery Stamina Mode" which when activated blocks background activities and processes that drain battery life quickly.

• Extra perks

Best of all, it is apparently water resistant and can survive a dunking of up to 30 minutes in a depth of 0.91 metres which is great for those mishaps in the loo or on rainy days.

Wrapping it up

Better specs and a revamped interface, the Sony Xperia Z is a great choice. When it comes down to pricing, there’s no word yet how much the Xperia will cost, but it should be somewhere around the 200-ish range with or without a data plan. Until then, we hold our final verdict for the newest smartphone in the market.