Xperia Z4 revealed: is it new or a revamped Xperia Z3?

Yesterday, we were telling you about the Sony Xperia Z4 and the new leaked images that we’ve come across. We also mentioned that Sony was planning a special event for today, but we didn’t expect the company to unveil what it actually did: the Sony Xperia Z4. The event in Japan was the Xperia Z4 release date and design being revealed, although it seems like the smartphone is currently exclusive to Japan.

The new Xperia Z4 is a rather disappointing release, as it is more of a revamped Xperia Z3 with a few features added to the selfie camera and a few design changes that are more unnoticeable than anything. The Xperia Z4 design is thinner and lighter, but otherwise it bears the same specifics as the previous flagship, the Sony Xperia Z3. Even though Sony was planning to blow some minds with the Xperia Z4, it’s certainly not the surprise everybody was expecting.

To be honest, expectations were not that high even before the Xperia Z4 launch event revealed an upgraded Xperia Z3 and not much else, many fans had hoped that Sony would at least focus on features that were missing from the predecessor, such as more comfortable waterproofing, a better camera on the rear, less of a fingerprint-magnet design and overall improved performance. Instead of honoring those expectations, Sony decided to go with the HTC-plan: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Instead of a new flagship, the Xperia Z4 is being launched as an upgraded version of the Xperia Z3 which should improve the user experience and focus a whole lot on selfies. Personally, I don’t understand the fascination companies have with selfies, or individuals for that matter, but it seems like the selfie camera is becoming more important than the rear camera, or at least that’s what Sony is doing with the Xperia Z4.

The Xperia Z4 specs mirror those of the Xperia Z3, down to the screen specifications. The Xperia Z4 display is the same 5.2 inch FHD display, which seems like a good choice in many people’s opinion, as it will contribute to less battery usage. The processor got an upgrade, as it now makes use of the Snapdragon 810 64 bit CPU, Android 5.0 Lollipop, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB internal storage, microSD card slot,  a 2930 mAh battery, water- and dust-proof certification, 20.7 MP rear camera, 5 MP camera on the front with digital image stabilization, and that’s about it.

The Xperia Z4 release date is set for sometime this Summer, but that’s only valid for the Japanese release and there’s no information available about when this new flagship would come to the U.S. if it ever does. Most of the industry voices are disappointed by what Sony did with the Xperia Z4 launch and their hunch is that this won’t signify the international version which should be launched sometime later this year, if rumors are correct. You can check out the specifics of the selfie camera features on the official website here.