Sony Xperia XA1 Philippines Price is Php 14,990, Specs, Actual Photos, Initial Impressions

"How much is this model again?" I asked our friends from Sony at the exclusive media event on Tuesday - May 23, 2017 - held at BlackBird Restaurant in Makati City while holding their all-new Sony Xperia XA1 midrange Android smartphone.

"Just Php 14,990, Mark." They answered.

I looked at the smartphone in my hand again - taking a note of its design and build, played with the interface, and tried out the camera. Then, I told them, "I think this release will do really well in the market if properly promoted."

Previously, a phone of this caliber from Sony would cost at least Php 20,000 - given the notoriously high price tag of Xperia handsets - but this model sure is a breath of fresh air.

Not only does the Sony Xpera XA1 have so many cool features and selling points but it's also priced very competitively for a handset by this legendary Japanese tech giant.

The first thing that I found very impressive about this model is the bezel-less look of its 5-inch HD IPS display. Holding the phone like this - as shown in the photo above, it seems like you're already touching the sides of the display itself with your hand. Combined with the rather tubular design language of the device, the Xperia XA1s face sure make this release one of the more gorgeous Android smartphones in the mid-level price category currently.

The back plate of the phone is made of polycarbonate and is non-removable. It has a metallic paint finish which helps give the phone an air of corporate elegance.

Aside from aesthetic purposes, the bezel-less look also allows the handset to be very slim, which makes it easier to grasp in the hand and to keep in the pocket.

The second thing that's amazing about this phone is its 23 MegaPixel PDAF rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and Exmor RS mobile sensor for enhanced low light performance. Again, previously, a camera of this caliber on an Xperia smartphone was only possible on high-end models.

I got to try out this shooter and I'd say it performs quite well in well-lit settings. It also launches and focuses on the subject quickly -- two things that can be done using the Xperia XA1's hardware camera button.

The main camera is complemented by an 8 MegaPixel front facing shooter for selfies. This one also has an f/2.0 aperture for enhanced low light performance and wide-angle lens for easily fitting in your friends and loved one in every groufie.

Sony Xperia XA1's internal hardware work together to give the smartphone decent 3D gaming and overall touch performance.

Powered by a non-removable 2,300 mAh battery pack that should be good for a whole day of uptime with regular use, this release runs its Xperia-UI-skinned Android 7.0 Nougat operating system with a 64-Bit Octa-Core ARM Cortex A53 and Mali-T880MP2 GPU based MT6757 Helio P20 processor, which is one of the most powerful chipsets from MediaTek currently.

The processor is complemented by 3GB of RAM for relatively smooth multitasking experience as well as 32GB of internal storage that can be easily augmented using the secondary hybrid nanoSIM slot that also supports microSD card memory expansion.

Available in four colors, namely, Black, White, Pink, and Gold, Sony Xperia XA1 is now available across the Philippines via Sony Concept Stores and authorized retail channels, including those that are online.

I've yet to fully review this visually-arresting midrange model but off hand, I think it's a pretty good purchase for its price -- especially for mobile consumers who have always looked up to Sony as an electronics company and trailblazer in the tech industry.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)Name : Sony Xperia XA1
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : Midrange
Dimensions : 145 x 67 x 8 mm
Weight : 143 grams
Available Colors : Gold, Pink, White, Black
Operating System : Android 7.0 Nougat with Xperia UI
Display : 5.0 inches (~70.9% screen-to-body ratio), 720 x 1280 pixels (~294 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Scratch Resistant Glass
Processor : 64-Bit Octa Core (2.3 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 x 4, 1.6 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 x4), Mali-T880MP2 GPU, Mediatek MT6757 Helio P20 chipset
RAM : 3GB RAM
Internal Storage : 32GB ROM, expandable via hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot that also works as a microSD card slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: 23 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 24mm, phase detection and laser autofocus, LED flash
Front: 8 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 23mm, autofocus, 1/4" sensor size
Video Capture : Front and Back: Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE-A Cat6
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS
FM Radio : Yes
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100
4G LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 28(700), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 2,300 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : 466 Hours of Standby, 11 Hours 20 Minutes of Talk Time, All-Day Battery Life
Value-Added Features : Great Imaging Capabilities, Good Internal Specs, Great Design, Bezel-less Display, Xperia UI
Announcement : Philippines - April 2017
Availability : Philippines - April 2017
Price : Official SRP in the Philippines - Php 14,990

Sony Xperia XZ Premium Philippines Price and Release Date Guesstimate, Full Specs and Exact Launch Date

It's been a while since I felt this excited about the imminent release of an Xperia handset here in the Philippines.

To be honest, over the past two or three years, it seemed like that Sony has taken the back seat and merely watched its main competitors - Apple and Samsung - as well new handset companies from China dominate the smartphone market here in the Philippines.

That kind of broke my heart because I've been a big fan of this Japanese tech giant ever since I was elementary school and I've already developed a sense of affinity with the company after I worked with them in the past in promoting Sony Xperia Z1 and Z2 locally.

That said, I certainly hope that the new Sony Xperia XZ Premium could help the brand redeem itself starting this year; I think this top-of-the-line model has what it takes to do just that.

For one, it looks incredible.

As someone who has older high-end Xperia phones in my gadget collection, I'd say that Sony has finally perfected this familiar design language on this release.

Xperia XZ Premium's scratch-resistant back plate has an elegant high-gloss mirror-finish.

Sony started using this glass-metal-glass sandwich design language on the Xperia Z1, which was released in 2014 -- and even back then, it was stunning. Heck, it was so good that other companies - including Samsung and Xiaomi - eventually adapted it in crafting their own high-end phones.

Compared to its predecessors, though, the IP68-Certified Water-Resistant Sony Xperia XZ Premium looks far more polished and feels more durable as well as more balanced in the hand -- thanks to its Gorilla Glass 5 front and back panels, thick CNC-crafted stainless steel top and bottom plates, and rounded tubular build.

For me, Sony Xperia Xperia XZ Premium is the most gorgeous handset that Sony has released so far -- but its aesthetics aren't the only thing that's impressive about this model.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium's 5.46-inch Triluminos Display is also the first ever 4K HDR smartphone screen, which means that it is built to deliver exceptional color, contrast, and details, ensuring a more enjoyable content viewing and 3D gaming experience.

As expected from a flagship smartphone by one of the world's most legendary companies that create products for entertainment, the XZ Premium has top-notch imaging capabilities.

Greatly benefiting from Sony's unique camera innovations including the new memory-stacked Exmor RS sensor, the award-winning G-Lens, and Bionz for Mobile intelligent image-processor, this handset's 19 MegaPixel f/2.0 aperture Motion Eye camera starts buffering images one second before you click on the camera button, which makes Predictive Capture possible. With this feature, you can choose the best shot out of four images taken of a fast-moving subject.

This rear camera can also shoot 4K 30fps videos as well as HD videos at a whopping 960 frames per second for recording those unbelievable Super Slow Motion clips -- something that you can't do on other similarly-priced high-end smartphones.

For those who love snapping selfies, Sony Xperia XZ Premium has a 13 MegaPixel front cam with 1/3.06” low light sensor and a 22mm wide angle lens, which delivers clear and brilliant self-portraits and groufies that are instantly ready for sharing on Instagram or Facebook.

For audiophiles, Xperia XZ Premium features High-Resolution Audio output, Digital Noise Cancelling, S-Force Front Surround Dual Loud Speakers, Clear Audio+, Clear Bass, and Automatic Headphone Optimization that all work together to deliver enjoyable music-listening experience whether via loud speakers or though your favorite earphones or headphones.

Inside its sleek shell, the XZ Premium runs its Xperia-UI-flavored Android 7.1 Nougat operating system with an updated 64-Bit Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor that incorporates an Adreno 540 graphics chip, has 4GB of RAM for multitasking, and comes with 64GB of expandable storage. Although it would have been nice if the phone had 6GB of RAM, this set of internal hardware is more or less the standard in top-of-the-line Android smartphone models for the first half of 2017; I'd say it's right up there in the innards of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ in the Philippines.

Flagship-level Sony Xperia handsets are also known for their more than decent uptime and it looks like the XZ Premium will be no exception. Protected from possible damages caused by overcharging, the phone's embedded 3,230 mAh Li-Ion fast-charging battery is capable of delivering "all-day" uptime with regular use.

So after reading all that, are you now interested in getting this amazing 2017 smartphone? Well, Sony will hold an exclusive media event on May 23, 2017 to launch the Sony Xperia XZ Premium -- and on that day, the Japanese company will officially announce the exact pricing information and release date of this high-end model. Right now, I can only give you my guesstimate for the price of the Dual SIM version, which will be launched in our market. I believe it will don an SRP in the range of Php 42,000 to Php 45,000 when it hits store shelves across the country later this month. Stay tuned for updates!

Update as of May 23, 2017: Sony Xperia XZ Premium has just been formally announced in the Philippines via an exclusive media event at BlackBird Restaurant in Makati City. The handset's official suggested retail price is Php 45,490.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)Name : Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : High-End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions : 156 x 77 x 7.9 mm
Weight : 195 grams
Available Colors : Luminous Chrome, Bronze Pink, Deepsea Black
Operating System : Android 7.1 Nougat with Xperia UI
Display : 5.46 inches (~68.4% screen-to-body ratio), 3840 x 2160 pixels (~807 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5, HDR10 Compliant, Triluminos Display
Processor : 64-Bit Quad Core (2.45 GHz Kryo X 2 + 1.9 GHz Kryo X 2), Adreno 540 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 64GB ROM, expandable via hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot doubling as microSD card slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: 19 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 25mm focal length, EIS (gyro), predictive phase detection and laser autofocus, 1/2.3" sensor size, LED flash
Front: 13 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 22mm, 1/3" sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size
Video Capture : Back - 4K 30 frames per second, HD 960 frames per second
Front - 1080p
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE-A Cat16
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : No
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner, Color Spectrum
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 13(700), 17(700), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 29(700), 32(1500), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500) - G8141, G8142
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,230 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : All-Day Uptime with Regular Use
Value-Added Features : Premium Build, Dual Front Facing Speakers, IP68 Certified Water and Dust Resistant, Motion Eye, Gorilla Glass 5 Front and Back Panels, Powerful Internal Hardware, Super Slow Motion Video Capture
Announcement : Philippines - May 23, 2017
Availability : Philippines - May 2017
Price : TechPinas Price Guesstimate - Php 42,000 to Php 45,000
Official SRP in the Philippines (Update) - Php 45,490

Sony Xperia XZs Philippines Price, Specs, Official Release Date, Key Features

Based on the traffic that my previous articles about Sony Xperia Android smartphones had gotten through the years, I can say with confidence that many of my readers are big fans of this handset brand.

If you're one of them, here's something that I'm sure will put a smile on your face:

Sony Xperia XZs - the flagship smartphone of the legendary Japanese tech company for the first half of 2017 - has just been officially released here in the Philippines.

This top-of-the-line smartphone hit store shelves across the country last Friday - May 5, 2017 - donning an official suggested retail price of Php 39,990.

Sony Xperia XZs shares largely the same design language and construction as its direct predecessor, the Sony Xperia XZ, which is not bad at all given that the 2016 flagship was and remains to be a headturner.

You get the same tubular real metal shell that seamlessly encases the curved scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass face on top the brilliant 5.2-inch Full HD Triluminos display panel.

On top of that, the handset's svelte body remains to be IP68 Certified Water and Dust Resistant, which means that it is more than capable of surviving accidental splashes or drops in shallow water.

Likewise, Xperia XZs' top-notch audio features including its Dual S-Force Front Surround speakers and Hi-Res Quality music playback via earphone jack merely echo what on the previous release.

Having two loud speakers in front, Xperia XZs delivers surround sound quality -- a rare feature in flagship Android smartphones.

What makes Sony Xperia XZs truly special is its main 19 MegaPixel f/2.0 camera, which features the world's first ever memory stacked imaging sensor in a smartphone, which provides 5-Times faster image scanning and data transfer.

This powerful component allows Xperia XZs 'Motion Eye' video recorder to shoot HD clips at a whopping 960 frames per second, making Super Slow Motion rendering possible!

If you love shooting videos of fast moving subjects like animals in the wild or players in a ball game or practically any sport, you will definitely find this imaging feature very useful.

Under the hood, Xperia XZs runs its Sony-flavored Android 7.1 Nougat operating system with a powerhouse 64-Bit Quad Core Kryo and Adreno 530 GPU based Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, has 4GB of RAM, and comes with 32GB of internal storage that you can easily beef up using the hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot that also works as microSD card memory expansion slot.

Powered by a non-removable 2,900 mAh Li-Ion battery pack that supports Qnovo Adaptive Charging and delivers at least a whole day of uptime with regular use, Dual SIM Dual Standby (Dual nanoSIM) Sony Xperia XZs is available in three elegant colors, namely, Ice Blue, Black, and Warm Silver.

It's been a while since I reviewed a Sony Xperia flagship so I'm certainly hoping to play with this new model soon and to give it a good test run. Frankly, Xperia XZs' innards aren't particularly 2017 standard for top-of-the-line handsets. However, let's keep in mind that a smartphone's actual performance in real world use is determined by several other factors apart from internal hardware.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)Name : Sony Xperia XZs
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : High-End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions : 146 x 72 x 8.1 mm
Weight : 161 grams
Available Colors : Warm Silver, Black, Ice Blue
Operating System : Android 7.1 Nougat with Xperia UI
Display : 5.2 inches (~70.9% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 1920 pixels (~424 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Curved Corning Gorilla Glass (TBD)
Processor : 64-Bit Quad Core (2.15 GHz Kryo X 2 + 1.6 GHz Kryo X 2), Adreno 530 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 32GB/64GB ROM options, expandable via hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot doubling as microSD card slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: 19 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 25mm focal length, EIS (gyro), predictive phase detection and laser autofocus, 1/2.3" sensor size, LED flash
Front: 13 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 22mm, 1/3" sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size
Video Capture : Back - 4K 30 frames per second, HD 960 frames per second
Front - 1080p
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE-A Cat9
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : No
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner, Color Spectrum
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 13(700), 17(700), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 29(700), 32(1500), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 2,900 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : TBD
Value-Added Features : Premium Build, Dual Front Facing Speakers, IP68 Certified Water and Dust Resistant, Motion Eye, Super Slow Motion Video Capture
Announcement : Philippines - May 5, 2017
Availability : Philippines - May 5, 2017
Price : Official SRP in the Philippines - Php 39,990