Sony showcased three new handsets at IFA 2017. These are Xperia XZ1, XZ1 Compact, and Xperia XA1 Plus. The first of the three is the Sony Xperia XZ1, which doesn't look that much different from its predecessor. It packs a 5.2-inch display of 1080p Full HD resolution with support for HDR. It is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC with 4GB RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. Its battery capacity, however, is quite small at 2,700 mAh. The good news is that the Xperia XZ1 will ship with the latest Android 8.0 Oreo OS. And like many high-end Xperia smartphones, the XZ1 is water and dust resistant (IP68 certified).
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When it comes to photography, the Xperia XZ1 has the same rear shooter as that of the Xperia XZ and Xperia XZ Premium. That is a 19-MP MotionEye primary camera, which is able to take 960 fps slow-motion video but still no optical image stabilization (OIS). It, however, comes with Sony's SteadyShot technology, which is form of electronic stabilization. Another standout feature of the Xperia XZ1 is 3D Scanning, which will enable the user to capture three-dimensional objects using the camera. These 3D objects can be used in AR effects, social media, video games, and 3D printing.
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The Sony Xperia XZ1 will launch on September 19, 2017 and will become available in four colors: Warm Silver, Moonlit Blue, Venus Pink, and Black. It will set you back $699, which is cheaper than flagship offers by competitors.
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Up next, we have the Xperia XZ1 Compact, which is literally a smaller version of the XZ1. Like the XZ1, it sports the OmniBalance design language of Sony, which is now known for its relatively large bezels. The Xperia XZ1 Compact comes with a 4.6-inch display of a very low 720p HD resolution. It also does not offer support for HDR content. However, like the larger Xperia XZ1, under the hood is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. Interestingly, it has the same battery capacity as the Xperia XZ1 at 2,700 mAh so expect it to last longer than its bigger sibling.
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The Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact also has the same camera setup as the XZ1. And like the Xperia XZ1, it will also ship with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. To be available in four colors: Black, White Silver, Twilight Pink, and Blue, the Xperia XZ1 Compact will retail for $599. It will arrive on shelves on October 4, 2017.
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Last among the three is the more affordable midrange smartphone Xperia XA1 Plus. It has a 5.5-inch display of 1080p Full HD resolution. It, however, ditches the Snapdragon processor for an octa-core MediaTek Helio P20 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. Unlike its flagship siblings, it will only ship with Android 7.0 Nougat. To its advantage, it will be powered by a large 3,430 mAh battery. As for the camera, it packs a 23-MP Exmor RS sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and an 8-MP front-facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Available in Black, Gold, White, and Blue color options, the Xperia XA1 Plus will hit the shelves on October 20, 2017 for $379.99.
Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy J7+, which is the second Samsung smartphone to feature a dual camera setup. It is clad in aluminum and comes with a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080p Full HD resolution. Under the hood is an octa-core MediaTek Helio P20 processor with 4GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. A modest 3,000 mAh battery will keep its lights on.
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Regarding the main camera, the Galaxy J7+ packs a primary 13-MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture and a secondary 5-MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture. In front, a 16-MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture is placed. Other features include a rear fingerprint scanner, dual-SIM support, LTE connectivity, and the Bixby Home app. Unlike the other Galaxy J series handsets in the past, the Galaxy J7+ will cost $390, which is quite steep. However, pre-ordering the smartphone will get you a free Samsung U Flex wireless earphones, which normally retail for $75.
Joining the dual camera setup bandwagon is the Moto X4 from Lenovo. Fresh from this year's IFA in Berlin, the glass and metal clad Moto X4 features a 5.2-inch IPS display of 1080p Full HD resolution. Aside from Gorilla Glass protection, the smartphone also features IP68 certification, which makes it water and dust resistant. Ticking inside is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset with 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB of expandable storage. A 3,000 mAh battery, which supports Turbo Charging, will keep its lights on.
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Speaking of dual camera, the Moto X4 sports a 12-MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and dual pixel auto-focus and another 8-MP ultra-wide angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, capable of delivering shallow depth of field simulation. The dual cameras support phase detection auto-focus, dual-LED flash, and 4K video recording. There's also a 16-MP front-facing camera on-board with an f/2.0 lens and its own front-facing LED flash. The front camera also features a 4-MP adaptive low-light mode. Connectivity-wise, the Moto X4 comes with LTE-A, dual-SIM support, a fingerprint scanner, 3 speakers, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. Running Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, the Moto X4 also has Amazon's Alexa built-in and is accessible via a voice command. Available in two colors: Super Black and Sterling Blue, it will launch in Europe this September 2017 for €399.
Samsung announced two new smart wearables: the Gear Sport and the Gear Fit2 Pro. The Samsung Gear Sport is a Tizen-powered smartwatch that comes in a sleek yet durable design with a round Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a dual-core processor with 768MB RAM and 4GB of non-expandable storage. It is also compatible with any third-party 20mm watch bands. It has a smorgasbord of sensors and connectivity options, which include Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS w/ GLONASS, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate sensor, and an ambient light sensor. Everything is powered by a 300 mAh battery, which supports wireless charging.
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Like the Gear S3 Frontier, it is aimed at sports enthusiasts and people who have an active lifestyle. It is water resistant up to 50 meters and up to 5 atmospheres, and dust resistant, thanks to its IP68 certification and is also shock resistant, thanks to its MIL-STD-810G certification. It has apps like Speedo On and those from Under Armour. The Gear Sport is compatible with Samsung Galaxy smartphones running Android 4.3 or later, other Android devices running Android 4.4 or later, and newer iPhone models running iOS 9. It is also compatible with a range of Samsung IoT via Samsung Connect. It also supports NFC, thanks to Samsung Pay. It is available in two colors: black and blue.
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Then we have the Gear Fit2 Pro, which is a smartband and a more capable version of the Gear Fit2. For one, it has better strap bands than its predecessor. And like the Gear Sport, it is water and dust resistant up to 5 meters and up to 50 atmospheres. Like the Gear Fit2, it has 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display, GPS, a 200 mAh battery, and runs Tizen OS. It will retail for $199.
Facing pressure from the Samsung Galaxy Note8, LG unveils the all-new V30 phablet. With a body made of glass and aluminum, the V30 comes in an almost bezel-less front fascia. It has a 6-inch P-OLED FullVision display of Quad HD resolution, which supports HDR10, a Floating Bar, and Always on Display. It is also protected by Gorilla Glass 5. It sports the wide 18:9 aspect ratio, same as that of the G6. This time around, the V30 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB RAM and 64GB/128GB of expandable storage. It will also be powered by a non-removable 3,300 mAh battery, which supports QuickCharge and wireless charging. It also comes with IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The LG V30 runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box with the LG UX on top.
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Imaging-wise, the dual camera setup of the LG V30 boasts the brightest aperture on a mobile phone ever at f/1.6 for its 16-MP main sensor and f/1.9 aperture for its 13-MP wide-angle sensor. The main camera also features laser auto-focus, optical image stabilization (OIS), 4K video capture, and dual-LED flash. It also has a 5-MP front-facing camera. Connectivity-wise, the V30 comes with all the goods you would expect from a flagship device - dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS with A-GPS, NFC, and LTE-A. It also has a rear mounted fingerprint scanner. When it comes to audio, the V30 comes with a Advanced Hi-Fi Quad DAC system, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and Bang & Olufsen headphones. It will come in four colors: Black, Silver, Purple, and Blue. There's no information yet on pricing and availability.
