Sony Xperia XZ Premium with 4K screen launched in India at Rs 59,990

On pre-booking from June 2 to June 11, you get Rs 8,990 SRS-XB20 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker for free

Sony India has launched in the country its flagship smartphone, the Xperia XZ Premium, at Rs 59,990. The smartphone, the first to feature a whopping 4K display and a powerful 19-megapixel camera capable of recording incredible slow motion videos, had been unveiled during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017.

In terms of specifications, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium offers top of the line innards. The smartphone sports a 5.5-inch high dynamic range (HDR)-ready display, with 4K (2160 x 3840) resolution and covered with Gorilla Glass 5 for protection from scratches and accidental drops. Powering the device is Qualcomm latest Snapdragon 835 processor that features Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, which supports a speed of up to 1 Gbps, and Adreno 540 graphic processing unit (GPU) for smoother graphics.

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The major attraction of the device is its 19-megapixel rear camera, capable of recording slow-motion video in 960 frames per second (FPS). There are multitudes of extra camera features for photography enthusiasts and professionals which make the Xperia XZ Premium a heavy-weight in its league.

The Xperia XZ Premium boots Android Nougat v7.1 out of the box and features 4 GB of RAM, besides 64 GB of built-in storage expandable via microSD card. The phone is fitted with a 3,230 mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0 and an adaptive charging layer on top for quicker battery refill. The Xperia XZ Premium is IP65/68-certified, so it can withstand water and dust abuse with ease.

Pre-booking of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium will open from June 2 and go on till June 11. Sony is offering a SRS-XB20 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, worth Rs 8,990, for those pre-booking the smartphone during the offer period. The smartphone will go on sale at all Sony Center, select retail outlets and Online exclusively on Amazon.com.

Google rolls out Android 7.0 Nougat for Nexus devices

Google rolls out Android 7.0 Nougat for Nexus devices

Google on Tuesday announced the launch of Android 7.0Nougat for Nexus devices.

The company said over the next several weeks, the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C and General Mobile 4G (Android One) will get an over-the-air software update to Android 7.0 Nougat.

Any devices enrolled in the Android Beta Programme will also receive this final version.

This means the update will miss the Nexus 5 and 7 tablets. The official Google blog also said, “There are many tasty devices coming from our partners running Android Nougat, including the upcoming LG V20, which will be the first new smartphone that ships with Android Nougat, right out of the box.”

According to news reports, the upgrade will be rolled out for devices such as HTC10, HTC One 9A, HTC One M9 and Sony Xperia Z3.(more)

ALSO READ: Five things you should look forward to in Android N

Sony Xperia X: Falls short on performance

Sony Xperia X: Falls short on performance

When I first got my hands on the Sony Xperia X, I was filled with a sense of deja vu - the reason being the uncanny similarity the phone shares with the Xperia Z series.

The phone has a metallic back with a 2.5D curved glass front. The corners are more rounded which makes it comfortable to hold. The power button is located in the middle on the right side, just above the volume rocker. The power button doubles up as a fingerprint sensor and setting the sensor up was easy. The sensor is pretty responsive and for people who favour one-handed usage, the sensor placement comes in handy.

specification of sony xperia X

The Xperia X comes with a 5-inch Full HD display. The colours are vivid and sharp and with the correct brightness level, using it in sunlight isn't a problem either.

The phone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and is devoid of excessive pre-installed apps. The app drawer is akin to that of a stock Android.

Though the Xperia X falls in the premium segment, the hardware doesn't quite match up. Under the hood it houses a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor with 3GB of RAM. I would have expected such a processor in mid-range smartphones. With a price tag of Rs 48,990, Sony could have easily gone for an upgrade. Read More.

Netflix may face tough competition, but content volume holds key

The wait for Indian audiences is finally over as the American content producer and distributor, Netflix, announced its entry into India at the CES 2016 on Wednesday. The over-the-top (OTT) giant announced expansion to 130 countries simultaneously, including India. There are three tiers of pricing available per month — basic at Rs 500, standard at Rs 650 and premium at Rs 800.

Whispers about Netflix entering India had been growing over time and existing Indian players had been priming up for the event, weighing strengths and weaknesses on their part, and more importantly, for Netflix.

Pricing was going to be the main issue, felt industry players, since in India, paying for content online is still very rare.