Sony on Tuesday quietly unveiled a new Android smartphone, a 5-inch device that proposes interesting curved design lines and a slim body. However the new Sony Xperia E4 isn’t the Galaxy S6 rival Sony fans might have been waiting for.
DON’T MISS: Here’s one more reason to be excited about the Galaxy S6 and LG G4
Instead, the handset should be a budget-friendly device ready to offer buyers various interesting features, including a large display, a “long-lasting” battery that should offer two days of life, dual-SIM support (at least on one Xperia E4 version) and an affordable price.
When it comes to hardware, the phone packs a 5-inch qHD display (960 x 540) resolution), 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage (5GB available to the user), microSD support, 5-megapixel camera, 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 2,300 mAh battery and Android 4.4.4 KitKat.
The phone measures 137 x 74.6 x 10.5 mm, weighs 144g and should be available in both black and white when it launches later this year. Actual release plans and pricing details aren’t available at this time, though the company said the phone should be launched at some point in mid-February in certain markets.
The full press release follows below.
UPDATE: Sony has confirmed to BGR the phone will not be launched in the U.S.
Unlock entertainment and endless fun with Sony’s new Xperia™ E4
Sony’s acclaimed craftsmanship offers robust and stylish design and great ease of use.
Looks good, sounds good – large 5” qHD display with IPS for the best viewing angle, high quality audio playback and fun social music app, PartyShare
Long-lasting two-day battery life, with a powerful, 2300mAh battery with Ultra STAMINA Mode
Available in black and white colour options with customisable UI themes and different covers to suit your styleLondon, 10th February 2015 – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces its new Xperia™ E4 smartphone, offering ease-of-use, big screen entertainment and powerful battery performance in a high-quality yet affordable design.
“With Xperia E4, we wanted to offer people some of the premium Sony features they have come to expect – with unparalleled ease of use – at a highly-competitive price point,” says Tony McNulty, Vice President, Value Category Business Management at Sony Mobile Communications. “With a simple set-up, great screen and unrivalled 2 day battery life we’ve created an on-the-go entertainment device that will keep on going, wherever you are.”
Ease of use from the moment you turn on your mobile
Xperia E4 is built to ensure that you enjoy a smartphone that’s easy to use, with quick access to your favourite apps and user-friendly experience.
With Xperia E4 you can easily prioritize your long days with our 2 day battery life.
Capturing the perfect shot couldn’t be simpler, with Auto scene recognition, image enhancing features and camera apps all built in to give you great photos with minimal effort.
To help you get the most out of your smartphone, Xperia E4 is designed so that changing your phone settings is faster than ever before; just use the status bar and “quick settings” tab. And the user-friendly system updates ensure you’ll always have easy access to the latest and greatest software available.
For those new to Xperia, seamless migration from other Android, iOS or Blackberry devices is super quick. The Xperia™ Transfer application, allows you to move contacts, photos, bookmarks, apps, music, messages and much more without the hassle – or the worry of losing anything important.
Feel the quality of Sony’s acclaimed design
When it comes to looks, Xperia E4 punches well above its weight, with premium feel and a personality all of its own, with quality design details that are unmistakably Sony.
Xperia E4‘s textured surface and slim, curved OmniBalance design make it a pleasure to hold while a scratch-resistant screen adds durability.
Not only that, but Xperia E4 has also references design accents found usually only in top-tier smartphones, like its aluminum power button with a diamond cut for indelible precision, and distinctive stainless steel camera ring.
Available in classic black and white, the affordable Xperia E4 retains the premium look that Xperia products have become famous for. To make it your own, Xperia E4 comes with customisable UI themes and matching cover accessories are available too so you can change your look, inside and out, to match your personal style. You can also enhance your experiences further, with Sony’s broad range of accessories including BSP10 Bluetooth® Speaker and SBH60 Stereo Bluetooth® Headset.
Two-day battery guarantees superior performance
Sony’s latest smartphones are fast becoming famous for their superb battery life. Xperia E4 draws upon that expertise, integrating a powerful 2300mAh battery that gives you up to two-days battery life1; so you don’t have to worry about charging your phone every night. If that isn’t enough, activate Battery STAMINA Mode to optimize how your battery is used and Ultra STAMINA Mode to keep your phone running on its core functions for a week.
Along with stamina, you also get speed. A high-performing 1.3 GHz Quad-core processor with fast performance means that you can run multiple apps simultaneously, surf the web and stream videos all at once. The processor and 1GB of RAM also give you high performance and speed without draining your battery. With 8GB of storage, your Xperia E4 has room to store all of your favourite content too.
Entertainment on the go
Entertainment is firmly at the centre of Xperia E4. With a 5” qHD display and IPS for the best viewing angle, you can enjoy high-quality entertainment wherever you are, whilst Sony’s superior speakers deliver clear audio experience and depth.
Sony’s new app PartyShare lets everyone share their music through your phone via Wi-Fi Direct with everyone in the room; so you become your friends’ personal DJ. You can also use PartyShare to collect and share pictures from that party. PartyShare is preloaded on Xperia E4 but available for download from Play Store from today for all Xperia products and Android smartphones on Kitkat or later Google OS version.The 5MP rear camera, featuring HDR and a whole host of fun camera apps, will help you to create pictures to be proud of, including AR fun, Live on YouTube™, Portrait retouch, Sound photo, Timeshift burst, AR effect, Social live, Creative effect, and Sweep panorama. A 2MP front camera lets you capture great quality selfies, and with a dedicated selfie app taking your images to a whole new level.
Xperia E4 is the perfect companion for consumers looking for a super-easy, yet quality smartphone with great entertainment and long lasting performance. It will launch from the middle of February including a Dual SIM variant.
For the full specifications of Xperia E4, please visit: http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/phones/xperia-e4/specifications/
1 Based on multiple battery performance tests conducted between December 2014 and January 2015 in a laboratory under an active use conditions reflective of the Typical Smartphone User by Sony Mobile Communications AB. For more information go to: http://www.sonymobile.com/testresults
