First look: Sony's flagship Xperia XZ smartphone

Sony's new Xperia XZ – on sale this month at $999 – sees the previous X and Z models merged into a new flagship for the Xperia line of Android-powered smartphones.

As such, the spec sheet reads like a track listing from the Sony's Greatest Xperia Hits double CD – albeit with a few items missing, such as trading down from the waterproofing of the Z series to a more cautious 'water-resistant'.

A fingerprint sensor is built into the side-mounted power button, while storage is a one-size-fits-all 32GB which can be boosted by adding a microSD card up to 256GB.

Sony's 'slabette' design is immediately familiar, although the edges are gently tapered to help it sit more comfortably in your hand... an especially useful trait when the screen has been upsized to 5.2 inches.

Where Sony has really doubled down is the Xperia XZ's camera system: it's tricked out with a 23MP rear sensor geared for fast capture and laser-guided auto-focus (we're not kidding about that!), a selfie-friendly 13MP front sensor tuned for low light conditions, and steadier image stabilisation when even recording 4K video.

In addition to fast battery charging through the USB-C port, Sony claims the use of 'adaptive charging' technology will extend the overall life of the battery rather than see it steadily drop to less than a day between charges as the months and years roll by.

The Sony Xperia XZ launches in Australia on October 20, with outright sale through Sony and JB Hi-Fi at $999 and across a range of Telstra plans starting at $78/month.

For full specs, click through to Sony Australia's Xperia XZ launch page – we're hoping to bring you a hands-on review next month.

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.