Although Sony has called it quits on the US smartphone market, the company’s Sony Z Ultra handset has landed on the Play store. Unlocked and contract-free, the handset packs a massive 6.4-inch display.
Interestingly, the handset has been made available by Google, not Sony, and comes as a Google Play Edition (GPE). Being GPE ensures that the Sony Z Ultra runs stock Android rather than the UI skins used by Sony on its Android devices. Moreover, it also means that Google will be the one dishing out OS updates to the smartphone.
While all this is certainly a huge plus for Z Ultra smartphone, the handset itself hasn’t attracted many raving reviews. It packs a 1920 x 1080 6.4-inch display which is juiced up using a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor together with 2GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB of storage space and runs Android 4.4, the Kit Kat.
Users can get hook up the smartphone with an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM. However, much of the online debate about the Sony Z Ultra phone is centered on its exceptionally large display. A 6.4-inch display makes some sense for a mini tablet but featuring such a huge screen on a smartphone doesn’t pass for normal.
Not only that, the handset costs a whopping $649.99. In a world where Google has slashed down the Android handset prices by offering highly affordable Nexus phones, it remains to be seen how successful is Sony’s offering.
While we are on it, the avid Nexus fans may be glad to hear that Google has made available a white Nexus 7 model on the Play Store. Until now, the tablet was available only in black but the new model packs a really cool white shade which kind of goes well with all those Christmas festivities.
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