Sony Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact Arriving In The U.S.

By Liezl Dunuan, Christian Post Contributor Sunday, January 24, 2016

The last time that Sony released its Xperia Z series of smartphones in the United States was when it released the Sony Xperia Z3 way back in 2014. This year, however, the Japanese company is bringing its latest flagship smartphones, the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact stateside. According to a report in Tech Times, both phones are arriving on February 7, when unlocked versions of both devices will be sold for $599.99 for the Xperia Z5 and $499.99 for the Xperia Z5 Compact.

Under the hood, the Xperia Z5 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset paired with 3 GB of RAM. It is powered by a 2,900 mAh battery which Sony claims will provide two days of continuous usage on a single full charge. It also has a 5.2-inch screen. The Xperia Z5 Compact has a smaller display at 4.6 inches and a smaller 2,700 mAh battery.

Both the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact boast of a 23-megapixel main camera, which has phase detection auto focus and LED flash. Both phones are also said to be waterproof and dustproof.

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A separate report in The Verge, however, said that the devices that will be released in the U.S. will be missing one important feature – the fingerprint sensor which is located on the side of the phone, at the power button. This was confirmed by Sony as well, who said that it was a "business decision" to exclude the feature for the U.S. but did not indicate the basis for the decision.

The Tech Times report speculated that this decision will have implications on how well the smartphones will sell in the U.S. given that a major security feature has been taken out. Most flagship devices nowadays carry the much sought-after feature, so it is surprising for Sony not to include it in theirs.

According to the report, how the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact will fare in the U.S. market will determine whether Sony is bringing the much larger Xperia Z5 Premium to the country as well.