Xperia XZ2 is first Sony smartphone in 5 years that actually looks new

It only took five years, but Sony has finally deviated for the brutalist design language that permeated through its smartphone family since 2013. The electronics giant today unveiled the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact, a pair of new flagships that trade bulky bezels and blocky design for extra-tall displays and curvy bodies.

Sony's new design language is all about curves; the XZ2 has curved Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, and the XZ2 Compact has a curved Gorilla Glass 5 front and a polycarbonate back with a much more prominent curvature. Sony says this is so the phones give you "the best comfort in your hand". The designs aren't dissimilar to the what the rest of the mobile industry is doing - the XZ2 is a little reminiscent of HTC's U11 - but it’s a nice change of direction for Sony.

As is in vogue, the pair have extra-tall 18:9 displays running at 1080p+. The XZ2 measures in at 5.7-inches, while the XZ2 Compact is obviously smaller, with a comparatively teeny tiny 5-inch screen.

One other feature exclusive to the larger XZ2 is Sony's "Dynamic Vibration System". This analyses the audio from movies, games, and provides haptic feedback to "bring them to life"; it sounds almost like the rumble pad found in the PlayStation 4 controller.

The other main difference between the phones is the XZ2 supports wireless charging, while the XZ2 Compact doesn't.

Otherwise, key specifications are almost identical for both models. These include the new top-of-the-line Snapdragon 845 processor, 64GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, a 19MP rear-facing camera capable of super slow motion at 960fps, front-facing stereo speakers, and IP68 water-resistance.

The Xperia XZ2 will be available in Australia later this year in both single and dual SIM variants. Sony has yet to confirm pricing, and local availability of the smaller Xperia XZ2 Compact is still being determined.

While neither new phone has a dual camera setup, Sony used its Mobile World Congress keynote to tease a new camera configuration that will use two cameras to capture bright photos in extremely dark conditions thanks to an ISO sensitivity of 51,200.

Alex Choros

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Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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