The new Xperia M4 Aqua is indeed, as the name suggests, waterproof. This is not a completely new function among smartphones, however, the Sony Xperia M4 can do so without looking like a ruggedized version of a normal smartphone. The device comes with a 5″ 1280 x 720 IPS display and the claim of a two day battery life. The unique waterproof feature (IP68) comes from the micro USB port and headphone jack, which are both waterproof without any plugs to cover them. The phone will be available in the first half of 2015 in Europe for €299.
The Z4 tablet has a 10.1″ (2560 x 1600) triluminous IPS LCD display. The top brightness reaches 600 nits. The tablet is also completely waterproof, but requires a cover for the SIM and SD card ports. The device will allow for up to 17h of video playback on one charge. Availability is promised for spring of 2015 at a price of €550 – €650 depending on the connectivity option. The device also has a Bluetooth keyboard option, where the tablet attaches to a hinge on the keyboard turning the device into a 2in1.
In contrast to the M4 Aqua, the Z4 tablet has some more inputs that require a cover to avoid water penetration. As with the M4 Aqua the USB and audio ports are water tight without any cover.
Sony calls its display triluminous, and following the logic that any triluminous display is the same, one would expect that these are based on quantum dot technology. Unfortunately, we could not confirm this assumption by asking the available personnel. Instead it seems that some of the extended color gamut may come from the backlight and software optimization. (In fact, Sony started using the Triluminous trade mark when it first started to ship TVs and monitors using RGB backlights – Man. Ed.)
On the wearable front Sony showed the SmartWatch 3 and the Smartband Talk. Neither device is new and this just shows the early interest Sony had in this new market. The SmartWatch 3 is a relativly large smartwatch with many standalone functions, even though it looks a little dated already compared to some other models. The Smartband Talk is one of the few wearables employing electrophoretic display technology to improve outdoor readability and battery life.
