MWC 2018: Sony Xperia XZ2, Xperia XZ2 Compact, Xperia XZ2 Pro rumor roundup

We are just a few hours away from the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2018) and the last minute string of leaks are still flowing in. While the spotlight remains on the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, other head-turners are expected to come from Sony which is set to unveil its first set of 18:9 display smartphones.

Sony is expected to take the wraps off its Xperia XZ2, Xperia XZ2 Compact, and the Xperia XZ2 Pro smartphones at the annual event. Other than bringing the new-age edge-to-edge immersive displays, the smartphones are also likely to add to the first batch of Qualcomm Snapdragon 845-powered devices. Unlike Samsung’s flagship smartphones, Sony does not restrict the Qualcomm version to specific markets. Here’s a roundup of all the features and specifications speculated to arrive with the upcoming Xperia lineup.

Sony Xperia XZ2, Xperia XZ2 Compact

Leaks about the next-gen Sony Xperia XZ2 series started earlier this month when a company official accidentally announced the smartphone’s arrival through a Twitter conversation. In one of the fresh leaks, as reported by Venture Beat, the redesigned smartphones have been pictured featuring an 18:9 displays on a taller frame. Based on the images, the Xperia XZ2 will pack a 5.7-inch display while the Compact version will be equipped with a 5-inch display. Both the models are likely to pack full HD LCD screen protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

What makes the images interesting is that they mark a shift from Sony’s traditional boxy design which had started to lose consumer interest in front of rival smartphones with better aesthetics. If we go by the images, not only has Sony redesigned the overall appearance of the smartphones which now sport a sleek and rounded display look, but the company has also repositioned its rear camera, LED flash, and fingerprint sensor for better ergonomics.

Giving the XZ2 a premium appearance is the 3D glass surface on both sides of the aluminum frame. The front offers a larger screen-to-body ratio than any other Xperia phone in the past. It is likely that the Xperia XZ2 will arrive in four color choices of Black, Silver, Green, and Pink.

Talking about the camera capabilities; Sony is known for excelling in this department and the upcoming smartphones are unlikely to mark a shift. In fact, the Xperia XZ2 is expected to feature the same 19-megapixel rear camera with f/1.8 aperture which we have already seen on the XZ Premium. The camera system is capable of 4K HDR recording, super slow-motion capture in full HD resolution. However, as mentioned earlier, the layout of the camera on the upcoming smartphone is a tad different. This time around the LED flash is located above the camera module which is now followed by the fingerprint sensor.

It is worth mentioning that some reports in the past indicated the presence of a dual-camera module on the XZ2. It was speculated that the smartphone will pack a combination of two 12-megapixel sensors at the back, along with a 15-megapixel sensor at the front for selfies and video calling. This report has been an isolated instance as the freshly leaked images do not indicate the presence of dual cameras on the XZ2.

Coming to the chipset; for the longest time, the upcoming Xperia XZ2 series is rumored to pack Qualcomm’s newer Snapdragon 845 SoC with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. This will likely make the smartphones stand at par with the Samsung Galaxy S9 series which is also expected to pack the same chipset for the US and European markets.

Other features speculated for the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact include an IP65/68 rating, which will add water and dust resistance capabilities. On the software front, the smartphones should run the newer Android 8.0.0 Oreo out-of-the-box. In addition to these, the smartphones are speculated to pack ‘S Force’ stereo speakers at the front which will be supported with haptic feedback system that syncs up vibrations to the sound. This feature will be absent on the Compact version.

As for battery, the Xperia XZ2 will pack a slightly higher 3,180mAh battery with support for Type-C and wireless charging, while its Compact cousin will include 2,870mAh battery with support for only wired charging.

Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro

This will the showstopper at Sony’s launch event as it will stand above the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact models. Subject to multiple leaks in the past, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro is expected to pack some very impressive features such as a 4K OLED display with 18:9 aspect ratio and a dual-camera setup.

As the name suggests, the Pro model will also be priced higher than the other two models. Based on the past leaks, the smartphone could pack the world’s first 4K OLED display on a smartphone capable of delivering a resolution of 3840×1920 pixels, which translates to an insane 7.3 million pixels on a smartphone. With the high-end display, which will be manufactured by LG, the smartphone is expected to make the experience much more enhanced through its bezel-less design.

In a recent benchmark leak, other nitty-gritty details about the Xperia XZ2 Pro. Based on the listing, the smartphone could pack a dual-camera module featuring a combination of two 12-megapixel rear cameras. The smartphone is likely to feature the same 15-megapixel selfie camera as seen on the other models.

Under the hood, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC is likely to come paired with a higher 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It will be tad disappointing to see the high-end smartphone using only a meagre 64GB default storage at a time when competition is offering as much as 128GB of default storage. On the software front, the Xperia XZ2 Pro will run an updated Android 8.1 Oreo out-of-the-box. As for connectivity, there have been contrary reports about the presence of the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

Sony will be hosting its launch event on February 26 at 8:30 AM Barcelona time, which will be 1 PM in India. BGR India will be covering the event live so you can stay tuned for all the latest updates from the MWC 2018.