The New Xperia Z3: A Closer Look at Sony's Latest Update

Josh Vagar from Manord Authority is taking us on a live tour of the new Sony Xperia Z3, showcasing its latest update to the popular smartphone line. The device features a more rounded design, with all ports still available and easily accessible by removing the port covers.

One of the standout features of the Z3 is its sleeker design, which has been achieved through a lighter device and a thinner body at only 7mm. This makes it significantly thinner than the original Z2, which measured slightly more in thickness. The Copper edition of the phone is also on display, showcasing a unique color that sets it apart from other devices in the Xperia line.

Under the hood, the Z3 boasts an impressive upgrade to the Snapdragon 801 processor and Adreno 330 graphics card, ensuring seamless gaming performance. The camera is also upgraded with a 20.7 megapixel Optics system, providing users with high-quality image capture capabilities.

Moving on to the software side of things, we see that the Xperia UI remains largely unchanged from previous iterations. However, there are some subtle optimizations and enhancements throughout the operating system and user interface. This includes improved Quick Settings and recent apps screens, making it easier for users to access their favorite features.

One exciting feature of the Z3 is its compatibility with the PlayStation 4. Users can now connect their device to the PS4 via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, allowing for remote play on both devices. This opens up new possibilities for gamers looking to play their favorite titles on-the-go. Additionally, small apps are still a staple of the Xperia line, providing users with quick access to useful tools and features.

Taking a closer look at the camera, we see that it provides the same type of image quality as the Z2, with numerous modes available. However, there is also a new feature called AR Fun, which allows users to have fun with their pictures in unique ways. The settings menu also offers options for customizing the camera experience, including aspect ratio and resolution.

In terms of handling and feel, the Xperia Z3 has undergone significant optimization compared to its predecessor. The rounded design and lighter body make it easier to hold and use, while the Copper edition adds a touch of premium quality to the device. Overall, the Z3 seems like an enhanced version of the Z2, with improved features and a sleeker design that sets it apart from other devices in the Xperia line.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey it's Josh vagar from manord Authority what's going on everybody and here we are taking a live look at the Sony xeria Z3 this is the new update to the Xperia line they do have a by-ear type of release schedule so you are seeing an incremental change in the Experia line with this new iteration but we will say that we do like what we see now we are here live on the floor so I am giving you this live look but we will have an even closer look at this in a more controlled environment which is where I will give you a much better look at all of the features of the phone but I will talk at length about the changes that are are in this version of the xeria the Z3 or the Z3 if you so choose to call it that uh now comes with a more rounded look all around and you can see here that all of the ports are still available and you can easily just take the port covers out in order to get to the micro SD card slot and also the charging ports and the SIM tray of course we also have the button layout right here on the side that has the signature silver power button right here that has a pretty meaty feel to it all ready but also has the volume rockers below it and of course that great dedicated camera button here where my thumb is from there we do have a much lighter device all around as well and it's actually also quite a bit thinner at only 7 mm this is quite a bit thinner than the original Z2 which came in at a little bit of a thicker size right here we have on the back you're going to notice that I actually have a special color on here the first one of its kind and the experior Line This Is The Copper edition of the phone but uh as far as the innards go we do get the bump to the Snapdragon 801 in terms of the processor and the uh adreno 330 for all of the gaming that you would need and the camera itself also has the 20.7 megapixel Optics that will allow you to get the same type of great uh image quality that you already expected from the Experia line especially in the Z2 now jumping into the actual software itself what we will see here let me just bump up the brightness there for you to make it a little bit easier to see we what we will see here is the Xperia UI still really looking as simplistic as it does it it looks pretty much as close to a stock Android build as you can really sort of muster with the ab drawer a small pullover over there and the home screens is really kind of simplistic keeps it the about the way that you already expect from the xeria UI from previous iterations and here's the recent app screen and of course we have the Quick Settings right over here in the notification drop down now this is basically the xeria UI we do remember but we would expect some upgrades to be uh throughout just little optimizations throughout the actual operating system and the user interface itself now one thing that I really excited about especially when it comes to the Z3 itself and the Z3 tablet compact is the fact that these are the first phones and tablets that will be able to connect to the PlayStation 4 as you can see this icon down here in order for you to do some Remote Play So if you have both of the devices on the same network and you need to give up your uh spot at the TV you will be able to have your playing experience here on this screen and also on the tablet screen which is really great so you will be able to stream those games over and have a great time with those uh looking at some of the applications in here we have a lot of the same experiences and the PS4 connectivity is really the more key feature here especially for those of you Gamers out there taking a look at the small apps we do still have the small apps right here that will allow you to have small applications that will give you access to some quick tools on top of the types of experiences that you're already having whether it be in the browser or anywhere in the operating system really like for example a calculator if we take a look at that right here and these small apps are something that Sony has really had in their phone since uh the beginning of the Experia line really and they continue here in the Z3 taking a look at the camera here you'll see that the operating system provides the same type of camera experience that you've come to expect already with all of the modes in here that have a lot of them that do return but there are a couple of new ones uh like for example face in and also AR has been turned into AR fun which will allow you to have some fun with all of your pictures but from there we do look at the settings real quick aspect ratio at 16 by9 in this case now that will allow us to have um actually you know what we're in the superior autom mode Let's go to manual we can take a look at the settings from there here is the resolution we do have the 20.7 up there as you can see at the top but there is also the 15.5 megapixel if you still want to take a large 16x9 photo and the 8 megapixel down there now you will be able to use all of the modes in the 8 megapixel mode if uh if it's the same as the Z2 and it does look like it will be from there we have the same type of options all around that allow it uh to be pretty customizable when it comes to getting the kind of image that you want and really the experience seems to be quite the same only with some enhancements that are somewhat on the outside and somewhat on the inside as far as the feel goes if you did feel the xeria Z2 and then you put this in your hand you will think that the optimization is pretty nice this rounded feel really gives it a nice touch uh and it really does make it feel a lot sleeker than before this Copp color does look quite nice and with a lighter form all around with a thinner body it does feel like an even more premium device than before with an much easier handling experience than before as well so that's just a quick look at the Xperia Z3 or Z3 that does bring quite a few of the same things you would expect from the xeria Z2 but further enhances the feel on the inside and out in certain particular ways so keep it tuned to Android authority as we're going to bring you yet another look at the Z3 and we're also going to compare it to the Z2 as well once we get our hands on it in a more controlled environment we'll also take a look at the Z3 compact the Z3 tablet Compact and the Sony SmartWatch sporting Android Wear in another video coming up very soon so keep it tuned here because we are your source for all things epha 2014\n"