The Xperia Tablet Z will launch globally in the second quarter or 2013, Sony revealed.
According to the company, the tablet is the most premium, high performance 10.1-inch Android tablet available today.
Feating the same ‘OmniBalance’ design as the Xperia Z smartphone, the tablet is only 6.9mm thick and weighs just 495 grams.
It is the first tablet to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro asynchronous quad core processor and has the highest levels of water resistance (IP55 and IP57) ever seen in a tablet, making it immersible in up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
“Xperia Tablet Z sets new standards in entertainment by matching premium specifications and Sony technology with cross-device connectivity and a consistent user-experience,” said Kaz Tajima, Corporate VP and Head of UX Creative Design and Planning, Sony Mobile Communications. “Xperia Tablet Z reinforces our intention to be a leading player in the premium Android device market, by building on the principles established by Xperia Z and perfectly optimising them for the tablet form factor.”
The tablet boasts a full-HD reality display – powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 – and offers the widest spectrum of colour on any tablet, Sony said. It also draws upon Sony’s camera expertise with an 8MP HD rear camera featuring the Exmor R for mobile image sensor and a 2 MP HD front-facing camera.
Sony’s S-Force Front Surround 3D provides superior audio performance while Sony’s Clear Audio+ mode, and the innovative use of two built-in speakers with four ‘speaker halls’ on the left and right corners, boost the tablet’s sound capabilities.
Xperia Tablet Z includes Battery STAMINA mode, which is Sony’s unique battery management technology for improving standby time, and a microSD card slot for up to 64GB of expandable storage.
It also includes Sony’s near field communication (NFC) One-Touch functions, which allow users to transfer content among compatible devices, including audio, video and images, seamlessly between devices just by touching them together.
The tablet will launch on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and is upgradable to 4.2 after launch for the latest Android user experience.
Meanwhile, Sony also announced that its flagship smartphone, Xperia Z, will roll out in stores worldwide from today.
Since it was announced in January, Xperia Z has won 13 awards and received the widest range of any Sony smartphone to date with 140 sales channels in 60 markets across the globe.
CNME Editor Ben Rossi is reporting live from Mobile World Congress. Follow updates at www.twitter.com/computernewsme and #MWC13.
