Sony: Differences between rival smartphones ‘getting thinner and thinner’

The smartphone market is starting to get rather samey, and now even Sony has suggested leading flagship phones are becoming all too similar.

With the specs race having hit something of a plateau and innovation currently somewhat lacking, leading smartphones are landing with near identical specs sheets. Now, Sony has spoken candidly about the nature of the market.

“If we are very transparent with each other, we find that the smartphone industry is becoming ever more and more commoditised,” Calum MacDougall, Sony’s Director of Xperia Marketing told TrustedReviews.

“The margins between devices are getting thinner and thinner.”

All packing Snapdragon 801 processors, Google’s Android 4.4 KitKat OS and 1080p, Full HD displays around 5-inches in size, the new Sony Xperia Z3, Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 are prime examples of this narrowing smartphone scope.

This lack of differentiation means it is largely down to design, brand appeal and personal preference which handsets consumers ultimately choose.

“There are many good smartphones in the marketplace at the moment,” MacDougall said.

“Consumers can mostly buy a smartphone with a good experience as the margins of difference are getting narrower and narrower.”

With the top end of the market in something of a stagnant period, the Xperia head has suggested that mid-range and lower-end devices are where the differentiating factors are now being introduced.

“We want to give consumers choice to these best of Sony technologies and experiences at different price points and also in different form factors and different sizes,” MacDougall said. “Whether what suits you best is a larger screen device or a smaller screen device, we will offer that choice for you.”

He added: “The important thing we need to do is listen to the consumer and create innovations that are relevant to them, and not just the development of technology for the sake of technology.”

Read More: Sony Xperia Z3 Compact review