Sony has just unveiled a trio of new smartphones at the IFA 2015 technology trade show in Berlin – but one of the handsets has eclipsed the others thanks to a standout feature.
We’re talking about the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium and its eye-wateringly huge 3,840 x 2,160 resolution display – that’s 806 pixels per inch.
This makes it the world’s first 4K smartphone, although there have been doubts over the feature’s worth.
SEE ALSO: Hands-on with the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
Of course, there’s no point to a 4K display on a smartphone if there’s nothing to watch on it.
Sony hopes to solve this problem in two ways: (1) 4K video recording, a feature included on previous Xperia handsets; and (2) 4K video upscaling.
The latter is a new addition to the Xperia feature roster, and allows Z5 Premium owners to upscale regular footage to UHD quality.
We should note that it’s impossible to replicate quality that isn’t there, so upscaling will never be as good as true 4K.
However, through some clever pixel guesswork, you can enjoy videos and photos in faux 4K quality, if you wish.
We do have to question whether a smartphone needs a 4K screen. Such a high-resolution display on such a small device seems unnecessary. Will it be possible to determine the difference between UHD and QHD on a 5.5in display?
Here’s what else you can expect to see from the Xperia Z5 Premium when it launches later this year:
- 5.5in IPS display
- 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
- Adreno 430 GPU
- 23-megapixel primary camera
- 5-megapixel secondary camera
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB storage (w/ microSD slot)
- 3,430mAh battery
- Cat.6 LTE support
- IP65/IP68 dust-tight and waterproof
SEE ALSO: Why is Sony making higher-resolution 4K phone screens?
The Sony Xperia Z5 Premium release date is set for November 2015, and the phone will be available in white, graphite black, gold and green colour options.
Do you think we really need 4K screens on smartphones? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Check out our smartphone group test video below:
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.