Sony Xperia Z Ultra Hands On: First Look

Sony is secretly eyeing to attack Samsung's forthcoming Galaxy Note 3. While, Sammy is yet to announce its sequel to Note 2, in the meantime, the makers behind iconic Walkman announced the arrival of world's slimmest and largest Full HD smartphone in India.

Meet Sony Xperia Z Ultra, a mammoth handset having a 6.4-inch 1008p Full HD display with an ultra fast performance - thanks to Qualcomm powered Snapdragon 800 processor. After the split from Ericsson, Sony is now looking to revamp its mobile division in true Japanese style.

Company's earlier offering - the Xperia Z has managed to receive positive buzz from the consumers. For the first time, both consumers and media looked up to the device considering it had a 5-inch Full HD display, waterproof and dustproof capabilities and monolithic design .

Now Sony is ready to test the market with another unusual offering - the Xperia Z Ultra. Has Sony learnt from its past mistakes? Would you like to buy a smartphone having a large 6.4-inch display? There are lots of questions that need to be answered.

Click Here For Sony Xperia Z Ultra Smartphone Gallery

Anyways, GizBot attended Sony Xperia Z Ultra bash held in New Delhi on July 30 and Bangalore on July 31 to have a good look at the new handset. Here is the first look of the device based on our experience.

Form Factor

When every tech vendor is trying to become mass oriented with their device, Sony, on the other hand wants to stick with its roots and bring offerings for a niche crowd. The tech world is dominated by likes of Apple and Samsung, but Japan's biggest consumer electronics giant, is trying to educate consumers about technological innovation, and at the same time positioning Sony on the premium side.

With the official launch of Xperia Z Ultra in India, Sony is hoping to capture selected consumer market. So yeah, if you have Rs. 46,990 in your hands, and would like to have super fast phone with some great looks, then this handset is made for you.

We tried the device for quite some time, and loved the way Sony designed and executed the product. It's completely different from what you have ever seen before in terms of display. The Xperia Z Ultra has a 6.4-inch Full HD TRILUMINO display. In a layman language, the handset display is so sharp and crisp that you will say, "Oh! I'm watching a movie on big screen Bravia".

When GizBot tested Xperia Z, we panned its 5-inch Full HD display due to viewing angles. After spending some time with Xperia Z Ultra, one has to say that Sony has learnt from its mistakes. The display is absolutely gorgeous, and watching videos on the Xperia Z Ultra gives you mini theater like experience. Another highlight of the display is that whether you use a pencil or ink pen or capacitive stylus, it will recognize for sure. The phablet measures 6.5mm in terms of thickness. Sony has done a crazy job, we must say? The handset is really handy.

Talking about the form factor and design, Sony has done a brilliant job in making this device sturdy. Though, the Xperia Z Ultra weighs 212grams, still considering its massive size the phone feels light in hands. Like Xperia Z, the rear back is non removable and made of glass. Sony has perfected in making rectangular block design, and yes the Xperia Z Ultra is no exception. There is no capacitive home buttons below the display rather you will find threeandroid buttons clubbed within software. Meanwhile, the signature aluminum power button enhances the handsome looks.

Software

We even tried submerging the handset in a tumbler filled with water for approximately 5 minutes. Well, the device was still working. But it did blink and vibrate for a while, when initially submerged, but then it was fine.

Moving on, apart from good looks, the Xperia Z Ultra is super fast in day to day operations. Sony has tied up with France- based Gameloft. As part of deal, Asphalt 7: Heat comes pre-loaded on the device. The Xperia Z Ultra comes with a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor; Clock speed: 2.3GHz. The RAM stands at 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory, which can be expanded up to 64GB via microSD card. In a short period of time, we genuinely were impressed with Xperia Z Ultra in respect to speed and quickness.

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean comes out of the box. Sony says the device is compatible with just released Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, however, when will the company push the updates, it's still unknown. If you have ever used Xperia smartphone, you must know that Sony uses its own customized user interface (UI).

In our Xperia Z review, GizBot praised Sony baked UI. Some users would like to have nearby Android experience, while other like to use company's range of services bundled with the device. Sony offers a wide range of apps pre-installed within Xperia Z Ultra. The sketch app is an additional app by Sony.

Camera

In the camera department, it is highly obvious to have best imaging technology fused to making pictures richer and deeper. The Camera UI is similar to Xperia Z. We liked the Superior Auto mode, and even the editing features are great. The 8-mega pixel camera is pretty decent. While on the downside, there is no LED Flash given at the rear back. When a company says they have included the best Sony experience into a machine, then why Sony did not include an LED Flash. There's a 2-mega pixel front facing camera, which is capable of recording 1080p Full HD videos.

Accessories and Connectivity

The Xperia Z Ultra is almost perfect with great accessories to boast off. The company has introduced SBH52 -- a Smart Bluetooth handset to allow easy hands-free call handling with a single press, one can also browse through call logs, view text messages and caller details on the bluetooth.Then there is a Magnetic Charging Dock DK30 along with the audio headset.

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Yesterday, GizBot informed that Sony is preparing to launch Android SmartWatch 2 in September 2013. Well, you can pair the Xperia Z Ultra with the smartwatch, and keep a tab on last calls, SMSes, and e-mails instantly.
Other highly visible features include: NFC, Wi-Fi, 3G, 3.55mm headphone jack, GPS, Bluetooth, DLNA, Battery Stamina mode and a 3,050mAh Li Ion ( non-removable battery). Further, Sony has tied-up with Vodafone to offer 8 GB free data download for the first two months of product purchase as a part of introductory offer.

At Rs. 46,990, Sony made Xperia Z Ultra is made for selected audience, who always wanted a premium device. If Apple iPhone 5 is not perfect for you at Rs. 45,990, than Sony's Xperia Z Ultra will definitely suit your personality. Stay tuned to GizBot.

Contributed by Akansha Srivastava and Vivek Chhetri