The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a Strong Mid-Range Contender
With all the buzz going for the ASUS Zenfone 2 it’s pretty much safe to say that there’s a lot of focus right now on the mid-range smartphone segment here in the Philippines. The only visible challenger right now in the global arena is the upcoming Lenovo Vibe Shot which is due to hit the market sometime in June or July. However based on our trip to the Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Sony might have a sleeping dragon in their hands with the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua.
Here’s a quick refresher on the specifications of this device.
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua Spec Sheet
- 1.5GHz octa-core, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 5-inch HD display, 720 x 1280 resolution
- 8GB/16GB storage, expandable via microSD
- 13-megapixel rear camera, Sony Exmor RS Sensor (F2.0 Aperture, ISO 3200)
- 5-megapixel front camera
- 3G, LTE
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
- 2400mAh battery (Sony is claiming 2-day battery life)
- Water Resistant, IP65/8 rated
- SRP: 299 Euros (Roughly Php15,000)
If Sony PH is able to keep the price in the Php15,000 range, this promises to be a best-seller locally. There are three killer features here that makes it a compelling offer.
First is the 13MP snapper that uses Sony’s EXMOR RS Sensor. Sony has built a solid reputation for their mobile camera technology and we expect this shooter to surpass the capabilities of the Zenfone 2 and other devices in this range.
Next is the hardware design which is IP65/8 rated. The Xperia M4 Aqua feels and looks like a premium flagship. It felt great in our hands when we were playing with it on the demo floor at MWC (very reminiscent of the Xperia Z3). As the name implies, the M4 Aqua is also water resistant. A good improvement by the way was the removal of the cap for the micro USB port.
Lastly is the 2-day battery life. This is probably a mix of the optimisation of the device plus the power efficient display. Unlike other devices that pack Full HD resolutions, Sony opted to go for just HD. This saves a lot of energy since the processor will push less pixels up compared to Full HD. The difference, in our opinion, is also not that great to the point that you would completely write this one off.
And there you have it! We hope Sony brings this one to the PH soon. Otherwise ASUS and Lenovo will just dominate that price range without any competition.
