Hot on the heels of the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact, Sony has now announced the Xperia XZ2 Premium, with the camera being very much the new smartphone's selling point. Sony has cranked up the ISO sensitivity for starters, to 51200 for still images for improved low-light photos, and 12800 for video capture, which Sony claims to be the world's highest.
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You can also record 4K HDR videos and, unlike the Xperia XZ2, you can actually view them back in full 4K HDR on the XZ2 Premium's compatible display.
The XZ2 Premium is also the first Sony phone to have a dual-lens camera, something we thought was peculiarly omitted from the XZ2, considering the recent shift towards the dual-lens format. Sony's system - which it's calling the Motion Eye Dual camera - comprises a black and white sensor, and a colour sensor. Image data captured by both is processed by a new AUBE fusion image signal processor in real time and it's this that allows for the higher ISO sensitivity levels.
The addition of a secondary lens means you can take bokeh-style photos from within Sony's camera app (this feature will be added in Q3 2018). To get a similar effect on the XZ2 you would need to install it as a feature separately. Sony has included its super slow-motion 960fps video recording too, and fitted a 13-megapixel camera on the front, low-light sensor and flash for those all-important selfies.
Photos and videos can be viewed back on the 5.8-inch 4K HDR display, which Sony says is 30 per cent brighter than that of the XZ Premium and any non-HDR content you watch gets passed through Sony's X-Reality for mobile processor to upscale it to near-HDR quality.
Sound output has been improved too, as the XZ2 Premium has Sony's S-Force front surround speakers - its loudest ever - while a Dynamic Vibration System lets you "feel the action in your hands".
Under the hood is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 processor with 6GB RAM and a 3,540mAh battery to keep it running all day, with some help from Sony's Stamina battery saving mode. It also supports wireless charging and up to 1.2Gbps network speeds via second-generation Gigabit LTE.
Everything is housed in a metal and glass body, with Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides and is IP65/68 for water and dust protection.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium will be available globally from summer 2018, with pricing to be confirmed.