Sony's Xperia Z, the high-end, ruggedized Android phone that was announced at CES, is getting its first launch on a US carrier. The phone will be available exclusively on T-Mobile in the "coming weeks;" it will come in both black and a limited-edition purple model. The Z is Sony's latest flagship phone, and it sports a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, 1080p display, and a 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera that Sony touts as offering HDR video — though we found the camera underwhelming in our review. Unusually for a US phone, it comes with a water-resistant coating, something that sets an otherwise relatively ordinary device apart from comparable Android phones.
The similar Xperia ZL is already available as an unlocked phone in the US, but this is the first time we've seen the new high-end Xperia on an American carrier, though Sony's Kaz Hirai hinted at the move in May. The Xperia Z will be available on T-Mobile's installment plan, but no down payment price has been announced yet.
