A new report published by DigiTimes indicates the already delayed Xperia Z2’s problems are far from over, and component shortages could mean the device is delayed by up to seven months. The Sony Xperia Z2 was one of the best new smartphones announced during Mobile World Congress, but since then, it has been affected by several delays, and has yet to go on sale in significant numbers.
The anonymous sources speaking to the site say the problem parts could force Sony to hold off releasing the phone in certain markets, including America, the UK, and Hong Kong. Amazingly, the delay could be between five and seven months, which makes the issues sound more serious than a little difficulty in securing one or two components.
It’s bad news for anyone who pre-ordered the Xperia Z2, and even worse news for Sony, for its competitors don’t seem to be experiencing any problems getting their 2014 flagship phones in customer’s hands. Samsung launched the Galaxy S5 in 125 countries last week, and according to another DigiTimes source, should be on target to ship 10 million S5 phones during its first month on sale.
The report also adds that while HTC did face some stock problems, they were quickly resolved and didn’t cause cause any long-term issues. Apparently, HTC expects its shipments to reach between three and five million by the end of June. It’s a crucial time for Sony, and the longer the delay, the more sales on which it will potentially miss out.
A quick check of Sony’s website in the UK shows the Xperia Z2 listed only as coming soon, while the SmartBand wearable device is missing even that level of information. According to UK online retailer Clove Technology, Sony has pushed the SIM-free Xperia Z2’s release back to sometime in early May, and that the SmartBand has been delayed to launch alongside it. Whether this will be extended again, fitting in with the DigiTimes report, remains to be seen.
Those waiting for news on the Xperia Z2’s release in the U.S. need to have even more patience. A tweet sent from the official Xperia Twitter account told an interested customer it has “No specific availability” for the phone in America, but adds they should “stay tuned.” The question is, for how long. We’ve contacted Sony for comment, and will update here if we receive anything new.
