Skip to main content

Sony’s Xperia A4 has powerful specs and a cool vibe, but it’s only going to Japan

sony xperia a4 news docomo
Image used with permission by copyright holder
With Sony giving the boot to its low-end smartphones last October, the company hopes to turn its mobile division around by focusing on high-end hardware. That’s why today’s reveal of the Xperia A4 is rather perplexing, seeing as it’s not exactly high-end, but it’s also not mid-range. Regardless, it’s still very powerful.

Similar to the Xperia Z3 Compact, the Xperia A4 packs a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM. Flip to the front, and you’ll find a 4.6-inch 1,280 x 720 pixel display along with a 2.2-megapixel front-facing shooter. Looking at the back reveals a 20.7-megapixel camera.

Although the 16GB of internal storage in the Xperia A4 isn’t that much nowadays, the Micro SD card slot expands this by up to 128GB. The 2,600mAh battery should keep things chugging along, though according to Sony, you should get three days with casual use. Finally, the Xperia A4 has the same IPX5/8 dust- and IP6X water-resistance ratings that several of its Xperia siblings have.

What’s interesting is the space the Xperia A4 takes up. Because of that Snapdragon 801 processor and the display, we don’t think Sony would classify this as high-end hardware. At the same time, those internals are still very powerful in 2015, so the Xperia A4 can also avoid being called a mid-range device. Whichever space you think the Xperia A4 takes up, keep in mind that, much like the Xperia Z4, it will be released exclusively in Japan through NTT Docomo sometime this June.

Even though the Xperia Z4 is a likely candidate to arrive on U.S. shores sometime in the near future, we can’t say the same for the Xperia A4, which looks to replace last year’s Xperia A2. Even so, if you find yourself in the Land of the Rising Sun, you can pick up the smartphone in black, white, blue, or pink.

Editors' Recommendations

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
Sony’s Xperia 1 is the first smartphone with a 4K OLED display
The Sony Xperia 1 with Alexa is available for $100 off until August 26
Sony Xperia 1

 

Sony has had a rough history when it comes to smartphones. Last year, the company vowed to do away with its boxy design philosophy and adopt more modern sensibilities. But the tech landscape changes quickly, and those phones are already starting to look a little dated. At Mobile World Congress 2019, Sony unveiled three new phones it hopes will lead the company into the future, though whether Sony really has a future in the mobile business remains to be seen.

Read more
Sony not giving up on smartphones, but will only focus on 4 regions
Sony Xperia 10 Plus

Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida has called its smartphone business “indispensable” amidst investor concerns over the loss-making side of the company, indicating Sony will continue making phones despite a push to close the side of the business down. However, in its recent corporate strategy meeting, Sony showed it will focus on only four markets internationally going forward.

Yoshida is quoted as saying smartphones are “a component necessary to make our hardware brand sustainable,” according to Reuters, and added that, “younger generations no longer watch TV. Their first touchpoint is [the] smartphone.” Sony considers the smartphone an entertainment device, which fits in with its PlayStation brand, televisions, and movie-making arm of the company.

Read more
The 2019 Audi A4 gets a noticeable face-lift, and adds hybrid power
2019 audi a4 europe 2020

Audi last tweaked the design of the A4 a year ago, making mild changes to the exterior. Those changes only lasted a year, as the German automaker released details on Tuesday, May 14, of a much larger change to its popular luxury sedan, both inside and out.

The most noticeable changes, like last time, are on the front end. The trademark single-frame grille is again redesigned; it's now much flatter and wider. Revised headlights remove the odd lower inside notch, and the lower outer grilles are shrunk quite a bit to make room for the more robust center one.

Read more