Monkey see, monkey do. That seems to be the mantra of smartphone makers these days. Every model is almost the same as the last, with even the big boys like Apple incorporating old tech like facial recognition and wireless charging into new products, like the iPhone X.
Innovation is at a premium, but not for Sony. The Japanese company yesterday (September 28) unveiled three new smartphones – the Sony Xperia XZ1, the Xperia XZ1 Compact, and the Xperia XA1 Plus, slick new gadgets that have a range of eye-opening features.
Here’s why: each device (with the exception of the XA1 Plus) has the ability to 3D print your face into a bizarre looking humanoid bust that you can prop onto a mini figurine. Cute for some, perhaps – but we found it weird on so many levels.
Here’s a closer look:
How it works is that Sony uses an in-house algorithm that generates high quality 3D scans under a minute using four scan modes – head scan, face scan, food scan, and free form scan. You can then share them via messenger apps, interact with them as “avatars” via augmented reality, or send them to 3D printing companies.
That said; Sony’s 3D technology prowess is there for all to see. While this attempt at differentiating itself from the rest of the pack comes off as peculiar, it shows just how powerful the company’s new Xperia phones are.
And yes, these devices are juggernauts – in terms of specs at least. For example, the XZ1 has a Motion Eye camera with a “Predictive Capture” mode that detects an action before you press the shutter button; while a new Autofocus burst “follows” a subject, adjusting the focus with each frame to make an image sharp.
Colour-wise, these new gadgets are real beauts too. For the XZ1, it arrives in a candy-coloured gamut of moonlit blue, venus pink, warm silver, and classic black. The XZ1 Compact keeps things simple with white silver and black, but the XA1 Plus ups the colour ante with gold, blue, pink, and black.
If you’d like to score them, the Xperia XZ1 ($898), XZ1 Compact ($668), and XA1 Plus ($498) will launch from 7 October onwards at authorised local retailers.
For more information, visit www.sony.com.sg.
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