Sony at MWC 2018: Sony Xperia XZ2 and Xperia Ear Duo
26.2.2018
Translation: machine translated
Video: Stephanie Tresch, Dominik Bärlocher
If you invite people to a press conference early, you have to present something spectacular. Sony tried to impress the audience with a new smartphone series and new headphones. However, the press conference leaves a somewhat stale aftertaste.
It is the first smartphone with the new Snapdragon 845 system on a chip (SoC) that we are holding in our hands at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. For once, video producer Stephanie Tresch is in front of the camera. She is a Sony fan, she admits openly. Last year in Barcelona, she wanted to take the latest XZs with her . She doesn't really want to be impressed by the new Sony Xperia XZ2. The two phones, one with a 5.7-inch screen and the compact version with 5 inches, are a little confusing.
"Somehow we've heard it all before," she says with a questioning undertone.
Nothing new apart from SoC
Sony is considered a camera giant among smartphone enthusiasts. The phones may be clunky and angular, but the camera makes up for it. If you want a good camera, you buy Sony. That's how it used to be. The current situation is that Samsung has quickly flattened all the competition in terms of camera technology with the S9.
Of course, the Sony Xperia XZ2 - the still clunky name of the current phone - has a 19-megapixel camera at the back and a 5-megapixel selfie cam at the front, but that's about it. Although the cameras achieve an F-Stop of 2.0 at the rear and 2.2 at the front, Sony is still a long way from beating Samsung to the punch. The Galaxy S9 achieves an F-stop of up to 1.5. This means the aperture can be opened wider. More light hits the sensor and pictures in the dark become brighter and the bokeh effect is prettier.
"The only thing I can see as an innovation apart from gimmicks is the fact that I can now shoot Super Slow Motion at 960 frames per second in Full HD," says Stephanie, after fiddling with the phone for a few minutes.
The performance of the SoC is obviously used to push gadgets. Videos and images can be recorded directly with filters. There are sketch filters - both colour and black and white - and other fun things that, according to Stephanie, would quickly lose their appeal. The three-dimensional selfies from the XZ Compact have been retained, while the competition relies on AR emojis. The funny cartoon characters that apply your facial features to a 3D model are also only moderately funny, but look much more natural than the three-dimensional manoeuvres that Sony produces.
Has Sony missed the boat here?
In a corner of the stand, we find evidence of a major innovation in terms of the camera. There is a picture of a dual cam. Will Sony be launching a phone with a dual camera in the autumn?
Now a little rounder and in green
What Stephanie likes, however, are the colours and the handling of the device.
"I like the dark green colour and the rounded edges look modern," she says.
Sony seems to be trying to catch up here. The competition, from Samsung to LG and Apple, is focussing on soft edges, curves and a generally soft design. The Razer Phone is still the exception here, but Sony seems to be adapting to the trend and going for a rounded look.
However, Sony's handling is not completely lost, as the Sony Xperia XZ2 is still slightly thicker than the competition. But just because it feels bulky doesn't mean it's heavy. The XZ2 Compact weighs 168 grams, the XZ2 198 grams. This means it exceeds the totally unattractive 200 gram limit with SIM and memory card.
Sony also remains true to its line with the LCD screen. The XZ2 Compact has a screen diagonal of 5 inches, the XZ2 5.7 inches.
"Somehow I find it difficult to be really enthusiastic without testing," says the video producer.
She puts the phone back down, shrugs her shoulders and walks on.
Her own background music
Headphones are presented at the other end of the stand. The Xperia Ear Duo. Or Ears, because grammar. These are two pairs of headphones - one with a cable, one without - with a concept that I would never have expected. In my life, headphones are something that block out the outside world and allow me to concentrate on something with some music. Right now, for example. I'm sitting at the dining table of our AirBnB in Barcelona and listening to "Wicked Game" by Parra for Cuva so that Stephanie can edit the video for the Sony event next to me and I'm not distracted. She can hear the sound of the video on her headphones.
The Sony Ear Duo - the one with the plural, which should actually be called Ears, doesn't let me go - but on the other hand, the music you listen to should serve as background music for your life. They don't want to block out the outside world, but rather provide a musical backdrop to it.
According to the manufacturer, this has several advantages. You can listen to music in the office while having a conversation with the person sitting next to you. Cyclists can listen to their sound without having to sacrifice road safety. Voice assistants are also built into the plugs with the open earplugs. I am sceptical.
Until I put the ears in my ears.
The form factor is also new. While other true wireless earbuds are modelled on glasses temples and clip behind the ear, Sony does things differently. The ears go under the ear and clamp behind the earlobe. This holds surprisingly well. Very well, in fact. It's a bit tedious to wedge the ears in and you can't do it one-handed without practice, but when they're in place, they're in place. Definitely something you can try out in sport.
The feeling with the ears in your ear is quite strange. Because Sony's concept works. I can talk to Stephanie and the assistant at the stand, whose somewhat thankless job it is to put the Ears in people's ears without interrupting the music. I suddenly hear two channels. I can hear a pop rock number and Stephanie's question about what it sounds like just as strongly and clearly despite the noise of the knife.
All in all, the Ears don't knock my socks off, as I have completely different expectations when it comes to headphones. I want the isolation, the silence away from the music, the five minutes of dozing on the tram in the morning. But if you're looking for something with permeability, then try the Sony Ear Duo. <p
Journalist. Author. Hacker. A storyteller searching for boundaries, secrets and taboos – putting the world to paper. Not because I can but because I can’t not.
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