Sony Xperia Z4 Release Date, Specs & Price: Powerful Device Out This March?

Recent rumors are suggesting that Sony will unveil its latest flagship device, the alleged Xperia Z4, this March.

According to the International Business Times, the new device is now expected to be announced by the electronics giant this March during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, as it has been a no show during the recent Consumer Electronics Show 2015. The March release date was first reported by Android Origin in October last year citing some of its "trusted sources."

So what are the latest updates about the rumored new device?

Android Community says that the new powerful smartphone will inherit its predecessor's design but will come in different other colors. It noted that a "blue fuselage" Z4 is reportedly on the way. The report also said that the new device might likely have a "specialized waterproof micro USB port."

It also said that there is a possibility that the new phone would come in two variants due to its different display. It said that the Z4 might likely be available in a full HD TRILUMINOS display or in a 2k resolution version.

A separate report from Air Herald says that buyers indeed have two choices for the new device -- one with a 1080p screen and one with a 1440p screen. It also speculates that the QHD version of the Sony Xperia Z4 is exclusive to the United States market. It also noted that the QHD version will be more expensive and better than the 1080p version.

However, the downside of having a 1440p screen is that it would probably have a shorter battery life, Air Herald notes. "The main reason why many smartphones have lower amount of battery life than many people would like is the screen resolution. Decreasing the screen resolution will increase the battery life of the phone almost every single time," it argues.

Although Sony has not yet officially announced the specs of its new device, several rumors about it have already popped out. For instance, it is unsure whether it will be a 5.4 or 5.5 incher phone or maybe a 4.7-incher one. It is also said that the device would likely get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. It is also expected that it will get the new Android 5.0 Lollipop as it OS and a 20.7 megapixel main camera (Sony Xperia Z series are known for their 20 megapixel cameras) and a 4.8 megapixel front snapper. It is also rumored to get a 32GB internal memory, a 4GB RAM, a 3,420mAh battery, LTE Cat 9 connectivity, and Bluetooth 4.1.

Android Origin in its exclusive report also said that the highlight of the new Sony flagship phone is its strong audio quality. The report also revealed that Sony is now dropping its bi-annual flagship releases and will only release one flagship device for the year. Note that Sony adopted that in 2013 when it released the Sony Xperia Z and Z1. "A major reason could be the fact that flagship devices have reached a sort of saturation point and there aren't any huge advancements that can be made in a six-month period. The upgrade from Xperia Z2 to Xperia Z3 this year was quite marginal and the only changes were related to software and hardware optimization," the report said.

Sony has yet to confirm all these rumors.