Sony launches Xperia Z

Agencies  New Delhi: JAPANESE phone maker Sony today launched its flagship smartphone Xperia Z at an event in Delhi. Sony Xperia Z features a 5-inch full HD display, is water and dust resistant and sports a scratchresistant glass body. The smartphone, which is priced at IRs 38,990 in India, went on sale in Japan last month and is now available in 60 countries. It is part of the Japanese electronics group’s push for a greater market presence in mobile devices. The device will be available in India from March 12.

The smartphone competes against the likes of HTCButterfly, Nokia Lumia 920 and BlackBerry Z10, along with upcoming smartphones like Samsung Galaxy S IV and LG Optimus G Pro.

The company has tied up with Vodafone to offer 8 GB free download for two months to Xperia Z buyers, from the date of purchase. Sony Corp aims to triple sales of its mobile phones in India to IRs 35 billion ($638 million) in the year to March 2014, Kenichiro Hibi, managing director of its India unit, said, at the launch of the company’s Xperia Z high-end smartphone. Sony India also announced that it will launch its 4G technology enabled Xperia tablet Z in May this year. “The launch of Sony Xperia Z today, is the start of our journey to triple the Xperia sales in India, to IRs 3,500 crore in FY 13, starting April 1. The company has taken several steps towards this direction, including tripling the Xperia marketing budget to IRs 300 crore for FY13,” Sony India Managing Director Kenichiro Hibi said.