Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet Is A 2K Chromebook In Disguise

Sony Unveils Flagship Tablet And Waterproof Phone For The Masses

Firstly, here's the bad news: There's no Sony Xperia Z4. Actually, that's not that bad, the Xperia Z3 is just as excellent as it was when it launched five months ago and frankly, replacing a phone in just five months seems a bit like overkill.

Instead there's a new tablet, the Xperia Z4 Tablet that's actually more of a 2K all-in-one Chromebook that you can take to the bath.

There's also a new fully waterproof mid-range phone, the M4 Aqua that Sony's hoping will win over the hordes of selfie-loving socialites.

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet: A 2K Chromebook That's Thinner Than A Pencil

The Z4 Tablet is a 10.1-inch Android iPad-rival that's lighter, thinner, brighter (we'll explain that bit later) and much much more powerful than its predecessor. It's also now fully waterproof, because the bath thing.

Addressing what a Sony spokesperson described as 'customer concerns' over the size of the bezel on the Z2 Tablet, the Z4 Tablet now features a smaller profile. Even with the reductions though Sony has yet to join the ranks of Apple or Dell when it comes to making almost completely bezel-less tablets.

At 6.1mm thin the Z4 Tablet is now on par with the iPad Air 2, however at 392g it's considerably lighter. The screen is a 10.1-inch 2560x1600 Triluminous affair that has officially been rated the brightest in its class so it'll be perfect for all those dark rooms that Sony likes to shoot its tablet adverts in.

In addition to video, Sony's really pushing high-definition audio this year as a theme so the Z4 Tablet comes with stereo speakers as well as the ability to stream high-res audio to compatible wireless Sony headphones using the company's own LDAC audio language. Don't panic though, normal wireless headphones will also get some benefits too including real-time audio enhancement and Digital Noise Cancelling for supported headphones.

Finally -- and this is arguably the most important point -- The Z4 Tablet will launch with its own Bluetooth keyboard dock. Sold separately it'll connect wirelessly while the dock itself includes a sensor which knows when the tablet has been inserted. Once inserted the tablet transforms itself into a powerful Chromebook, with a conventional app tray at the bottom, mouse trackpad and Start menu.

Sony's pushing this, along with the two day battery life as a real consideration for someone who wants a powerful tablet but also then wants to use it on the go as a work device.

Sony M4 Aqua - Waterproof For The Masses

In keeping with Sony's desire to bring people back to its ailing smartphone division, the company is now setting its sights on the mid-range market.

The M4 Aqua then is a cut-down version of the Z3 smartphone with a fully waterproof body that offers the same IP65/68 rating as the Z4 Tablet.

Sony's big sell here is -- rather unsurprisingly -- the fact that it's classed as fully waterproof. Despite this, the company has managed to ditch those infernal USB covers, instead the company has developed capless USB ports which can be submerged. These make their debut on both the Z4 Tablet and the M4 Aqua.

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet And Xperia M4 Aqua Pricing And Release Date

Both the Z4 Tablet and the M4 Aqua will be available to buy in the Spring.

There's no word on pricing for the Z4 Tablet at the moment but we'll update this post as soon as we find out. The M4 Aqua is being priced at €299 SIM-Only.

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