Xperia XZ3 leak points to some interesting changes

As the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover and that may exactly apply to the Sony Xperia XZ3. At least to some extent. With less than 24 hours before it is formally announced, we're getting one last unofficial look at Sony's late 2018 flagship. And if this is really what the Xperia XZ3 will be like, then it might actually be more interesting than we initially thought. Sadly, it might also disappoint us in one specific aspect which, in retrospect, isn't that surprising at all.

Let's start with the 6-inch 2880x1440 notch-less screen. Sony's smartphones are quite popular for their LCD panels, using the same technologies it has on its TVs. You won't find that here, though. According to WinFuture, the Xperia XZ3 will have what may be Sony's first OLED, specifically P-OLED, smartphone screen. As an LCD maker, this is pretty much a concession that OLEDs are winning. It's still unknown where Sony got the screen, though, since it doesn't yet make OLED panels. It might be from its joint venture with JDI and Panasonic or it may have simply bought it from LG.

Then there are the Xperia XZ3's edges. Initially reported to have touch sensitive sides ala the HTC U11 and its successors, it is now believed that it will instead just have "special touch areas" at the edge of the screen, not the sides of the smartphone. The use is the same, triggering certain actions. Hopefully, they're not that difficult to touch without looking but also not terribly too easy to trigger accidentally.

When Sony announced its IMX586 sensor with its whopping 48 megapixels last month, there was perhaps some hope that it would be on the Xperia XZ3. No such luck as the smartphone will supposedly carry the same 19 megapixel sensor on the back as the Xperia XZ2. The front camera has at least been upgraded to 13 megapixels. Better luck next time, maybe with an Xperia XZ3 Premium.

These changes, while interesting, might not be enough to set the Xperia XZ3 apart from its predecessor, let alone the rest of the premium smartphone market. Especially if Sony continues to price its smartphones higher than the competition. Buyers might be enticed by the color selection, though, with Black, Silver White, Forest Green, and Bordeaux Red options on the table.