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Now its T-Mobile’s turn to talk up its Sony flagship smartphone.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The Bellevue, Wash.-based “Uncarrier” said on Monday that it would begin selling the Xperia Z3 on October 29. That’s six days after the release of the Xperia Z3v, a custom version of Sony’s flagship smartphone built exclusively for Verizon Wireless.
For Sony, it’s win that the consumer electronics manufacturer was able to get two takers for its latest smartphone. It’s a continuation of a strong relationship that has been building over the last year and a half, with T-Mobile supporting its third Sony Xperia smartphone.
T-Mobile will sell the Xperia Z3 for $26.24 a month for 24 months under its equipment installment plan, bringing its total cost to $630, or $20 under a base iPhone 6. Customers can preorder the Xperia Z3 on T-Mobile’s site at 12 a.m. PT on October 15.
While T-Mobile had quietly confirmed it would be selling the Xperia Z3 last month when Sony debuted the smartphone at the IFA consumer electronics trade show, Sony and Verizon opted for a more splashy launch, compete with a press conference gathering Verizon executives and Sony executives from various units, including ones from the unit involved with the PlayStation 4.
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Sony used the event to show off the Xperia Z3v’s Remote Play capability, which allows it to stream PS4 games over a common Wi-Fi network. The Xperia Z3 will have the same capabilities.
There are minor differences to the Xperia Z3 and Z3v. The Z3v is bulkier, and looks a bit more like the Z2. But it also features wireless charging and a slightly larger battery (3,200 mAh vs. 3,100 mAh in the Z3). Both are waterproof, and feature the same display and camera technology.
Despite Sony’s strong brand, the company’s smartphones have had seen limited success in the US because of the lack of distribution. While T-Mobile has sold Sony smartphones over the past year and a half, it is the nation’s fourth-largest carrier by subscriber base. Having No.1 Verizon Wireless on board will help with adoption.
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