Database Users

Should I keep this or go for the Xperia T?

I really wanna like this phone. The amazing screen, working GPS, the fact its endorsed by Google, always the latest updates. Well i'm sure I don't have to tell everyone here why to love this phone.
But then theres the glass back... poor battery... the size of it! I come from a samsung s2 and thats 4.02 from what i know. And this Nexus sure is big compared to that... having owned a Note 1 I never wanted to go big again! Thats why i'm wondering about the Xperia T. Its a much smaller upgrade over the S2 but the phone is smaller too. And i'm not really sure how unlockable it is even though I think Sony's android stuff is pretty good.
Thoughts people?!

I would not change this phone for Xperia T. It's downgrade in every aspect. I've had it before N4. The screen viewing angles and blacks are terrible and it was creaking after a week. Terrible build quality.
Odesláno z mého Nexus 4 pomocí Tapatalk 2

Are you mad? Downgrade in absolutely every aspect. Not to mention Sony sucks big time when it comes to upgrading OS. I had Note1 before and I think N4 is small in comparison.
You'd be doing yourself a big disservice.

My other half had an Xperia T. It has a better camera than the N4 but the N4 is better in every other way including battery life.

For me the battery has been good. I usually get around 3-4 hrs screen time on. I`m on stock and unrooted. I don't want to root because when I had the epic 4g, I always wanted to have stock. And the closest thing was Cyanognemod which rocks! The best thing about this phone is that your always going to have fast updates and no carrier bloatware or skins.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

N4 to enhance your life, have state of the art device, and XDA support!

Xperia T is way worse than the N4. I also believe that it will cost more.
Sony's upgrade policy regarding "old" phones is awful. I had my Xperia Ion, which was one of the very first line-ups of the new Sony brand. Was waiting for Android 4.1.2 in june while Xperia T had it, and 4.2.2 had been out since november. I switched to my N4 then, and was happy forever.
Now that Xperia Z and his little/big brothers are out, Xperia T is just old compared to it. So don't expect further upgrading from Sony, except minor updates (which don't come often)

First of all I would say the nexus 4 is better and you should keep it and if you still want a smaller phone with bigger battery life I recommend Xperia SP it has a bigger battery than nexus 4 and is smaller at 4.6 inch and it has a good camera and you can get it for the price of nexus 4
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Well I've decided to keep it. Its only slightly bigger then any other phone I would pick and the battery seems to be the same as my GS2. So yay for me on owning a nexus bring on the 4.3 goodness!

Servaas said:
Well I've decided to keep it. Its only slightly bigger then any other phone I would pick and the battery seems to be the same as my GS2. So yay for me on owning a nexus bring on the 4.3 goodness!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4.3 is bringing better battery life anyway (Or at least that's what I have seen running the leak... I got 2 more hours SOT then when I ran franco, UVed and everything)

Servaas said:
I really wanna like this phone. The amazing screen, working GPS, the fact its endorsed by Google, always the latest updates. Well i'm sure I don't have to tell everyone here why to love this phone.
But then theres the glass back... poor battery... the size of it! I come from a samsung s2 and thats 4.02 from what i know. And this Nexus sure is big compared to that... having owned a Note 1 I never wanted to go big again! Thats why i'm wondering about the Xperia T. Its a much smaller upgrade over the S2 but the phone is smaller too. And i'm not really sure how unlockable it is even though I think Sony's android stuff is pretty good.
Thoughts people?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The size isn't hard to get used too. I came from a Galaxy Ace with a 3.5" screen, way smaller than the Nexus 4 and I was able to adapt in like one day.
Why should the glass back be a big deal? Treat your device with a little respect and don't drop it or throw it around. It's not as weak as you think and many drop tests have proven as such. If you really need to have your phone in-hand 24/7 for some reason, buy a case...
The battery isn't poor, people just like to whine. I've now owned mine for several weeks, using Bluetooth and WiFi very frequently and I can go from 10AM in the morning to midnight and still have over 30% charge left, with about 3 hours of screen time. Granted I don't use data, but even if you do it's pretty easy to turn off when you aren't using it.

I have the nexus 4 but I reckon the xperia v would be the better choice to get. I've compared xperia t and v to my nexus 4 and I came to like Sonys simple interface combined with a better camera and superior build quality. Xperia V fits perfectly in the palm of your hand and is really light in comparison to Nexus 4. Xperia V is pretty much an xperia z but the smaller version with less internal storage and it has LTE.
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app

So I had a z3 for a week z2 vs z3 differences. Almost none! Except for design

Well. The z3 looks very nice is thinner than the z2 and also lighter. That's the major difference. Design. Software and camera is almost identical as performance too. Display on the z3 I think is slightly better but not 100% sure. The z2 display is good too. Camera is the same thing. With a two or three new features mostly the downloadable apps for the camera. Battery it is better on the z3 the z2 is not bad. So I decided to sell it. I might get the z3 compact I don't think is worth it unless u love the design and the ps4 feature. Which is not out yet. Grrrr I couldn't test that.
Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

ajftl said:
Well. The z3 looks very nice is thinker than three z2 and also lighter. That's the major difference. Design. Software and camera is almost identical as performance too. Display on the z3 I think is slightly better but not 100% sure. The z2 display is good too. Camera is the same thing. With a two or three new features mostly the downloadable apps for the camera. Battery it is better on the z3 the z2 is not bad. So I decided to sell it. I might get the z3 compact I don't think is worth it unless u love the design and the ps4 feature. Which is not out yet. Grrrr I couldn't test that.
Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree! Small update over Z2. With 4.4.4 Z2's battery performace will be as good as Z3.

And if Z2 gets good update to 4.4.4 (at it definitely will), differences will be even harder to see
But, as we said few times already - Z3 isn't here for Z2 users.
It's aiming to Z and Z1 users...

The fact that both devices are mirror images of themselves was known the day the specs of the z3 got confirmed.
Most of the differences are software based and that will narrow significantly once the z2 gets updated.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app

Good thing I went with the Z2 three weeks ago, I saved 150 euro ?
Sent from my Xperia Z2

Jiyeon90 said:
Good thing I went with the Z2 three weeks ago, I saved 150 euro ?
Sent from my Xperia Z2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't really say dats a good thing. Z2 price will drop. If I was going to buy a phone right now, I will be getting the Z3. But as I have the Z2 now, NO!

stanley08 said:
I wouldn't really say dats a good thing. Z2 price will drop. If I was going to buy a phone right now, I will be getting the Z3. But as I have the Z2 now, NO!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he was trying to say is that he prefers the z2 at €150 less. Makes perfect sense to me. Who wouldn't?
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app

zodiac100 said:
What he was trying to say is that he prefers the z2 at €150 less. Makes perfect sense to me. Who wouldn't?
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yh. Is quite a margin i must confess. Tempting really. But here in West Africa, when a newer device comes the older one gets a HUGE price drop and resale value is almost nothing. Well. Speaking from my own point of view. I resell my devices. But anyways, i was never gonna upgrade to the Z3 anyways.. Even Z4 not sure, i want to see what M9 looks like. I think i prefer my devices stay a flagship for a whole year
P.S: You said 'He' but i think it's a lady. Lol.

stanley08 said:
Yh. Is quite a margin i must confess. Tempting really. But here in West Africa, when a newer device comes the older one gets a HUGE price drop and resale value is almost nothing. Well. Speaking from my own point of view. I resell my devices. But anyways, i was never gonna upgrade to the Z3 anyways.. Even Z4 not sure, i want to see what M9 looks like. I think i prefer my devices stay a flagship for a whole year
P.S: You said 'He' but i think it's a lady. Lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll second that. I'm no fan of Sony's 6 month nonsense either. It's got me thinking of trying the s6 next year. Don't trust htc on the camera front. Their phones have never had good cameras and that's even before ultrapixels bull****
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app

zodiac100 said:
I'll second that. I'm no fan of Sony's 6 month nonsense either. It's got me thinking of trying the s6 next year. Don't trust htc on the camera front. Their phones have never had good cameras and that's even before ultrapixels bull****
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
Lol. Exactly why I want to see what they have to offer really... But Z4 might be good tho. Oh well... Only time will tell

stanley08 said:
I wouldn't really say dats a good thing. Z2 price will drop. If I was going to buy a phone right now, I will be getting the Z3. But as I have the Z2 now, NO!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny you should say that. I've just bought a new Z2, primarily because the phones were so similar and the Z2 was cheaper. I didn't see any reason to go for the Z3 other than better battery life.
The Z3 has remote play and such like, but that WILL come to the Z2, either by Sony themselves or by some talented individual on these very forums.
I also like the styling of the Z2 better. The Z3 looks too much like the new iphone for my tastes.
Battery life isn't an issue for me because my phone is plugged in every night anyway.
And anyway, it's only six months wait till the Z4.....
Quick Edit - I see by your signature that you have unlocked your bootloader. Have you seen any difference in the Camera or other DRM protected apps since you did it? Also, I take it you backed up your TA? Was it easy to do?

ianrobbie said:
Funny you should say that. I've just bought a new Z2, primarily because the phones were so similar and the Z2 was cheaper. I didn't see any reason to go for the Z3 other than better battery life.
The Z3 has remote play and such like, but that WILL come to the Z2, either by Sony themselves or by some talented individual on these very forums.
I also like the styling of the Z2 better. The Z3 looks too much like the new iphone for my tastes.
Battery life isn't an issue for me because my phone is plugged in every night anyway.
And anyway, it's only six months wait till the Z4.....
Quick Edit - I see by your signature that you have unlocked your bootloader. Have you seen any difference in the Camera or other DRM protected apps since you did it? Also, I take it you backed up your TA? Was it easy to do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlcoked bootloader, didn't backup TA. Camera is better than HTC M8, I'm not a photographer. So I'm living Happily ever after.

hehehe saved my pocket too! Will stay on Z2 until Z5 which most probably will be a copy of Z4

ianrobbie said:
Funny you should say that. I've just bought a new Z2, primarily because the phones were so similar and the Z2 was cheaper. I didn't see any reason to go for the Z3 other than better battery life.
The Z3 has remote play and such like, but that WILL come to the Z2, either by Sony themselves or by some talented individual on these very forums.
I also like the styling of the Z2 better. The Z3 looks too much like the new iphone for my tastes.
Battery life isn't an issue for me because my phone is plugged in every night anyway.
And anyway, it's only six months wait till the Z4.....
Quick Edit - I see by your signature that you have unlocked your bootloader. Have you seen any difference in the Camera or other DRM protected apps since you did it? Also, I take it you backed up your TA? Was it easy to do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is definitely a difference in picture quality, especially in low light pictures. Backing up the Ta partition is easy though. You just need to root first. Can restore at any time.

I was scared to get the z2 in July not knowing what the z3/next version would be like. I'm glad to hear I didn't make a totally horrible decision.

Does it really give you 2 days battery life?

ajftl said:
Well. The z3 looks very nice is thinner than the z2 and also lighter. That's the major difference. Design. Software and camera is almost identical as performance too. Display on the z3 I think is slightly better but not 100% sure. The z2 display is good too. Camera is the same thing. With a two or three new features mostly the downloadable apps for the camera. Battery it is better on the z3 the z2 is not bad. So I decided to sell it. I might get the z3 compact I don't think is worth it unless u love the design and the ps4 feature. Which is not out yet. Grrrr I couldn't test that.
Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Hmm, i disagree. The differences are noticeable, but not enough to get envious of Z3 owners. Source: Wife has one and I set it up for her.
4.4.4 will address the differences in the software. Flashlight on quick settings, many more headphones listed in audio, etc
The screen is brighter and whiter, with precisely the same Nova settings on wife's z3 and my z2, hers is noticeably quicker and responsive - I'd say 10% quicker.
I have to say, I am jealous of the build quality - the covers on the side are recessed a little, so removing the phone from a pouch doesn't dislodge them occasionally.
Once 4.4.4 comes along, I'll be very happy. I bought some STH30 earphones and was disappointed that my z2 doesn't list them. Wife's z3 audio is much clearer than mine with the same headphones. Software no doubt, but she has the STH30 phones listed and it makes the difference somewhere.
The phones are different. In a lot of ways.

MichaelWT said:
Hmm, i disagree. The differences are noticeable, but not enough to get envious of Z3 owners. Source: Wife has one and I set it up for her.
4.4.4 will address the differences in the software. Flashlight on quick settings, many more headphones listed in audio, etc
The screen is brighter and whiter, with precisely the same Nova settings on wife's z3 and my z2, hers is noticeably quicker and responsive - I'd say 10% quicker.
I have to say, I am jealous of the build quality - the covers on the side are recessed a little, so removing the phone from a pouch doesn't dislodge them occasionally.
Once 4.4.4 comes along, I'll be very happy. I bought some STH30 earphones and was disappointed that my z2 doesn't list them. Wife's z3 audio is much clearer than mine with the same headphones. Software no doubt, but she has the STH30 phones listed and it makes the difference somewhere.
The phones are different. In a lot of ways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how about the battery performance? is it noticeably better on the z3?

rotsloeh said:
how about the battery performance? is it noticeably better on the z3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Z2 and Z3 battery is different too. We both always get 7hrs screen on time, but wife plays *a lot* of games.
Last time we both compared, I was impressed with my 8hrs screen on time (6% batt left) and she was 10% battery up and at 8hrs46 screen on time. Not sure what she did with it those 2 days uptime though, but gaming in there no doubt.
Hope we get the z3 battery algorithms in 4.4.4!

I can't get 8 hours screen on time because if my screen is on, I'm transmitting data. I use my phone only for phone calls or chatting (sending pictures, videos, taking pictures and sharing them, etc). I get about 5-6 hours of screen on time which is just FANTASTIC in my opinion! I'm on the Z2 by the way.

A few hesitations moving away from Nexus

Well it is time for my annual upgrade and I really want this phone. I have some hesitations moving off of Nexus hardware. My first Android phone was a HTC One X+ and I hated sense. Absolutely hated it. I also felt like I was missing out as the software was never updated past 4.1 or something along those lines. Anyway I guess my question pertains to how Sony handles software updates. The Z3 hardware looks amazing but I don't want to be stuck with 4.4.4, have they announced plans to go to L? Also how intrusive are the Sony customizations? I love the stock android experience so I don't want to end up with something half baked. Anyway any help here is appreciated. If only the N6 wasn't so damn big.

From owning a Xperia Tablet Z, I can say I'm rather happy with their releases. There's been several, up to 4.4.4 on a device that's now a few years old. They are obviously not as timely as a nexus device, since Google has lots of internal lead time to develop on the nexus units before the code gets out to partners like Sony. However, I think 3 months isn't horrible to test and develop when Sony is doing it simultaneously for several tablets and numerous phones. If anything, they've been getting faster and faster at it over the last year. I'd guess that 5.0 might show up around 2-3 months after the initial Google release, maybe even faster.

Good to know How has Sony's overall software experience been? Can you delete all the built in apps like walkman and what not?

Well most of built in apps you cant delete (walkman, album, movies, and other stuff).
Also, Z1 was Announced with 4.2, then we receive 4.3, 4.4.2 than 4.4.4 and now we will get 5.0..
And they are fast in my opinion, and generaly i like sony UI the most. I hate touchwiz, and sense and other stuff.
Sony UI is prety close to Original Android feel.

Same hesitations from me...currently have a Nexus 4 and have been trialling the Z3 for the past week. All good so far and I like the fact the battery life is miles better than the Nexus, has a great camera, is Pentaband so I don't need two handsets when travelling to different parts of the World (I didn't upgrade to the Nexus 5 due to the fact it wasn't Pentaband) and is slightly larger...but not too large. The Sony software is not as bloated as others but I will miss the ability to not have vanilla Android and have access to the latest software releases directly from Google. Just hope we don't have to wait too long for Sony to make the latest software available.
I'm heading to the US shortly and have ordered a dual-SIM Z3 since it's not available in the UK (it's also cheaper, approx £410).
-Mikee-

Careful with the dual Sim, mine may have been an anomaly, but one of the Sim slots didn't work and the other gave me horrible reception. Traded it back in for a D6603 and all is right with the world.

I think I will be doing the same. After having the Nexus 4 and then the 5, I'm not interested in the 6 (mainly due to the price though as $800-$850 CDN for 64GB is just too much).
What I like about the Z3 is the battery life (seems like it may be the best out there for an Android phone and the battery on the N5 was awful) and bright screen (the N5 wasn't nearly as bright enough outdoors). I'm hooked on the 5 inch screen size as it is just easier for me to type on. Adding to that you have the waterproofing aspect which may come in handy (though in all my years, I haven't got my phone wet yet!).
I'm worried about the UI aspect as some reviews say there is a bit too much bloatware on the Sony's (though I guess you can always disable it) and of course there is the question of updates. You would have to assume you'd get L from Sony unless they expect you to upgrade to the Z4 to get it (which will probably be out in 6 months ).
Maybe Sony's past history with updating their handsets to the latest software release would give an indication but I don't know what that history is.

I think I'll be getting the Z3 and keeping my N5 around for the first weeks before the return policy expires. I'll have L on it so if it performs well enough I may hold off on the Z3 until L is out. Love me that material. I've been running the Dev preview since it was released and I find KitKat dated to say the least
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I ended up from a glass back phone to another glass back phone (n4 to z3)
However this over doesn't feel that fragile
Pros over my broken screen nexus 4
1) The screen is much brighter and has superb colors!
2) The speakers are in front and are as loud as my nexus!
3) The performance has to be better (s801) and psp emulation is so much easier now!
4) looks more premium (personal opionion)
5) I don't feel heat as much as I did on my nexus 4
6) That amazing camera blows my mind
7) Waterproofing and dust tight build
8) Easy switch from notifications to quick settings using a swipe
9) Theming app is okokgood, not cyanogenmod good!
Cons over my nexus 4
1) I miss the developer love. There may be amazing development, it actually has started (cm11) but nexus were always on a different level
2) The biggest con is that i miss aosp, its love and beauty
3) Ability to switch to art! Why xperia! Why can't you allow me to switch to art? Why can't you make your apps compatible with art?
4) Bloat
5) Why do i have a what's new thing on my navigation bar? Why can't I disable the small app launcher?
These are my views, if you don't mind any of the cons, you wouldn't mind an Xperia
Ps- i got this phone cause one plus hates India, they don't want to give us their phones and nexus 6 is just too big to use! Right now the only phone i may consider switching to would be nexus 5 because aosp is love, is life!

darkrai said:
I ended up from a glass back phone to another glass back phone (n4 to z3)
However this over doesnt feel that fragile
Pros over my broken screen nexus 4
1) The screen is much brighter and has superb colors!
2) The speakers are in front and are as loud as my nexus!
3) The performance has to be better (s801) and psp emulation is so much easier now!
4) looks more premium (personal opionion)
5) I dont feel heat as much as I did on my nexus 4
6) That amazing camera blows my mind
7) Waterproofing and dust tight build
8) Easy switch from notifications to quick settings using a swipe
9) Theming app is okokgood, not cyanogenmod good!
Cons over my nexus 4
1) I miss the developer love. There may be amazing development, it actually has started (cm11) but nexus were always on a different level
2) The biggest con is that i miss aosp, its love and beauty
3) Ability to switch to art! Why xperia! Why cant you allow me to switch to art? Why cant you make your apps compatible with art?
4) Bloat
5) Why do i have a whats new thing on my navigation bar? Why cant I disable the small app launcher?
These are my views, if you dont mind any of the cons, you wouldnt mind an Xperia
Ps- i got this phone cause one plus hates India, they dont want to give us their phones and nexus 6 is just too big to use! Right now the only phone i may consider switching to would be nexus 5 because aosp is love, is life!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can block the what's new and the mini app bar with adb commands

jonshipman said:
You can block the what's new and the mini app bar with adb commands
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No no
You don't root and unlock a 830$ phone in the first month itself (if adb needs root)
Of this doesn't need root, steps to disable them please

darkrai said:
No no
You dont root and unlock a 830$ phone in the first month itself (if adb needs root)
Of this doesnt need root, steps to disable them please
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Adb doesnt need root.
As for the steps, I'd Google them because we probably don't have the same computer.

wolf0491 said:
I feel the development is usually pretty good on the Z line. Depends on if you unlock bootloader or not of course.
Had quite a number of Rom choice for my original Z.
As for the dual Sim 6633 mine works fine in US on ATT. Using only one Sim though.
Sent from my Xperia Z3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this is where our thoughts will differ
Xperia z was Sonys comeback phone
Intended to be a hit and it was
Therefore they had to give it special treatment
Now if they stop it, it would feel weird to all those upgrading for development
And Xperia z3 is no comeback phone, it's just a slight upgrade over z2
So you cannot be that sure

Nexus Smexus
I was a big Nexus fan. But there was always some corners being cut. I really just loved the stock Android experience which is why I was greateful for the GPe editions. After having owned a GPe HTC One M8, and a regular M8, I was rather impressed with the skin, they didn't over do it, it was just a matter of having the features that were lacking from stock experience. I found the Sony Z3 to be the same. They didn't over do it on the customizations, in fact they in my opinion did just the right amount of customizations. Sure I wish they didn't put the "what's new" garabage on the phone, but it's not a deal breaker. I plan to freeze the crap apps I never intend to use. Which aren't many. In fact it feels very much stock with minimal customizations. Well worth the camera, beauty, added features, and the waterproofing. I reluctantly threw it in a bowl of water and took a photo...flawless. Though I haven't soaked a phone accidently in years, it's nice to have the feature.

derrickonline said:
I was a big Nexus fan. But there was always some corners being cut. I really just loved the stock Android experience which is why I was greateful for the GPe editions. After having owned a GPe HTC One M8, and a regular M8, I was rather impressed with the skin, they didn't over do it, it was just a matter of having the features that were lacking from stock experience. I found the Sony Z3 to be the same. They didn't over do it on the customizations, in fact they in my opinion did just the right amount of customizations. Sure I wish they didn't put the "what's new" garabage on the phone, but it's not a deal breaker. I plan to freeze the crap apps I never intend to use. Which aren't many. In fact it feels very much stock with minimal customizations. Well worth the camera, beauty, added features, and the waterproofing. I reluctantly threw it in a bowl of water and took a photo...flawless. Though I haven't soaked a phone accidently in years, it's nice to have the feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Derrick,
Do you mind elaborating on the corners being cut? I am in the market between the z3 and nexus 6 and cannot decide which would be better overall. Should I go for the latest phone with stock android? or go for a more premium designed phone? What influenced your decisions?

Richie5767 said:
Hey Derrick,
Do you mind elaborating on the corners being cut? I am in the market between the z3 and nexus 6 and cannot decide which would be better overall. Should I go for the latest phone with stock android? or go for a more premium designed phone? What influenced your decisions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ritchie:
I swap phones every 6 months. So I've had just about every flagship phone out there (Android), including the OnePlus. Nexus devices tend to have poor speakers, and below average cameras. They never look premium (except for the Nexus 4, which was actually the LG Optimus G variant)I owned both and preferred the LG Optimus G version. I found the Nexus devices tend to be thicker. If they're not thicker, they feel thicker (likely due to the Qi wireless charging). Also battery life always feel average.
Even though I much prefer stock Android, I must say OEMs (at least HTC and Sony). I hate Samsung phones, bloated to the max and just plain boring looking. I was happy with the skinned version HTC used even having owned the GPe version as well. Sony feels very much stock with a few tweaks that add value not take away. They also don't add complete non-sense crap you'd ever use like Samsung. Well they do have this stupid "What's New" thing but it's easy to ignore.
Now to answer your question. I recently purchased a OnePlus. That phone was freakin' HUGE!!! It has a 5.5 inch screen, and I believe the Z3 is 5.2. The problem was the phone was just tall and wide with large bezels. It dwarfed an HTC M8 and that's a fairly tall phone. So for me personally I sold it and got a Z3. The size is PERFECT even though it has a 5.2 inch screen. It doesn't feel bigger than my HTC One M8, but I don't have both in hand right now. It definitely feels slipper than the M8, and just as premium. I have not owned a Nexus 6, but right off the bat for me personally I have no interest. It's too big. Much like the OnePlus.
So I really boils down to what's most important to you. If you're worried about getting Android L when it comes out. You'll get it. Even if it's not through official Sony channels. With a phone as popular as the Z3, the only thing holding back development here is waiting for root without unlocking the bootloader. Once that happens, development is going to blow up and that means you'll get your Android L. So don't let that be your limiting factor (assuming you're OK with rooting your device and unlocking the bootloader at some point down the road when the devs have figured out how to backup the DRM keys). If size is a factor and you don't mind talking into what looks like a tablet. Go with the Nexus 6. Me personally I hate phablets. Sony's 5.2 inch Z3 is the sweet spot. It also has a very premium finish, glass front and back. It won't draw attention like pulling out an M8 or even an M7 for that matter, the speakers can't touch the M8 (but who's speakers can?), but the perfect size, perfect software combo (not overly skinned), decent camera (nothing earth shattering), and being water proof...it's a win for me. It's fast, has 3GB of memory, looks premium, and has all that I need. Only thing it's missing: Wireless charging, and an iR blaster. The iR blaster was neat when I couldn't find my remote, but it didn't get a lot of real world use from me so it's not terrible that the Sony doesn't have it.
My favorite flagship phones hands down have been HTC One M8, and this Sony Z3. Hope that helps answer your question.

Stick the Google Now Launcher on it and block What's New & Small Apps and it will feel like stock. I love it.

It's time to say goodbye my friends! :(

After all thease months, after all good and bad moments it's time to say goodbye and move on to my next device.
I bought LG G3 couple of weeks ago and today I'm selling my Xperia Z. It's so hard to move on because Xperia Z reminds me on true legend, Xperia X10i. It's such a great device to have. In fact , after using G3 for couple of weeks I'm so disappointed with this device (laggy software, not so great build quality) so I'll probably sell it and buy a real device, Xperia device (Z2 or Z3).
I'm gonna miss this forum so much, I'm gonna miss all You guys. Good luck and take care! :good:

So, the G3 isn't great then? I'm looking at getting a new device next month and it was a possibility, as reviews seem to be all positive. The Z3 is also on my list along with the N6.
I'm leaning towards the N6 because of ease of root etc and the huge development support that comes with the Nexus devices, but I'll see closer to the time as Sony has established itself as my current best Android OEM because of the great experience I've had with the Z.
Anyway, good luck for the future and I'm sure I'll see you around.
Sent from my C6603

kingvortex said:
So, the G3 isn't great then? I'm looking at getting a new device next month and it was a possibility, as reviews seem to be all positive. The Z3 is also on my list along with the N6.
I'm leaning towards the N6 because of ease of root etc and the huge development support that comes with the Nexus devices, but I'll see closer to the time as Sony has established itself as my current best Android OEM because of the great experience I've had with the Z.
Anyway, good luck for the future and I'm sure I'll see you around.
Sent from my C6603
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LG G3 has beautiful display, one of the best out there, but 1440 x 2560 res is unnecessary because you can't see the difference between fullHD and this with naked eye. Camera is ok but not breathtaking (I think that LG use Sony 13 mpx module), Lollipop ROM is laggy, signal strength is lower than on other devices. Battery life is ok but not great, double tap to lock/unlock function is fantastic. If you look for development support I can't recommend you this phone, at least for now. On the other side I tested Xperia Z3 last week. Fantastic device, great looking, screen is beautiful, stock rom is fast and smooth, build quality is excellent. Battery life is insane, nice speakers, and camera is fantastic. I'm so in love with that phone man, I hope that Z3 is my next phone. And thanks for nice words.

I had a real bad experience with an LG device. The Optimus 2X was released with a lot of publicity as the first dual core Android phone and then abandoned with buggy software and only 2 updates in 2 years. I promised myself never to buy from them again, but the G3 was tempting me. Hearing your thoughts has put me off again!
So, Z3 or N6 it is probably.
Hope to see you around on the forums if I get a Z3.
Cheers.
Sent from my C6603

Funny I had the LG o2x too. What a disappointing device, I still remember how unreliable it was that I couldn't even use it as an alarm clock because it use to freeze when deep sleep
Sent from my C6603 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

wawyed said:
Funny I had the LG o2x too. What a disappointing device, I still remember how unreliable it was that I couldn't even use it as an alarm clock because it use to freeze when deep sleep
Sent from my C6603 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Yeah, you never knew if the thing would be unresponsive when you picked it up to use it. The stock rom was woeful as well. The only reason I didn't trash it was because of the great developer support and custom roms.
Sent from my C6603

kingvortex said:
So, the G3 isn't great then? I'm looking at getting a new device next month and it was a possibility, as reviews seem to be all positive. The Z3 is also on my list along with the N6.
I'm leaning towards the N6 because of ease of root etc and the huge development support that comes with the Nexus devices, but I'll see closer to the time as Sony has established itself as my current best Android OEM because of the great experience I've had with the Z.
Anyway, good luck for the future and I'm sure I'll see you around.
Sent from my C6603
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Click to collapse
If i were you i'd wait for the Z4.
Or go for the Z3, the Nexus isn't as good as it should be, the AMOLED is causing major issues.
Sent from my Z Ultra using XDA Free mobile app

Tommy-Geenexus said:
If i were you i'd wait for the Z4.
Or go for the Z3, the Nexus isn't as good as it should be, the AMOLED is causing major issues.
Sent from my Z Ultra using XDA Free mobile app
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I haven't really looked into anything yet, as I don't tend to start looking around at prices etc until I really am ready to buy a new device. The Z is still actually really usable despite being almost 2 years old now, so there's no urgent need.
Sent from my C6603

kingvortex said:
I haven't really looked into anything yet, as I don't tend to start looking around at prices etc until I really am ready to buy a new device. The Z is still actually really usable despite being almost 2 years old now, so there's no urgent need.
Sent from my C6603
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MWC isn't THAT far away, and if the Z4 is announced then expect a Z3 price drop. The upgrades for the Z4 won't be game changers - an 810 with a better GPU, a slightly nicer display that may well be QHD, improvements to the camera I expect. With the amount of time people use their phones nowadays, battery life simply must improve. And with rumours that the actual Sony imaging department will handle the image processing, maybe the Z4 will get a stand-out camera. I really hope the RAW API's will be implemented by Sony. I'm looking at an upgrade too, maybe a Oneplus Two, or if they make a Nexus 5 2015 edition I'd bite. The Xperia Z was my first smartphone and I'd like to try other android devices.

Have any of you guys seen the new ASUS ZenFone that's to be released in March? It looks like an absolute animal of a phone and I'm very tempted to snap one up as soon as preorders are available because of its fantastic price and even better spec to follow, but I'm worried about the developer support as there hasn't really been a great deal of support for ASUS' previous ZenFone generations, do you guys think that the price would pull more developers in?
Beans

bbeanss said:
Have any of you guys seen the new ASUS ZenFone that's to be released in March? It looks like an absolute animal of a phone and I'm very tempted to snap one up as soon as preorders are available because of its fantastic price and even better spec to follow, but I'm worried about the developer support as there hasn't really been a great deal of support for ASUS' previous ZenFone generations, do you guys think that the price would pull more developers in?
Beans
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Is that the one with the Intel processor? Yikes, as far as I know, developer support on those devices is nowhere near the level of your standard Snapdragon phones. Exynos processors in Samsung's are very common and even those are shunnes., with developers working on Snapdragons instead.

Quad HD sounds nice on paper but it doesn't bring any visual differences that your eyes can detect. Except the low battery indicator flashing more frequently?
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app

I have used a LG G3 for more than a while.. I couldn't see anything wrong with it on KK.. Compared its display with a Z3 and saw the difference in detail and also under sunlight it seemed better than Z3.. Ofc 2k comes into play as well.. So it would be wrong to compare. Also the gestures are nice on any high end LG phone which Xperia's miss officially.. And battery life on G3 is amazing for the h/w it has.. I hardly saw a hiccup even the LG UI.. Camera is decent(Probably same as XZ).. Atleast it seemed the same when i compared my XZ cam with it.. G3 is a beast phone and i think their LP fw update might be buggy since its just initial update.. Ofc u have to wait for another 1 or 2 bug fixing updates to experience the best of LP on any phone for that matter..

tOrNadO™ said:
I have used a LG G3 for more than a while.. I couldn't see anything wrong with it on KK.. Compared its display with a Z3 and saw the difference in detail and also under sunlight it seemed better than Z3.. Ofc 2k comes into play as well.. So it would be wrong to compare. Also the gestures are nice on any high end LG phone which Xperia's miss officially.. And battery life on G3 is amazing for the h/w it has.. I hardly saw a hiccup even the LG UI.. Camera is decent(Probably same as XZ).. Atleast it seemed the same when i compared my XZ cam with it.. G3 is a beast phone and i think their LP fw update might be buggy since its just initial update.. Ofc u have to wait for another 1 or 2 bug fixing updates to experience the best of LP on any phone for that matter..
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I agree with you, but I sold it yesterday anyway. I ordered Z2 this morning and that's my next phone. Cheers.

neoxx3m said:
I agree with you, but I sold it yesterday anyway. I ordered Z2 this morning and that's my next phone. Cheers.
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I myself am planning to buy a Z2 too, very soon.. Hope to meet u thr..

Hi
What's Google's policy regarding transferring paid for apps from one phone to another? Can they be shared on 2 phones?

SXZdabbler said:
Hi
What's Google's policy regarding transferring paid for apps from one phone to another? Can they be shared on 2 phones?
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You just have to sign in on the other device. I have a couple of phones and a tablet on the same Google account and can use paid apps on all of them with no issues.
Sent from my C6603

tOrNadO™ said:
I myself am planning to buy a Z2 too, very soon.. Hope to meet u thr..
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I hope so!

neoxx3m said:
I agree with you, but I sold it yesterday anyway. I ordered Z2 this morning and that's my next phone. Cheers.
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Count me too.. For Z2. Soon..

We don't really need a new thread for everyone who leaves to another device. If you already have a thread you can post it there, but a new thread isn't needed.
Closed.

Should I wait to buy?

Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks

phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
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It seems as if there will also be a z4c.
You might want to wait for that, but if you fancy a good camera Sony phones wouldn't be something for you.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

Dsteppa said:
It seems as if there will also be a z4c.
You might want to wait for that, but if you fancy a good camera Sony phones wouldn't be something for you.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
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Generally speaking I'm not quite sure how much the price of the z3c will fall with the introduction of the z4c.
However I'm curious about the overall performance of the phone: Do you think it is worth the buy?
And what is more, I've seen there is quite a struggle with the bootloader and with developers, but with official CM nightlies this should be fine, right?

Jkay7 said:
Generally speaking I'm not quite sure how much the price of the z3c will fall with the introduction of the z4c.
However I'm curious about the overall performance of the phone: Do you think it is worth the buy?
And what is more, I've seen there is quite a struggle with the bootloader and with developers, but with official CM nightlies this should be fine, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price won't fall THAT much, but the recent price drop could be because of that.
The phone is still worth to buy for sure as for bootloader problems, they should be history now.

There is no real evidence of a z4 compact being released anytime soon. For now, pretend like it doesn't exist and get whatever phone you want. Besides, the rumors indicate the phone will only be a marginal upgrade: newer processor and increased screen resolution.
Sent from my Xperia Z3 Compact

phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is just my opinion and I don't intend to talk trash about Sony phones but I'm gonna just tell you like it is.
Just so you know, I'm in IT field (Windows) and I have a comprehensive knowledge about PC hardware tech. Since I switched to android from iPhone about 2.5 years ago, I had bought quite a few phones that included 3 Sony phones.
- ZR with overheat problem even only on browsing the internet with Chrome and very poor quality display (made with TFT) => RETURNED with 15% restocking fee.
- ZL Same poor quality TFT display => I ended up gave it to my sis.
- Z3C made with IPS but with poor touch panel. Annoying touch pattern grids are visible. IPS display quality of the Z3C is well below average even compared to the iPhone 4's. Camera is mediocre at best but all the hype makes me really look down on Sony - the only company who created TA partition just to put their crappy softwares on it and tied the bootloader with it. Not that I give a rat ass about losing its DRM functions, it's just that errors pop up here and there when I unlock the bootloader.
My other 2 Android phones are the Nexus 5 and LG Optimus E970. These 2 phones' displays are superb. I wish the Z3C has the same display quality as those 2. I love its size and battery performance but Sony mobile display sucks big time. Don't get me started on Sony bloatwares (2 ecosystems on 1 device is a joke).
I have many Sony devices in my home (laptop, bluray player, tv...) but when it comes to Sony phones, I'm sure next time I'll pass.
I bought my Z3C for $520 USD. It's still 99.99% new. I would sell it to you for $300 USD if you live in my area (I wouldn't buy it even for $300 though)

Some of the cheaper Z3C listings in the US are for the D5833 overseas model. Be careful with this version, as it will suffer from limited 4G compatibility in the States.

phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a D5803 running stock 5.0.2 and I'm very happy with the device.
It's compact, fast and battery lasts for 2 days minimum (if you don't play games).
The user interface is simple, fast and close to AOSP look&feel .
I saw no reason to hack the phone with custom ROMs or mods, since I found it to be VERY stable and basically everything works.
If you plan to heavily customize your phone, be ready to face some obstacles mainly due to the fact that Lolipop is quite new on this phone and mods are not yet perfect (although they are improving). I've gone that route before with previous phones, and usually the outcome is that you get some visual adaptations to your taste, but in fact the overall stability/performance will be worst.
Some may argue that the camera software could be better, and I tend to agree. But you will be able to take good pictures, if you use some manual settings.
In my experience, Bluetooth/NFC works very well with different gadgets/systems: hi-fi, Pebble watch, BT headphones (even using aptX), car system, ...
I haven't tested audio high-res external DACs, but some users report some devices are tricky to interface well using Lolipop. Other report their device works. Basic audio play is quite good if you have good headphones and choose the right eq settings.
Some users report the glass may crack due to overheating, and I saw many friends with other phones (like Samsung) suffering from the same issue. Mine is in perfect condition and I hope it stays that way.
In summary: I'm very happy with my gadget and I wouldn't change it for anything out there with similar form factor. And although Lolipop 5.0.2 is not perfect, I got used to it and don't see a reason to go back to KK. And 5.1 will certainly come...
Is there a perfect smartphone (hw+sw+UX+price) ? No, but in my opinion this one is a good step forward.
Oh, and if you don't want to fiddle around with connectivity issues, be sure to buy the phone that maps to your geography and operator (D5803 vs D5833) and use a ROM that was built for it.

z4c would defiantly be a "want to have" but at a premium price point, that's why i picked z3c and i got a great deal. In my eyes it's the best phone on the marked atm. If you exclude all the minitablets which i have 0 interest in.

I am in the same position as the OP.
I had some android devices (nexus s, gnexus, htc incredible s, nexus4, htc one m7), right now I have no smartphone.
Z3C seems the "right choice" except for a couple things:
1) Price: here in Portugal the lowest is 400eur. For that price you can also have: htc desire eye, galaxy s5, and a lot of other non-waterproof phones with better cameras and better screens, but also worse battery.
The Z1C is 100eur cheaper.
2) Camera: it seems that sony camera is not on pair with others, even with everyone saying that is software the truth is that nobody solved it.
3) Sudden death: there are some cases (see sony's forum) of sudden death phones.
4) Cracked glass: this I don't know if is hype or not.I had a nexus 5 and people said that it broken by itself but mine only broke by hitting the floor.
I guess that if the Z4C brings the Snappdragon 810 it won't be very good because of overheating and throttling...
Only option is to wait.

Thanks for the replies.
For me the Z3C choice comes down to physical size.
I want a smaller phone but good specs, and as far as I can see there is no competition in the Android sphere (happy to be proved wrong).
I'll be keeping the phone pretty much stock until I need to start tinkering, so mods are not a problem for me currently.
I suspect the Z3C will have OS support for longer than the Z1C so that may make the £100 difference worth paying.

phoneowner71 said:
Thanks for the replies.
For me the Z3C choice comes down to physical size.
I want a smaller phone but good specs, and as far as I can see there is no competition in the Android sphere (happy to be proved wrong).
I'll be keeping the phone pretty much stock until I need to start tinkering, so mods are not a problem for me currently.
I suspect .com/2015/04/22/sony-xperia-z4-compact-e5803-z4ultra-e6683-e6883-certification-details/"]http://www.whatsontech.com/2015/04/22/sony-xperia-z4the Z3C will have OS support for longer than the Z1C so that may make the £100 difference worth paying.
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http://www.whatsontech-compact-e5803-z4ultra-e6683-e6883-certification-details/
Z4c and Z4U are real coming and they already passed the certification process with the model number being leaked out. I guess they will out on Sep.
But if you are speaking for the battery life, Z3c with s801 and 720p will be much better. All I can think is Z4c will improve the camera software further(and also fixed the Z3/Z3c red/green/purple tint issue) and upgraded to FHD screen. I've got a Z1c, if you want a cheaper phone to wait Z4c then Z1c is still doing good. If you want battery life for all then go for Z3c now.