Sony unveils flagship xperia Z4 smartphone in japan

 Set to hit the market in Japan this summer, Sony's new flagship smartphone -- the Xperia Z4 -- is a thin, lightweight but large-screen device that's designed to cap off the company's Xperia Z series. There's no word yet on when the Z4 will be available in other markets.

The phone comes with front and back cameras with features especially aimed at the selfie and social networking crowd. The imaging technology even sports a "cooking mode" to make users' photos of food look more appealing.

Sony is also touting the Xperia Z4's audio capabilities, which it says uses LDAC audio compression technology to deliver high-quality, CD-like sound. Other notable features include a dustproof, waterproof body and a battery  that can provide up to 17 hours of talk time.

Signs of a Sony Smartphone Exit?

Early reviews of the Xperia Z4 note that it doesn't differ dramatically from its predecessor, the Xperia Z3, which was released last year. That could partly explain the relatively low-profile launch for the new device, which was announced only on Sony's Japanese-language corporate site.

Another reason for the new phone's relatively quiet debut could be Sony's current restructuring, which is seeing the company put a greater emphasis on other divisions besides smartphones. During a corporate strategy meeting in February, CEO Kazuo Hirai said Sony would no longer try to pursue growth in areas where its sales have slowed; instead, he said, the firm aims to focus on sales of camera sensors and PlayStation devices to increase profits by a factor of 25 by 2018.

With support for a wide range of languages -- including English (U.S. and U.K.), German French, Spanish, Chinese and Russian -- it's likely the Xperia Z4 will eventually be marketed globally. For now, however, Sony is not providing additional release dates, although it has said the device's price in Japan will start at 7,000 yen, or about $60 at current exchange rates.

Snapdragon 810 Processor

The Xperia Z4 features a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 2930mAh built-in battery. The phone runs the latest version of Google's Android operating system, Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Weighing 144 grams and measuring just 6.9 millimeters in thickness, the Xperia Z4 features and aluminum and glass body and comes with a 5.2-inch screen. It will be available in four colors: white, black, copper and aqua green.

The main camera offers a resolution of 20.7 million pixels, while the front camera's resolution is 5.1 million pixels. Both offer full HD imagery. With support for self-portraits and video calls, the main camera also offers a variety of image-enhancing filters, including a "cooking mode to reproduce the freshness and three-dimensional sense of cuisine."