Sony’s new Xperia ZR handset is now official. It’s being marketed as a high-end smartphone with equally high-end water-resistent capabilities. Sony says it’ll allow you to “Experience filming underwater in Full HD.” It’s IP55 and IP58 compliant, which in addition to being waterproof means it’s also dustproof as well.
Jumping into the main specs of the phone, the Xperia ZR features a 4.55-inch 720p HD OptiContrast display. The camera is a 13MP shooter with an Exmor RS sensor and 16x digital zoom. The device houses a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 2,300mAh battery, which all contribute to powering the device’s OS, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It also comes with 8GB of internal storage with a microSD expansion slot.
The phone weighs 138 grams, or just under 5 ounces. It’s a compelling choice for people who need a rugged phone, and those who prefer not having to sacrifice good looks in favor of durability. It does look like a pretty good Android phone, and Sony does always make solid hardware. It’ll come in four colors: black, white, pink, and mint (which is like a teal.)
The Xperia ZR should launch by the end of June in select markets, and may sell under a different name such as the “Xperia A” in certain markets. Sony has yet to reveal pricing.