Why and how did the Z5C made me switch to an iPhone - Xperia Z5 Compact Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello,
I bought my Z5 Compact in december 2015 to replace my broken Z3C and I quickly realized numberous flaws that I will list here. But first, I'm gonna talk about the good things.
It's a really well build phone. Nothing to say there, it's nearly perfect and way better than the Z3C which was already pretty good (but way too fragile). The design is beautiful, probably one of the nicest in stores.
The camera autofocus is also very good and the depth of field is nice. It must be a very good sensor.
Some apps are really well done, like the launcher, Music, Gallery or TrackID.
Now let's talk about the bad things.
1) The camera. The app is really slow to launch, it's also slow to take a picture, and it's not everytime the same amount of time. Sometimes it takes 2 seconds, sometimes 5 seconds, you can't trust it.
Most of the pictures are very blurry on the sides and it's just not on par with other flagships. It's also very noisy, incredibly bad for something that's supposed to be as good as the Galaxy S6 camera. Even my Moto E takes better pictures sometimes.
Also, after i take 2-3 pictures it makes the phone lag for a few seconds which is really frustrating when you paid $500 for this thing.
2) The performance. Most of the time it's pretty acceptable, but if I compare it with the Z3C it's just not as smooth and responsive. It's faster, but not as smooth.
There are sometimes little lags, little latencies, it's still OK but not as good and I would say it should be way better if I look at the specs.
Sometimes, usually when I opened snapchat or the camera, it lags like hell to the point where it's unusable. And it happens really often, not even always when the phone is hot so this is not a S810 issue.
3) The Marshmallow update. I really liked what they did with the Marshmallow beta on the Z3C so I was really excited to see what they would do on the Z5C. And I was again disappointed. Yeah, it fixed most of the performance issues, but it's still really not that good, and I hate the way they updated some apps.
Why the hell is the notification bar BLACK in the settings, in messages and in some other apps ? It's not Android 4.3 anymore, they really need to improve their UI.
4) The custom rom support. There is only one custom ROM and it still has a lot of issues, it's by far the worst phone I've ever had for that.
5) The battery life. It's not terrible, but it's really not that good, especially compared to the Z3C I expected way better results.
6) The way Sony handles the Z5 series. Marshmallow came so late, when the Z3 already had an incredibly good "beta" version for like 6 months. And now I learn that the Android N beta is available on the Z3 ?? What the hell, we also paid our phones ! I feel like they are giving up on this phone and they just say "f*ck you" to the stupid people who've had the weird idea to buy that thing.
I asked them on twitter and they said "it's for developpers" with a gif of a woman rolling her eyes. Well this is completely stupid, because first, I could be a dev, and second, it's not for devs at all, it's for people who want to try it and give feedback.
So you have my opinion, after all it's not the worst phone ever, most of it is really good but a lot of thing are bothering me.
I'm buying an iPhone SE next week after six years of Android and 16 Android Phones in these 6 years. So this must actually be pretty bad because I never felt the need to switch to iOS with any of the phones I owned, even the Moto E. It's also my use of a phone that's more adapted to iOS right now, but still this phone is one of the main reasons.
I hope my bad english didn't bother you and I hope this was somehow interesting to read.
Thank you

I agree...
Unfortunately I must agree with your opinion regarding Z5 Compact. Especially the part regarding the camera lags is very true. Also the AF system fails sometimes on the random basis.
On my Z5C I had already the camera broken (after two months of using the phone) and fixed via warranty claim together with the fingerprint sensor which was working when it liked to.
Now I can see that the phone has bent a little bit while carrying it in the pocket and this bending has led to the broken phone frame (in the fingerprint area where the frame has only two thin plastic straps around the sensor). The worst thing is that I can also see some dust inside the lens so it means that the whole body is not sealed any more probably due to that broken frame.
I have also some concerns regarding the Sony's software (Android 5.1.1.):
1) The gallery application is not customisable at all. For example you cannot change the sorting order or exclude / include some folders.
2) No call blacklist for automatic call rejection (this function is built in into my old Samsung S4 Mini)
3) Very limited customization of alarm schedules (automatic alarm offs etc., I can adjust something but not exactly what I want)
4) The calling screen is hard to distinguish from the phone number information screen. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm actually calling somebody or just checking the contact info (there is only one small blinking symbol during the actual calling out).
5) No scheduled SMS option (again, this is present in my old Samsung S4 Mini)
6) Very week LED light (compared to S4 Mini)
7) The analog radio tuner is not sensitive enough for high quality stereo reception (compared to S4 Mini)
8) The built-in e-mail application (Microsfot Exchange client) has problems with displaying e-mails correctly => for example the title has big font and the e-mail body small tiny letters (again compared to S4 Mini e-mail app). It also does not show the contact pictures which are stored on the Microsoft Exchange server (=> pictures are visible in S4 Mini).
Overall I'm quite disappointed with that phone model. Luckily it's my business phone so I didn't have to pay for it.

I bought an iPhone SE and used it for about two weeks. I am back on my Z5C. I got tired of the restrictions in iOS that I take for granted in Android. I will keep the SE as a spare since no one else makes a good small phone.

I don't think you'll find many people here telling you that leaving the z5c is a bad decision lol but the iOS transition if you've never played with it will leave you far more frustrated. Simple tasks are cumbersome and customizability is slim. I have wanted the 5, 5s, 5c, 6, 6s, SE when they were all released but the iOS is a serious flaw. Android is faster in maneuvering through the OS and customizability is limitless so I've been settling for mid range phones for YEARS just to keep a one handed phone. I'd suggest maybe getting a iPod touch to play with to test the iOS waters before making the plunge.

gfarm said:
Unfortunately I must agree with your opinion regarding Z5 Compact. Especially the part regarding the camera lags is very true. Also the AF system fails sometimes on the random basis.
On my Z5C I had already the camera broken (after two months of using the phone) and fixed via warranty claim together with the fingerprint sensor which was working when it liked to.
Now I can see that the phone has bent a little bit while carrying it in the pocket and this bending has led to the broken phone frame (in the fingerprint area where the frame has only two thin plastic straps around the sensor). The worst thing is that I can also see some dust inside the lens so it means that the whole body is not sealed any more probably due to that broken frame.
I have also some concerns regarding the Sony's software (Android 5.1.1.):
1) The gallery application is not customisable at all. For example you cannot change the sorting order or exclude / include some folders.
2) No call blacklist for automatic call rejection (this function is built in into my old Samsung S4 Mini)
3) Very limited customization of alarm schedules (automatic alarm offs etc., I can adjust something but not exactly what I want)
4) The calling screen is hard to distinguish from the phone number information screen. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm actually calling somebody or just checking the contact info (there is only one small blinking symbol during the actual calling out).
5) No scheduled SMS option (again, this is present in my old Samsung S4 Mini)
6) Very week LED light (compared to S4 Mini)
7) The analog radio tuner is not sensitive enough for high quality stereo reception (compared to S4 Mini)
8) The built-in e-mail application (Microsfot Exchange client) has problems with displaying e-mails correctly => for example the title has big font and the e-mail body small tiny letters (again compared to S4 Mini e-mail app). It also does not show the contact pictures which are stored on the Microsoft Exchange server (=> pictures are visible in S4 Mini).
Overall I'm quite disappointed with that phone model. Luckily it's my business phone so I didn't have to pay for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm,
can be summed up with:
close to AOSP/stock-Android.
My decision to go with the Z5 was because it's more close to AOSP, well - guess what ?
I also got used to Samsung's "bloat" and customizability - so in certain parts is was a kind of shock to see to limitations of Sony's ROM,
but if you're getting the phone with the attitude of rooting and unlocking the bootloader anyway to install a custom ROM,
it's somewhat different
Not talking about you,
but it's kind of ridiculous:
people are complaining that Samsung's ROM is too bloated, too much features, overloaded,
then when they switch to a device with slim, minimal ROM - then complain, too
Seems like folks don't know what they really want after all
Solution:
Get a device which offers über-bloated ROM but also Option of AOSP,
then wait until the "perfect" ROM is out - or get your hands dirty and modify and optimize the ROM yourself :silly:
This is XDA after all

civicsr2cool said:
I don't think you'll find many people here telling you that leaving the z5c is a bad decision lol but the iOS transition if you've never played with it will leave you far more frustrated. Simple tasks are cumbersome and customizability is slim. I have wanted the 5, 5s, 5c, 6, 6s, SE when they were all released but the iOS is a serious flaw. Android is faster in maneuvering through the OS and customizability is limitless so I've been settling for mid range phones for YEARS just to keep a one handed phone. I'd suggest maybe getting a iPod touch to play with to test the iOS waters before making the plunge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I bought an iPod Touch 6 and used it for one week, now I have the SE and it's a real pleasure to use. I wouldn't have done that a year ago but now my use has changed and I don't really need android anymore. Actually there are really not so much that I miss from Android, it's really better for me (but of course it will depend on how you use your phone).
Otherwise the SE is faster, like REALLY faster, the camera is 100 times better and I prefer the form factor so I'm really happy for now :good:

flolaff said:
Yeah I bought an iPod Touch 6 and used it for one week, now I have the SE and it's a real pleasure to use. I wouldn't have done that a year ago but now my use has changed and I don't really need android anymore. Actually there are really not so much that I miss from Android, it's really better for me (but of course it will depend on how you use your phone).
Otherwise the SE is faster, like REALLY faster, the camera is 100 times better and I prefer the form factor so I'm really happy for now :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's good news! The amount of accessories available for it are pretty cool. You can even buy iPhone 6 mini conversion housings for it. 4" are a bit too small for me however, 4.3" seems to be the sweet spot I'm always looking for. I'm a heavy root user and change the themes on my phone weekly so I'm not leaving Android anytime soon lol

sorry to disagree with you in certain things... well i have had 5 Xperia Z5 (the regular one) and since i'm into buying and selling Xperia phones, the Z5 compact and the Z5 Premium was the most impressive Sony phones... talking more about the Z5C because the Z5P didn't have for a long time to talk about it much... Z5 compact which i'm owning right now is very smooth and never lagged for me, the camera is great, front and back... the camera shot delay not really as you described it, it not as faster as the big Z5 but it's good! remember it's 2GB while the big is 3GB... most of the time i use the manual mode, and even with the auto... pictures are sharp, so i think you need to have steady hands or tripod.....
to summarize all about Z5C, it's a compact flagship that you won't find it's specs or capabilities in any other Mini from the other competitors....
....i know it's a user preference, but i'd be very honest to you to tell you switching from Z5C to iPhone SE is the dumbest decision i've ever heard about knowing that that iphone SE is a redesigned/redefined iPhone 5 or 5S....
i'm not biasing z5c because as i said, i didn't like the Z5 as much as i love the Z5C in everything, even though the Z5 is a bit more powerful with that extra ram, but the build quality in certain parts of the phone, Z5C has it better.
and i couldn't keep the Z5P because of the high price, so the half of it's price got me a Z5C which is more than fair and convenient for me.
now i have 2 Z5 compacts (im selling one for my friend).... the first i bought for $196 because i need to fix it's micro sd card slot, also with no accessories.. and the other for $276 without accessories but as brand new with no issues, and im keeping for me. also i noticed in Marshmallow both devices has the sound quality improved and more louder compared to 5.1.1 and they both equal in both speakers, with a dB meter test app.
don't be annoyed with my comment, and again it's a user preference but i wanted to share my experience with Z5c... so yours or mine aren't the reference for the Z5C but it could help others to have decisions before buying any phone.
thank you.

Funny why you swapped to iphone but not a other android device that might service your needs. But shame to see that many only know 2 brands of phones.

Nidhal AKA the king said:
sorry to disagree with you in certain things... well i have had 5 Xperia Z5 (the regular one) and since i'm into buying and selling Xperia phones, the Z5 compact and the Z5 Premium was the most impressive Sony phones... talking more about the Z5C because the Z5P didn't have for a long time to talk about it much... Z5 compact which i'm owning right now is very smooth and never lagged for me, the camera is great, front and back... the camera shot delay not really as you described it, it not as faster as the big Z5 but it's good! remember it's 2GB while the big is 3GB... most of the time i use the manual mode, and even with the auto... pictures are sharp, so i think you need to have steady hands or tripod.....
to summarize all about Z5C, it's a compact flagship that you won't find it's specs or capabilities in any other Mini from the other competitors....
....i know it's a user preference, but i'd be very honest to you to tell you switching from Z5C to iPhone SE is the dumbest decision i've ever heard about knowing that that iphone SE is a redesigned/redefined iPhone 5 or 5S....
i'm not biasing z5c because as i said, i didn't like the Z5 as much as i love the Z5C in everything, even though the Z5 is a bit more powerful with that extra ram, but the build quality in certain parts of the phone, Z5C has it better.
and i couldn't keep the Z5P because of the high price, so the half of it's price got me a Z5C which is more than fair and convenient for me.
now i have 2 Z5 compacts (im selling one for my friend).... the first i bought for $196 because i need to fix it's micro sd card slot, also with no accessories.. and the other for $276 without accessories but as brand new with no issues, and im keeping for me. also i noticed in Marshmallow both devices has the sound quality improved and more louder compared to 5.1.1 and they both equal in both speakers, with a dB meter test app.
don't be annoyed with my comment, and again it's a user preference but i wanted to share my experience with Z5c... so yours or mine aren't the reference for the Z5C but it could help others to have decisions before buying any phone.
thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, let's agree to disagree. The Z5C is the best compact android phone (I still think that iPhone SE is better, but i can't forgo the versatility of android.)
What really disappoints me is that the older Z3 gets an Android N Developer Preview. I was like, what the heck! The older phone gets this privilege while the newer Z5 doesn't? It almost feels like Sony betrayed the Z5 users. But this is about the only Con of the Z5 though.
Sent from my E5803 using XDA-Developers mobile app

I've had my Z5c for about a week. My current daily driver is a Moto X 2013. I'm really liking the the Z5c, but I have to admit I'm having trouble letting go of the X - its just a pleasure to hold and use. If Motorola followed Apple's lead with the SE and packed an updated package into the Moto X body, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
I'll reserve comment on the Z5c and post in a more appropriate thread once I've spent more time with it. I'm not rooted yet (still on the fence) but once I threw some Nova Prime at it, I began to really enjoy my journey.

@flolaff
I totally agree with you. Add to your list Broken Adaptive Brightness. I'm planning to change the Z5C as soon as there a new Nexus.
Sent from my E5823

Nidhal AKA the king said:
sorry to disagree with you in certain things... well i have had 5 Xperia Z5 (the regular one) and since i'm into buying and selling Xperia phones, the Z5 compact and the Z5 Premium was the most impressive Sony phones... talking more about the Z5C because the Z5P didn't have for a long time to talk about it much... Z5 compact which i'm owning right now is very smooth and never lagged for me, the camera is great, front and back... the camera shot delay not really as you described it, it not as faster as the big Z5 but it's good! remember it's 2GB while the big is 3GB... most of the time i use the manual mode, and even with the auto... pictures are sharp, so i think you need to have steady hands or tripod.....
to summarize all about Z5C, it's a compact flagship that you won't find it's specs or capabilities in any other Mini from the other competitors....
....i know it's a user preference, but i'd be very honest to you to tell you switching from Z5C to iPhone SE is the dumbest decision i've ever heard about knowing that that iphone SE is a redesigned/redefined iPhone 5 or 5S....
i'm not biasing z5c because as i said, i didn't like the Z5 as much as i love the Z5C in everything, even though the Z5 is a bit more powerful with that extra ram, but the build quality in certain parts of the phone, Z5C has it better.
and i couldn't keep the Z5P because of the high price, so the half of it's price got me a Z5C which is more than fair and convenient for me.
now i have 2 Z5 compacts (im selling one for my friend).... the first i bought for $196 because i need to fix it's micro sd card slot, also with no accessories.. and the other for $276 without accessories but as brand new with no issues, and im keeping for me. also i noticed in Marshmallow both devices has the sound quality improved and more louder compared to 5.1.1 and they both equal in both speakers, with a dB meter test app.
don't be annoyed with my comment, and again it's a user preference but i wanted to share my experience with Z5c... so yours or mine aren't the reference for the Z5C but it could help others to have decisions before buying any phone.
thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, but I feel like I would've get a way better experience with a Galaxy S6, which just is way better in everything, or even a Nexus 5X or anything. Part of the problem is the S810 which really sucks (Z3c was way smoother), and the other part is the camera. It is "ok" but compared to the S6/S7/G4/G5/5X/6P/6S/SE or any other flagship camera, it sucks, really.
And no, the SE is not "a redesigned iPhone 5". It has the specs of the iPhone 6s with a 4 inch screen, which is exactly what I wanted, and everything about it is way better than the Z5 Compact (except maybe the speaker).
RiTCHiE007 said:
Funny why you swapped to iphone but not a other android device that might service your needs. But shame to see that many only know 2 brands of phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't "only know 2 brands of phones". As I said, in the last 6 years I've had phones from HTC, Samsung, OnePlus, Sony, Motorola and even some other brands that I forgot. I just feel like the only options right now for a really complete package are Samsung and Apple (maybe HTC but I don't really trust them anymore), and the S7 is too big for me, so I choosed the iPhone SE. It just seemed like the best option for me and so far I really like it.

Yep, I feel the same like you... Interestingly, I also used to have a z3c with the very good concept android 6.0 beta before a thief robbed it out of my hand... Well, I hoped the z5c would even be better.... But no, unfortunately, it's worse, even though the main hardware is better. The firmware is quite buggy and I absolutely agree that the battery life could be way better....

I am underimpressed with a few things about my Z5 compact, but I'll tell you why I will keep it: lanyard mount.

Related

[Q] Sony Z2 or Iphone 5s - What would you chose?

Hi ,
I recently broke my LG P880, and I'm looking for a new phone. From android phones I've chosen the Z2 - mainly cause of 3GB ram. The other phone I'm thinking about is IPhone 5S.
The main advantages of Z2 for me are: big screen, usage of good materials, android (ability of downloading a movie, finding a subbtitle, and watching it directly on Z2. No need to use a PC.)
Drawbacks: virtual screen buttons (I haven't used them much before), OVER-HEATING CAMERA (the biggest issue), quiet speaker, bad quality microphone.
Iphone's advantages: compact size, beautiful IOS and premium materials (no lag, hang, whatsoever), apps work better than on other devices, the best audio (as speakers and as the headphones)
Dis: simplicity of IOS (it can get boring after some time), I have to convert a movie before watching it on iphone, small screen, etc.
I'm looking forward hearing your opinions. Would you change your current Z2 for an Iphone 5S?
Have a nice day! :victory:
Battery on Z2 is enough to beat the hell out of 5s.
My friend use 5s and he has to keep it connected to powerbank almost all the time,hes a heavy browser.
I can easily go through 1.5 - 2 days with my Z2
Never fond of Apple products anyway. Owning an iphone is like coming from the royalty.Not much freedom as you get with android.
I never understand these threads. This is a Z2 forum, you're going to get a very biased answer. The forums are also a concentration of people's complaints about a device, not always reflective of the actual problems it has. Go out, do some research, try to get your hands on a Z2, if that isn't possible, do the best that you can and make the right decision for yourself. /rant
I doubt you'll get many responses in favor of the iPhone here. We've all made our choice clear.
I would try to get my hands on both devices to see which one you prefer. You like both the Z2's large screen and the iPhone's compactness. Hold them both and see which is more important. Find which apps you actually want and try to see whether the iOS and Android versions are different. I have both iOS and Android devices and I was very surprised to see that both iPhones (4s, 5s) and iPads (4) are not really all that much more stable than my Android (SGS2, SGS3, MK808B, Z2) devices. iOS devices can also lag. On the other hand, you can indeed find apps on iOS that, for example, let you download movies and subtitles without a PC. I use AVPlayerHD to FTP stream videos from a NAS server on my iPad. The best Android alternative that I've found can do that is VidOn Player, and it sucks in comparison.
My choice is xperia Z2 of course all features builtin are awesome
erectij said:
You like both the Z2's large screen and the iPhone's compactness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i know, right, talk about contradictions.
erectij said:
Hold them both and see which is more important.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The size comparison is night & day between the two, If you like the compactness of the 5 it will take some getting used to with the z2. I cannot see it happeneing, unless one has serious reasons to dump apple.
erectij said:
Find which apps you actually want and try to see whether the iOS and Android versions are different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that' the final bit, which ecosytem are you tied to. Difficult for apple people to jump to android and vice versa. Paid apps are not going to work on the other.
none of these points have been mentioned by the OP at all, he needs to do more homework. Companies have all sorts of hooks to hold onto people and keep them in their own sand box.
erectij said:
I use AVPlayerHD to FTP stream videos from a NAS server on my iPad. The best Android alternative that I've found can do that is VidOn Player, and it sucks in comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dice player also allows to stream from an FTP server. why you would do it this way instead of DLNA i don't know. Course there is no DLNA for apple now is there :laugh:
I have both (5s is my daily driver, and I have the Z2 in the store I work at and have been playing with it for the last couple of days)
For me personally, I like the 5s because of it's size. I like to be able to comfortably use a phone with one hand. Battery life on the Z2 seems to be amazing, but I also have no issues with battery on my 5s(heavy usage I need to charge every couple of days, I also jailbroke it).
bikowalczyk said:
Hi ,
Would you change your current Z2 for an Iphone 5S?
Have a nice day! :victory:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha its like walking in addidas shop and asking which is better between nike and addidas... well if didn't liked Z2 then we wouldn't be here ... Z2 has fast processor, big screen, 20 MP camera, humongous ram, waterproof, better build quality than some of flagship device,large battery and the most important thing ability to root without unlocking bootloader.... And Iphone has.. small screen, one button, boring UI, crap Battery, Battery hungry processor, no waterproofing, and crap OS...
Like some other people are saying...you are really asking this question on the wrong forum. This forum is dedicated for android and windows phone. In addition, this is a Z2 sub-forum. Of course most people here will tell you Z2 is better
Anyway, I switched from iPhone 5 to Z2. iPhone 5 is not really that different to the 5s in terms of every day use. I hated pretty much all android devices (ugh, samsung, ugly and laggy UI, don't even get me started.) I had in the past except phones from the nexus line. Most of my paid apps are on my iPhone.
In general, iPhone is very restrictive on pretty much everything. You can't do this, you can't do that. If you have been on android for a while, switching to an iPhone is like going to a gaol. Sharing files on an iPhone has been a pain in the as* to me.
At the beginning I was missing my good old iPhone badly, but after I got used to the Z2 and got everything sorted on my device. I wouldn't want to go back to iPhone anytime soon.
iPhones pretty UI and compactness can easily be beaten by the Z2.
1. Bigger screen, I know you want a bigger screen to enjoy movies and pictures.
2. With bigger screen comes bigger battery
3. And an external SD card for extra storage for movies and files!
4. with 3 GB RAM, why do people still think Android is laggy. Hell no!
5. 8MP Superior Auto mode, hands down!
6. Because its Android, you can do whatever you want.
7. Because Apple is a hassle. Sending files via bluetooth is a pain in the ass.
I came from Samsung Galaxy S4, but i chose Sony this year because its a smarter and better choice than the S5 or M8. IPhone is way behind the game. Their marketing is just good.
I have z2 and if i have to choose between z2 and 5s now i will definitely choose 5s. Dobule tap on my z2 barely working and some games are lagging (gta 3, dead trigger 2, assassin's creed pirates, even asphalt 8 sometimes).
i have both, I like ios better notification of pushing to lock screen and extremely fast email push notification. z2 push email is very very slow when screen off, 1-2 min latency , sometimes 20 mins. overall, ios is easier and more user friendly. overall, IOS better than android IMO. but I love Z2 hardware design, so I use Z2 more often than 5s.
jeremy.shi said:
In general, iPhone is very restrictive on pretty much everything. You can't do this, you can't do that. If you have been on android for a while, switching to an iPhone is like going to a gaol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good way of putting it :laugh:
Why even compare them?
Spec wise there is only one winner. The z2 is far superior. Yes its not all about specs but I just think the iPhone 5s is not in the same league as the z2 or htc m8,s5,g3.
I mean for me personally I watch movies,tv shows and animes all the time on my z2
and I always make sure its in 1080p so the z2 really fits for me. The square and wide screen is perfect for movie viewing.
Whereas the iphone doesn't even seem to have a 720p screen and the screen is so thin and small it's pretty awful for any movies or tvshows.
I mean that's just one point.I have others too such as the battery being way way better. I mean 3400mah vs 1500 mah?
The z2 is much much better. Maybe you should wait for the iphone 6 before starting any sort of comparison thread.
Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk
What's an iPhone? Is it a new Samsung?
where did you get the information that iphone has the best audio? my iphone 4 at the least has worse audio fidelity compared to my sony phone
It is old joke, any iPhone owner knows only one thing
iPhone is the best.
I was under the spell for many years, until I realized that Apple restricted me to own crappy technologies and literally blind me. I even couldn't think I can listen to SACD disks on iPhone I was so in low quality iTunes music, but now I enjoy SACD so much on Android. Poor Apple prisoners when you jailbreak?
I'd rather a Nokia 3310 over any iPhone. [emoji12]
Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk
MOPKOBKA said:
It is old joke, any iPhone owner knows only one thing
iPhone is the best.
I was under the spell for many years, until I realized that Apple restricted me to own crappy technologies and literally blind me. I even couldn't think I can listen to SACD disks on iPhone I was so in low quality iTunes music, but now I enjoy SACD so much on Android. Poor Apple prisoners when you jailbreak?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey I jailbreaked my iPhone I'm so badass
My friends are huge apple fans and within an hour of being at their house with my new Z2, I had managed to convince one of them to swap their ipad for z1.
The phone is unbelievable, I've never had a phone with battery life so good, I took it off charge at 7:30am yesterday and I put it back on charge at half 10 with only 40% of the battery life gone.
I'd never own an iPhone, I hate the small screen, I hate the look of ios, I hate the people who own them, I hate everything about apple.

Whats so Special about the Xperia z2?....

I've had the xperia z2 phone for about 3 weeks now,and i must say its a pretty descent phone. But i cant help asking myself whats so special about this phone that i paid so much for?. Its indisputable that the z2 is a highly spec'd phone with the gorgeous screen and all,but when talking smartphone,its not all the internal specs that matters,the build quality does matter too,which IMO the z2 doesnt possess. I mean come to think of it,z2 is one of the most complained about smartphones out there,not to mention...
~The spaces found between the metal frame and the glass panel,in-which my phone also have + the back glass got replaced,making it more susceptible to water damage and what not!
~The issue of self cracking,although i understand its of minority,but com'on! Its worrying
~Overheating issues,i know this have been addressed already in several places,a phone like the z2 should be able to withstand some average period of 4k recording without overheating,not just few minutes.
~The inability for the other party to hear during calls...well,even though i was able to find a temporary solution to it by flashing a custom ROM,but do all the z2 owners with same problem have to flash custom rom as well? Also,not to talk of the absurd location of the mic.
~And Oh! Did i mention the camera? Well it has a good amount of MegaPixel but seriously,the camera software suuuuuuuuu*cks!! Most especially the superior auto mode. I find myself using the ProCapture more often now. And the other day,I and a friend of mine with an iPhone 5s snapped same photo,and he mocked me 'cos his images were better than mine.
Lastly,i know That no Smartphone is perfect,buy Sony,You could do better than this!!
Anybody on my side?
You cant judge an entire Brand off of one defective Unit
I have never had overheating from 4k
I never have overheating from gaming
The camera is perfectly fine, it isnt perfect in low light but not many phones can do as good as Z2
Self cracking glass? I dont understand how this posible, glass nor aluminum does not expand nor shrink enough to cause self cracking
Spaces, what spaces?
Yes on my previous defective unit had all these problems but since that defective device was replaced i have had no issues at all
Abdl said:
I've had the xperia z2 phone for about 3 weeks now,and i must say its a pretty descent phone. But i cant help asking myself whats so special about this phone that i paid so much for?. Its indisputable that the z2 is a highly spec'd phone with the gorgeous screen and all,but when talking smartphone,its not all the internal specs that matters,the build quality does matter too,which IMO the z2 doesnt possess. I mean come to think of it,z2 is one of the most complained about smartphones out there,not to mention...
~The spaces found between the metal frame and the glass panel,in-which my phone also have + the back glass got replaced,making it more susceptible to water damage and what not!
~The issue of self cracking,although i understand its of minority,but com'on! Its worrying
~Overheating issues,i know this have been addressed already in several places,a phone like the z2 should be able to withstand some average period of 4k recording without overheating,not just few minutes.
~The inability for the other party to hear during calls...well,even though i was able to find a temporary solution to it by flashing a custom ROM,but do all the z2 owners with same problem have to flash custom rom as well? Also,not to talk of the absurd location of the mic.
~And Oh! Did i mention the camera? Well it has a good amount of MegaPixel but seriously,the camera software suuuuuuuuu*cks!! Most especially the superior auto mode. I find myself using the ProCapture more often now. And the other day,I and a friend of mine with an iPhone 5s snapped same photo,and he mocked me 'cos his images were better than mine.
Lastly,i know That no Smartphone is perfect,buy Sony,You could do better than this!!
Anybody on my side?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are too naive on this issue. Z2 isn't a bad device in any aspect. True, u have got a defective piece. But that doesnt make everyone else has. I'll answer all your questions.
1. Spaces are coz of defective units. Every manufacturers have this defective units problem when the demand for the phone is higher. You saw iPhone6(bendgate), S5(Overheating and some more), etc.
2. Self cracking? Hardly that's an issue. I haven't seen that in common. Its a rare issue which is likely to occur only @worst case scenarios.
3. My Z2 only heats up when Camera/Games are running, which is normal on any phone. Need i remind u other devices are bulky and include heat sinks which reduce heating and all Xperia's are slimmer than any other brand compared and yet built tough to survive. All slim phones heat more, but in Sony i have never seen an issue caused of heating(Been using Sony mobiles since 2011).
4. About 4k recording, last time i tested 4k i was able to hit 67 mins with custom thermal settings and was using DoomKernel on 314 fw. Device was on 67 degrees max. Still nothing happened. All devices that support 4k heats n this feature can be only used for a temporary time, provided Sony gave max time of usage of 4k.
5. Call problems? Again, since u might hv had a defective unit, the speaker might be faulty or u might have done something wrong with some mods installation or something.
6. About the Camera, PLS LEARN TO USE MANUAL SETTINGS. All phones in Auto mode SUCKS BIG TIME. Even the phones with best camera's. Manual Settings gives u the best results. Ask any professional photgrapher and prove me wrong(I challenge u). BTW i have seen Z2 producing best camera results after Lumia(The one with 41mp). If u doubt me, look at this thread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2673226
Tell me all those snaps by our Z2 users are LAME.. :silly:
Like Envious_Data said, u cant judge an entire brand jus coz of a defective unit. U might be a lil unlucky, but that doesnt mean SONY isn't a good brand. From my experience, Sony has been the PREMIUM device manufacturer unlike most of the brands.. I suggest u do a lot of reading and do a lot of research and experiment with ur device b4 erasing it off..
Abdl said:
I've had the xperia z2 phone for about 3 weeks now,and i must say its a pretty descent phone. But i cant help asking myself whats so special about this phone that i paid so much for?. Its indisputable that the z2 is a highly spec'd phone with the gorgeous screen and all,but when talking smartphone,its not all the internal specs that matters,the build quality does matter too,which IMO the z2 doesnt possess. I mean come to think of it,z2 is one of the most complained about smartphones out there,not to mention...
~The spaces found between the metal frame and the glass panel,in-which my phone also have + the back glass got replaced,making it more susceptible to water damage and what not!
~The issue of self cracking,although i understand its of minority,but com'on! Its worrying
~Overheating issues,i know this have been addressed already in several places,a phone like the z2 should be able to withstand some average period of 4k recording without overheating,not just few minutes.
~The inability for the other party to hear during calls...well,even though i was able to find a temporary solution to it by flashing a custom ROM,but do all the z2 owners with same problem have to flash custom rom as well? Also,not to talk of the absurd location of the mic.
~And Oh! Did i mention the camera? Well it has a good amount of MegaPixel but seriously,the camera software suuuuuuuuu*cks!! Most especially the superior auto mode. I find myself using the ProCapture more often now. And the other day,I and a friend of mine with an iPhone 5s snapped same photo,and he mocked me 'cos his images were better than mine.
Lastly,i know That no Smartphone is perfect,buy Sony,You could do better than this!!
Anybody on my side?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Yes, the spaces are real problem as Sony is already guilty about this from the previous phones. Luckily mine does not have any but that does not change the fact that they exist on many phone
- No idea about that one as I only read 1-2 things about it and never faced it in reality (me, my brother and my sister's husband bought 3 Z2s together and than my sister got an Z3 and none had any problems so far, so no experience on this one)
-Overheating is not an issue about daily usage or even heavy usage. It only matters on video recording because when video recording not only CPU cores and GPU being used at the same time but also camera processor (I don't know how this one is called) is heavily working to "catch" all that detail (simply taking 30, 4MP photos every single second and has to catch the light and decide for each pixel). Other than that I have not witnessed overheating cousing disconfort or slowing to phone down (I tried playing games more than 2 hours).
- Again, I haven't experienced this either. So no comments here.
- Camera software is really good actually, every setting is there but raw format. Only bothering thing is the AI which is supposed to choose the right settings. It behaves too "human-like" and "emotional" thus resulting some unrealistic color reproduction sometimes. So if you have time (Hope it's not a bird that you are trying to catch) and patience, it's best to make manual setting.
Anyway, apart from the subjects you mention, Let's compare what the "rivals" offer;
LG: there is G3. unnecessarily high screen resolution with a result that is not any better than Sony's screen thus also resulting worse battery life and more waste of GPU power. Although I like the design, and the placement of the buttons to the back side, very much; Sony has more premium materials and better camera with better results against the OIS, laser focusing camera of LG's.
Besides, G3 comes with two different amounts of RAM which makes me take the company as "disturbingly arrogant after the succesfull Nexus 4,5 and G2 and quickly forgot the days that they were punished by the customers' wallets because of locked bootloader of Optimus G and other unsuccesfull phones". Still, they choose to make things harder for developers after a very developer friendly G2. I believe there is no match in this land to Sony.
HTC; One (M8). HTC has been trying to bring some changes to the game since long time with their Beats Audio and other audio projects. They also tried to change things in the camera section too. I can't say they are doing bad things but I believe 20.7MP is still has higher capability of catching the light better than dual 4MP, bigger pixel camera. And I also believe (and tested) Sony's sound capabilities are better than HTC's when it comes to headphones (which is what is really important for a true music lover in my opinion. Who can truly enjoy the music from a mobile devices speakers? Want real music, use the jack)
On the chipset performance section, One (M8) is still not a rival to Sony's Z2. Not talking about the battery, it's 2600MAh.
Besides (I don't know if things are different from my One X days) HTC devices come with an extra security to try to prevent you from unlocking bootloader and saving themselves when they need to honor the warranty. After losing my patience over my One X's waiting for an S-OFF solution, I run away from HTC and never looked back (I can't even consider Nexus 9, thinking Nvidia and HTC coming together is like another Saw movie, it scares me). In a world even jailbreaking is legal that is too much for an Android user to accept.
Let's come to Motorola/Google; Nexus 6. It's a great rival, an honorable one. And maybe the only one with the ability of putting a real fight. Still, with that 6" screen it's not everyones cup of cake. Design and the specs are gorgeus, so is the screen. But it's big. I came to Xperia Z2 after a long time Note 2, then Nexus 4 usage and it feels right with 5.2" screen. This one is about preferences though, not the actual spec comparison.
Nexus 6 becomes a real deal with it's AMOLED screen (not calibrated by Samsung thankfully), water ressistance, best CPU&GPU and it's cutting edge software. However, when it comes to one-hand compatibility, MicroSD card expantion chance, camera and soudn quality Sony still has it's advantages.
And finally Samsung; S5 and Note 4. I guess I should take Note 4 into account as it's newer and better. Samsung has fingerprint sensor as different from it's rivals. A nice one to accept.
I understand that Samsung is a hardware making company. So they have to create and sell their hardwares and it's easy to see Quallcomm dominated the market since the Nexus 4 attack. Google did this to unify the market. Since the S4 Pro evey Quallcomm chipset has great similarities on their softwares and drivers, mostly their performance vary. This helps developers to measure their fresh-written apps/games on 1 or 2 devices and easily make sure they will run on many devices out there. It sounds good right? Well, Samsung is always bringing their SoCs to the market and always trying to push the limits (sometimes by cheating on benchmarks). On the raw power side, that could seem as a good thing but on the software side it messes things. As a big part of the market, almost every developer has the feeling to make their game/app compatible with Samsung devices. But they come with different SoCs and Samsung refuses to share their own chipsets' source codes. So they just make everything harder for developers. I guess we all know that a well optimised software is always better than the highest hardware.
One more thing about Samsung, they are first company to open their bootloaders to the public and shared every necessary code on their Galaxy S days. This is how they got so respected and made all that money. So they still have the unlocked bootloader but with some ir-reversable flagging system that flags you if you alter anything as small as a rooting attempt to your system. And then, they claim you out of warranty. Besides, as they refuse to share their source codes for their hardware, most developers have really hard time preparing custom ROMs or early fixes etc. for Samsung phones. So basically, Samsung tells you that "you have a phone which comes with an unlocked bootloader so you can do whatever you want with it.........If you can"
If you are a fan of Samsung's software and policy than it's a good semi-independent eco system in Android world. The S-Pen is also good. However I can not take them anymore after the Note II's hard days, waiting for a simply working AOSP ROM.
I know there are other Android companies but these are best-known ones globally and after that comparison I believe Xperia Z2 started to seem better in your eyes. If still not, I can also remind you;
-Sony is the only company which update kernels too,
-Sony is the only company which provides the AOSP code for their devices (the other compaines rather selling their devices as GPEs but apperiently Google has taken this idea down)
-Xperia Z2 has the best music experience throught the headphones among it's rivals
-One of the best (If not best) cameras out there
-Has that DRM keys problem for the "discoverer" people like us but thanks to our developers there is cure to that.
Let me start by saying You guys got me abit wrong. I didn't write all that based solely on my personal experience with the phone. Trust me,I've done some good research and found out that vast majority of the issues encountered with by the xz2 users revolve around all these problems. I understand my phone could be one of the defective units sold,so you saying that the thousands of users who complain about the same set of problems in different forums all bought the defective units? I dont think that would make any sense.
tOrNadO™ said:
4. About 4k recording, last time i tested 4k i was able to hit 67 mins with custom thermal settings and was using DoomKernel on 314 fw. Device was on 67 degrees max. Still nothing happened. All devices that support 4k heats n this feature can be only used for a temporary time, provided Sony gave max time of usage of 4k.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What if i dont wanna customize the thermal settings or play around with kernels? Does that mean i cant get same results as yours?? Besides,I(and im sure many people) wont buy a phone like this just to start tempering with stuff!!
tOrNadO™ said:
5. Call problems? Again, since u might hv had a defective unit, the speaker might be faulty or u might have done something wrong with some mods installation or something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think the call problems i faced have anything to do with the mic,as ive stated,i solved the problem by simply flashing a custom rom(eXistenZ) into it. But Hey! Not everyone would want to root their phones or flash a custom rom just to fix the basic function of a phone!!
tOrNadO™ said:
6. About the Camera, PLS LEARN TO USE MANUAL SETTINGS. All phones in Auto mode SUCKS BIG TIME. Even the phones with best camera's. Manual Settings gives u the best results.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're definitely wrong about this! Not every's phone Auto Mode sucks. Coz iPhone's Auto Mode doesnt suck as much as it does on xz2,(not comparing iOS with Android by any chance)and trust me,it produces some descent shots for the on-the-go photographer like me who wouldn't want/have to temper with manual settings,perhaps i dont know much about it
One thing most of you fail to realize is that an ideal smartphone should aim at satisfying both the average users and the Know-How guys like me and you
And Oh! Does Anybody know how i can reduce the intensity of incoming call vibration on this phone?? Its more like an earthquake
It's a little annoying you created this thread and expect people to agree points substantiated with poor arguments? So what's go great of the S5? Exploding batteries, laggy UI?! M8, the "awesome" camera???
Everyone phone has its flaws, but sadly, the those mentioned for the Z2 are mostly invalid. Overheating won't happen unless you use 4k. Dropped my phone numerous times and not a single scratch on my the glass panel. My unit screen is aligned accurately. I don't know what you're trying to get out of this thread? Or you're a keyboard warrior paid by Samsung?
And how old are you? Your post is riddled with smileys and stuff. If you find this discussion funny, please do not start this thread, you're wasting everyone's time. And your best friend mocked you because he presumed the iPhone takes better photos than the Z2 (not true)?? Such maturity.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
Abdl said:
Let me start by saying You guys got me abit wrong. I didn't write all that based solely on my personal experience with the phone. Trust me,I've done some good research and found out that vast majority of the issues encountered with by the xz2 users revolve around all these problems. I understand my phone could be one of the defective units sold,so you saying that the thousands of users who complain about the same set of problems in different forums all bought the defective units? I dont think that would make any sense.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thing is Sony started to manufacture phones themselves since Z2 and before that they had a client tied up manufacturing the units. Since they started their own, they had a setback, a lot of defective Z2 units and Sony did agree to replace the defective ones with a proper unit and they did(One of our RC's got his Z2 replaced like 4 times). So when u get a proper unit, u won't be seeing any of these issues. All Z2's having batch nos til 14w21 are defective in one or the other way. Some are major defective and some are minor. Batches after 14w25 are clean as a whistle, aka no defects even if u search with a magnifying glass.
What if i dont wanna customize the thermal settings or play around with kernels? Does that mean i cant get same results as yours?? Besides,I(and im sure many people) wont buy a phone like this just to start tempering with stuff!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am on a non-rooted phone right now. Still 4k ran for half hour without problems. Although u don't seem to accept the fact that 4k is still kinda in the initial phase of the mobile market. Smartphones require more improvements which will come in the near future.
I dont think the call problems i faced have anything to do with the mic,as ive stated,i solved the problem by simply flashing a custom rom(eXistenZ) into it. But Hey! Not everyone would want to root their phones or flash a custom rom just to fix the basic function of a phone!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Call problem hasn't been a problem on any Z2 i have seen so far. 8 of my friends have bought a Z2 ever since they saw mine. None of them complained any of the issues u faced. Plus Call clarity is better than other phones that i have compared.
You're definitely wrong about this! Not every's phone Auto Mode sucks. Coz iPhone's Auto Mode doesnt suck as much as it does on xz2,(not comparing iOS with Android by any chance)and trust me,it produces some descent shots for the on-the-go photographer like me who wouldn't want/have to temper with manual settings,perhaps i dont know much about it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android doesn't support RAW exif until Android 5.0. With Lollipop, Image processing changes drastically. But for the better of the performance. Although i disagree with u on this. I even linked u to the pictures thread, did u see it? Did u see atleast 10 pages? I was impressed by the Z2's Camera capability even with 4.4.4(KitKat). On any phone, Auto Mode isn't recommended. Manual Settings are a MUST. If u say otherwise, then the whole photography concept is WRONG. (Which isn't). Even average users use Manual Settings pal, no one uses Auto mode anymore unlike very few.
One thing most of you fail to realize is that an ideal smartphone should aim at satisfying both the average users and the Know-How guys like me and you
And Oh! Does Anybody know how i can reduce the intensity of incoming call vibration on this phone?? Its more like an earthquake
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, you're able to notice issues nobody else have. Vibration intensity? Its more than normal. Its like 10% of what my Nokia 3310 caused. Now that's what u call an Earthquake, Z2 is fine. If u feel otherwise, you should consider selling it and go for other brands. That's my suggestion. But i'm pretty sure you're gonna come back to Xperia section itself. You should do more research and find facts unlike some sites only provide false stats n reviews.
lee480 said:
It's a little annoying you created this thread and expect people to agree points substantiated with poor arguments? So what's go great of the S5? Exploding batteries, laggy UI?! M8, the "awesome" camera???
Everyone phone has its flaws, but sadly, the those mentioned for the Z2 are mostly invalid. Overheating won't happen unless you use 4k. Dropped my phone numerous times and not a single scratch on my the glass panel. My unit screen is aligned accurately. I don't know what you're trying to get out of this thread? Or you're a keyboard warrior paid by Samsung?
And how old are you? Your post is riddled with smileys and stuff. If you find this discussion funny, please do not start this thread, you're wasting everyone's time. And your best friend mocked you because he presumed the iPhone takes better photos than the Z2 (not true)?? Such maturity.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Totally agree with that bro @lee480
Kinda useless if you ask me, why such people open new threads like this, they can read the specs and informations on google but for some it is hard to find and it is also useless to compare different devices like Sony v.s. Samsung or any other brand with eachother, every device have his own abilities, so if some dont like the Xperia Range step then over to another one, so they dont have to bother us with they frustrations, simple as that !
Sony is just the best in my eyes and i use it for years and i see and feel the improvements what they bring to us and i dont have any complainings on that.
Sony rocks !!
Sent From Somewhere On Earth With My Z2 ^^
I switch from nexus 5 to z2 hopin it will be on higher ends of things but it turn out to be worse tha N5. The only pro it has over N5 is the screen size and battery life. The camera on z2 is awful. I can take my N5 out and take pics with perfect clarity and brightness in dark restaurant. With my z2, it takes yellowish pictures and dark front camera. I wish I never brought it and now im stuck with it
spike378 said:
I switch from nexus 5 to z2 hopin it will be on higher ends of things but it turn out to be worse tha N5. The only pro it has over N5 is the screen size and battery life. The camera on z2 is awful. I can take my N5 out and take pics with perfect clarity and brightness in dark restaurant. With my z2, it takes yellowish pictures and dark front camera. I wish I never brought it and now im stuck with it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I admit the z2 camera sucks compared to like the s5 or note 4 or even the g3 in some cases, but against the nexus 5? I am beginning to question your eyesight.
No need to force everyone to agree with your perception. U can sell your device and get a new one, buy the iPhone if u like the features of the Apple. Its so annoying if u keep complaining and forcing people to agree with your logic. Get a life, smartphone is not everything.
+1 @yuskhayru said pretty much what i was going to say
Honnestly Xperias Rival Nokia in terms of camera quality
I have only seen 2 brands truly suprize me with quality and i just mentioned them
Im also dead sick of seeing all this repetitive complaining about silly thing.
If you have a defective unit, Have it replaced.
If you dont like your phone, sell it and buy another.
Abdl said:
I've had the xperia z2 phone for about 3 weeks now,and i must say its a pretty descent phone. But i cant help asking myself whats so special about this phone that i paid so much for?. Its indisputable that the z2 is a highly spec'd phone with the gorgeous screen and all,but when talking smartphone,its not all the internal specs that matters,the build quality does matter too,which IMO the z2 doesnt possess. I mean come to think of it,z2 is one of the most complained about smartphones out there,not to mention...
~The spaces found between the metal frame and the glass panel,in-which my phone also have + the back glass got replaced,making it more susceptible to water damage and what not!
~The issue of self cracking,although i understand its of minority,but com'on! Its worrying
~Overheating issues,i know this have been addressed already in several places,a phone like the z2 should be able to withstand some average period of 4k recording without overheating,not just few minutes.
~The inability for the other party to hear during calls...well,even though i was able to find a temporary solution to it by flashing a custom ROM,but do all the z2 owners with same problem have to flash custom rom as well? Also,not to talk of the absurd location of the mic.
~And Oh! Did i mention the camera? Well it has a good amount of MegaPixel but seriously,the camera software suuuuuuuuu*cks!! Most especially the superior auto mode. I find myself using the ProCapture more often now. And the other day,I and a friend of mine with an iPhone 5s snapped same photo,and he mocked me 'cos his images were better than mine.
Lastly,i know That no Smartphone is perfect,buy Sony,You could do better than this!!
Anybody on my side?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry about your unit you should have it replaced like what others have suggested.
the z2 for me is quite the looker (even compared to z3).
- i don't have the gap issue. my build number is 14w34.
- self cracking? been using it for 3 months now, not a single crack since. (also on tempered glass back to back).
- overheating is normal. we just have to deal with it. especially with 4k and some heavy gfx games.
- mic/call issue? i don't have it
- camera software sucks? if you can flash a custom rom, then surely you might have heard of xposed? not running 20mp superior auto? i usually photograph sceneries and my experience with the z2 has never been more awesome.
*cough, shameless plug *cough : http://instagram.com/cryogenix
not to mention, manual mode is there plus the many other camera shooting modes like background defocus (which is super awesome) and the likes.
and lastly, waterproof (*resist) nuff said.
the only downer for me is that warranty doesn't cover water damage but hey, that's another issue.
my two cents worth
From june 2014 till yesterday when i got my last replacement its 4 UNITS REPLACED for one year, all these faults happend to me , first was the selfcracking backplate , then on the next unit people were unable to hear me , and it backplate opened by itself and wasnt waterproof anymore, so 2days ago got my 4th replacement...its good from one side that you buy phone and after almost year you got still new device,buuuut guys thata not acceptable after all these faults with the 'Z" anf Sony just didnt learn their lessons, same faults on the flagships each new year, dont say to me all these bull****s thats its normal,because its not normal to replace 4 units for 1 year...
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
Soooo can you report a thread on xda for being useless and a waste of the interwebs?
If you want to complain I suggest you should head over to the sony support forum to vent your frustration. This may have the unintended benefit of someone seeing the rant that could help.
I have to agree that sony z series main weakness is camera software. But did you try used other camera app? It might help you anyway, it is better to have a software deficiency rather than lack of hardware feature. From z to z2 im happy it had improved alot problem only is other oem had improved alot also. Anyway hope sony outshines this. Cause there are no drastically added features in smartphone.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
o0 Matt 0o said:
Soooo can you report a thread on xda for being useless and a waste of the interwebs?
If you want to complain I suggest you should head over to the sony support forum to vent your frustration. This may have the unintended benefit of someone seeing the rant that could help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Aparently reporting does nothing.
Envious_Data said:
+1
Aparently reporting does nothing.
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Click to collapse
Yes it do ^^
A Moderator take a look into it and close it but not sure but i think yes if they read the replies here.
Sent From Somewhere On Earth With My Z2 ^^
Ok guys!
Im sorry if I've caused anybody a headache by creating this thread,i was just trying to rule out some things about my new phone so i thought i could see the opinions of you guys that are using the same phone.
We could be a little bit diplomatic when addressing issues like this,No big deal. It was just a thread!!
Anyways,like i said,Im sorry.
yuskhayru said:
No need to force everyone to agree with your perception. U can sell your device and get a new one, buy the iPhone if u like the features of the Apple. Its so annoying if u keep complaining and forcing people to agree with your logic. Get a life, smartphone is not everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im not forcing anybody to agree with my perception. I obviously came from an iPhone so i dont need another.
You're right,smartphone is not everything. Sorry about the annoyance:angel:

Considering buying, anything one should know beforehand ?

Considering buying one of these. They're fairly cheap second hand in perfect condition. And hardware seems decent enough. Right now i have a z3c which i've like a lot. But i thought i'd try just a slightly bigger phone. 4.8" would be perfect, but that's not really an option. But i'm concerned about development, if this phone is going to have a decent user base for development.
I do see that there's already a kernel available so you can root and all that without loosing drm features. So that's cool.
Same question here - how are you owners feeling after having it for a year? Would you keep it or go with something like a Nexus 5X or similar?
I have two months with my Xperia X already, and no regrets. Phone is performing really good, I only wish the fingerprint scanner was more accurate or in a different position, but besides that I'm really happy with the phone. Also, we're getting Android Nougat in november, that's gonna be a big improvement to what's good already.
Google Pixel phone is a total disappointment for me in terms of price, and I don't see other cool yet cheap options, so I won't switch to another phone this year. Also, Xperia XZ is not precisely my taste, so I think I'll stick with my X until Sony releases new models, like april or may of 2017 or second generation, probably in september.
I only wish cyanogenmod could be developed for the Xperia X. The stock ROM is great but I also like Cyanogenmod ROMs a lot.
Feanux said:
Same question here - how are you owners feeling after having it for a year? Would you keep it or go with something like a Nexus 5X or similar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This phone has just been out for 5 months ._.
This phone does not deliver top-notch raw performance, but what it brings is a very enjoyable experience. Regular apps load in a flash (even more responsive than a Death Note 7), animations are fast and smooth at the same time. Thumbs up to Sony for having made such a fast MM rom.
Generally i will not change phones in less than 3 years. However if there is something that forces me to change my phone, i will still go for an XZ or something similar.
I will review this phone like the way i reviewed Shadow Warrior 2: "It's a good one, but buy it on a sale".
I was waiting for new 5" Nexus, but it's way overpriced, like X performance and XZ. I don't care about waterproofing, as any phone looses it sooner or later anyway. I'm glad that Sony put back the usb hole to normal place and it's still usb micro - no need to change all my cables. Battery is good and everything works well. Also waiting for Cyanogenmod, as even X have less bloatware, than Xperia series had before, it's still too much for me. The fingerprint location is perfect, I can't imagine how I should use the phone otherwise (a lot phones have power button in one and fingerprint in a second place).
I'll add to what others have said above.
Have had the phone for two months and love it as well. I tend to use my phones mostly for social media (fb, snapchat, instagram, etc.), productivity (google drive, google keep, etc.) and music (podcasts and deezer/spotify). The battery lasts me one and a half day on regular use, which is great. It's fast responsive and the interface is the closest I can get to vanilla android. I think that it really delivers for the price.
Other than that: the phone has a really nice look (I really like the glass face), the speakers are nice, and the camera performs well (although I'm disappointed it doesn't shoot RAW).
What I'm hoping for is that the dev community for it gets bigger or that CM releases a rom for it (was running CM on my previous phone - a GS3). But at least we're getting Nougat very soon, so I'm hopeful.
can anyone see any light through their finger print sensor cuz i see a little white glance of display light through the lock key
Used to be the Z3c user.
If you're pleased with Z3c, you will be happy using X. The X will delivers:
-Much faster performance
-Much faster and better camera
-Better build quality (I prefer metal back than glass black)
-Better design - thinner and not too many holes, flaps, and ports on the body
-Slightly worse battery life (It's really hard to match the Z3c in longevity)
El Brillantinas said:
I have two months with my Xperia X already, and no regrets. Phone is performing really good, I only wish the fingerprint scanner was more accurate or in a different position, but besides that I'm really happy with the phone. Also, we're getting Android Nougat in november, that's gonna be a big improvement to what's good already.
Google Pixel phone is a total disappointment for me in terms of price, and I don't see other cool yet cheap options, so I won't switch to another phone this year. Also, Xperia XZ is not precisely my taste, so I think I'll stick with my X until Sony releases new models, like april or may of 2017 or second generation, probably in september.
I only wish cyanogenmod could be developed for the Xperia X. The stock ROM is great but I also like Cyanogenmod ROMs a lot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can anyone tell me about the fingerprint sensor being used in the US? I'm about to purchase the Xperia X tonight and I simply don't know whether to buy the international model here in the US or by the US model and flash the phone to enable the fingerprint sensor. Any help would be so greatly appreciated. By the way how do you all like the X? I was about to but the X Performance but I watched YouTube videos between the two and speed tests and the X came out on top and had better battery life. Am I doing the right thing by buying the X over the X performance? Thanks again.
The X Performance has a better camera and a faster processor.
The hardware for the XX is the same, except for the single sim / dual sim models. If you want fingerprint unlock you must flash an unbranded rom for e.g. the UK or Germany with Flashtool.
M1chiel said:
The X Performance has a better camera and a faster processor.
The hardware for the XX is the same, except for the single sim / dual sim models. If you want fingerprint unlock you must flash an unbranded rom for e.g. the UK or Germany with Flashtool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mind posting a link to where I can find that flsdhtool for the fingerprint sensor? So I definitely need to buy the US version and not the international version? Thanks for your help!
More about Flashtool here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=920746
It includes a module called XperiFirm that allows you to flash many different firmwares.

Sony X Compact or Iphone SE

Hello,
I'm thinking of buying a small phone, since I find it uncomfortable those that exceed 5 inches.
I was watching and analyzing those who have good battery, camera and features and I think the best that there are currently on the market are these 2: the Iphone SE and the Sony X Compact.
I'm not going to use it for games of any kind. What I most look for is that it has good battery life, a good rear camera (selfies do not bag) and, if possible, you can hear well with the headphones on.
Obvious that it is 2 different operating systems and, leaving aside that, since I like to use IOS or Android, from their own experience, comments or whatever: with which would they stay?
From now, thank you for you help!!
salocin82 said:
Hello,
I'm thinking of buying a small phone, since I find it uncomfortable those that exceed 5 inches.
I was watching and analyzing those who have good battery, camera and features and I think the best that there are currently on the market are these 2: the Iphone SE and the Sony X Compact.
I'm not going to use it for games of any kind. What I most look for is that it has good battery life, a good rear camera (selfies do not bag) and, if possible, you can hear well with the headphones on.
Obvious that it is 2 different operating systems and, leaving aside that, since I like to use IOS or Android, from their own experience, comments or whatever: with which would they stay?
From now, thank you for you help!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't ever owned an SE so I can't really comment on it vs the compact. However I do know that the compact has more picture storage potential due to the SD Card slot (SE doesn't have one). The SE uses a 12 megapixel shooter vs the Compact using a 23. I am note a huge taking pictures kinda guy so no complaints from me on the camera but I guess that's not saying much. Anyway below is a link to a video comparing the two. It's a little outdated as it has the compact running marshmallow (it has Nougat now) but does a decent job of comparing the two. https://youtu.be/U5g7LTCJqaY
Sony. Water resistance, SDcard. That's about it lol.
The SE may perform smoother as it is powered by the 6S internals.
Sent from my SM-G930T using XDA-Developers Legacy app
If you're not bothered about customizing then buy an iPhone, if you want customization then buy any Android.
iphone fails
- missing notification led
- no customizing and no jailbreak in sight, closed source system
- no slight to unlock (stupid doubble press home button to unlock since apple removed slide to unlock)
- less ram, no sd card, memory not expandable
- 1600 mAh vs 2700 mAh and no quick charge
- smaller display hurts your eyes,
- ligning connector incompatible (how many cables do we need ?)
- easy scratches on alu frame,
- banana bending,
- design from 2012
- steve jobs is dead
etc
-
How is the dev community for this phone though?
There doesn't seem to be any official Lineago OS builds and only one AOSP ROM ...
I would buy this phone in a heartbeat with Lineage OS support but without it seems like one would be dependent on one single developer for ROMs on this phone.
andTab said:
How is the dev community for this phone though?
There doesn't seem to be any official Lineago OS builds and only one AOSP ROM ...
I would buy this phone in a heartbeat with Lineage OS support but without it seems like one would be dependent on one single developer for ROMs on this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are welcome to join the dev community and help to bring LineageOS to this device. Otherwise buy yourself a Nexus...
ondrejvaroscak said:
You are welcome to join the dev community and help to bring LineageOS to this device. Otherwise buy yourself a Nexus...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus phones have ****ty hardware, so no thank you. Then I will get an iPhone.
Don't need a phone with a manufacturing defect that has thousands of phones failing and Google telling you that you are sadly 21 days out of warranty.
Problem solved
I have owned both of them and I found the iPhone SE to be the absolute perfect size for 1 hand use. The X Compact is good but there are still times where the opposite corner can be hard to reach. The SE also feels great in hand and is built with high quality materials. I inevitably returned mine and got a X Compact instead. They are both great phones and if OS doesn't matter to you, I would go with the SE, but I personally prefer Android and it's customization so I returned it.
switcher said:
iphone fails
- less ram, no sd card, memory not expandable-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you're comparing two different Systems, iOS doesn't require as much RAM as Android.
Aviad1928 said:
Well you're comparing two different Systems, iOS doesn't require as much RAM as Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe in the old days, but have you seen IOS 10.3 on the SE today ? Compared to the SE the XC performs much better
and the iphone 7+ is shipped with 3gb for a good reason
switcher said:
maybe in the old days, but have you seen IOS 10.3 on the SE today ? Compared to the SE the XC performs much better
and the iphone 7+ is shipped with 3gb for a good reason
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha honestly I haven't seen an iPhone since 2012, maybe you're right
I own both, they both have positives and negatives. I actively swap between the two because of that! The iPhone is smooth and beautiful, great quality hardware, but iOS feels much more restricted and the screen is very small (even for a small phone fan like myself). Camera is awesome; super quality and quick in all conditions, although selfie camera is only 1.2mp. Not that big a deal though since the pics still look good. X compact on the other hand has a much more vibrant screen which is bigger (but not too big!), very snappy and excellent performance compared to other androids, the system is overall much more customizable, great camera too with wider lens and better selfies. But overall the phone feels cheaper in hand (plastic body), and like all android phones it doesn't have the super polished behaviour, look and feel of apple. As I said, positives and negatives for both! For me I use Google Apps for everything, which is more restricted on iphone obviously, and I like being able to read news clearly on my commute on the larger brighter screen, so I use the x compact more. But sometimes I go back to the iPhone se just because of the smooth shiny experience
Hello, I really wanted a powerful and fast phone with clean interface, so I bought an iPhone 7 as the first non-Android phone in 7 years, so I'm very experienced with Android. I just wasn't impressed with with the Pixel for it's price. I also have a SE. I need some functionality in Android that's missing on the 7 and looking for a companion small phone that I can alternate with if needed, so I'm looking to get rid of my SE to fund for the Compact.
What I do learn from using iOS is that it's more primitive than I thought, despite the clean smooth experience. Somethings are just a joke on it I don't know how they get away with it when millions people are paying for it. But it has it's benefits as well, I do enjoy the A10 chip performance and not spending many hours to setup my phone. And some things just work better, like the Fine my iPhone. On the Honor 8, I could just bypass that lost phone screen . I see too many bugs on Android with skinned devices, and giant devices, which made me really tired of dealing with them. The Pixel just doesn't do it for me in term of pricing, all the issues I'm hearing about, the availability. I would say the Android market abandoned me, not the other way around, and this pushed me to iPhone.
My last Sony phone was the Xperia Play. I'm hoping the current Sony's OS is not too far away from stock Android.
I bought the X Compact for my wife as a Christmas gift - the other phone I was looking at was the iPhone SE.
After she tried out a loaner iPhone for about three weeks she decided she preferred Android, chiefly due to more free apps being available/costing less than the iOS version.
From everything I gathered from the numerous reviews, it essentially comes down to which platform you prefer. The iPhone SE has a slightly better camera in low light (night), but that looked like the only hardware advantage. If you go with the x-compact, try to wait until B&H photo has it on sale for $270. It's done that 3 times in the last five months.
switcher said:
iphone fails
- no customizing and no jailbreak in sight, closed source system
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was also seriously considering the SE, but that is the big reason I got the X compact. The Sony open devices program is a major plus for me. I look forward to actually owning my own device and have freedom of messing around with it, maybe even trying out Jolla's SailfishOS when it's available.
The only thing that concerns me about Android is there seems to be vulnerabilities exposed on the net or viruses (adware that calls back to someone's server in the background and monitors SMS messages) through legitimate apps.. seems there's a security flaw announced once a week. How is development for security patches on it, given the frequency of malware?
Not sure about ios but I kinda like having open source android., So long as devs are on top of things and not just adding feature fluff.
volcolm said:
The only thing that concerns me about Android is there seems to be vulnerabilities exposed on the net or viruses (adware that calls back to someone's server in the background and monitors SMS messages) through legitimate apps.. seems there's a security flaw announced once a week. How is development for security patches on it, given the frequency of malware?
Not sure about ios but I kinda like having open source android., So long as devs are on top of things and not just adding feature fluff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android now have built in permission management so you can deny that app from accessing your personal info. It would be nice to have a built in feature to block internet access outright, but generally only MIUI based roms have that. I don't see it as an issue aside from people who download dubious apps or sideloading from questionable sources.
If you are that concerned you should get a phone that is promised monthly security updates, which is a Google Pixel. https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/ I was surprised the X Compact (international version) have timely monthly security updates.
I would say the closed source nature of iOS potentially makes it more insecure, with open source at least you have much more developers looking at it and alerting the issues.
eksasol said:
Android now have built in permission management so you can deny that app from accessing your personal info. It would be nice to have a built in feature to block internet access outright, but generally only MIUI based roms have that. I don't see it as an issue aside from people who download dubious apps or sideloading from questionable sources.
If you are that concerned you should get a phone that is promised monthly security updates, which is a Google Pixel. https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/ I was surprised the X Compact (international version) have timely monthly security updates.
I would say the closed source nature of iOS potentially makes it more insecure, with open source at least you have much more developers looking at it and alerting the issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It'd have been easier to state that the XC already gets monthly (security) updates as the GP, but I digress. This is good, probably better than most manufacturers in that regard. My last phone was a buy once, throwaway after a couple months because Huawei decides "Want latest Android, your phone is obsolete -- buy a new Mate instead". Before folks say "Wait, they update their Mate line now!" - watch a "beta" ROM come online from Huawei after a year of not releasing any updates for months (once new phones are around the corner), the poof, scrapped ROM/patch (and now your phone is obsolete/vulnerable) because hey go buy new shiny phone to get the latest "update". It's infuriating, a phone should be "supported" for at least 3 years. Usually the good XDA developers make a phone last much longer than that!

Question Still worth considering?

I have always had Sony Phones.
The last few phones have been Huawei but since they lost Google services I switched to Honor Magic 4 pro, a big mistake on my part. Several big bugs make the phone useless, primarily the phone rings but the answer key doesn't show, at times can't be heard by other party.
Main question is this worth considering as a flagship device, I know 1 1V is out but can't find at reasonable price.
As long as it gets good SOT it looks pretty good. Great audio, solid cams, expandable storage and 12gb of ram. I take this over the S23U any day.
The display/bezel ratio could be better. I'm still hooked on the Note 10+ but transitioning to One UI and other Samsung eccentricities probably be a real learning curve for you.
Sony may be my choice years from now though. Samsung has been shooting blanks since the N10+... in my opinion.
Well, I honestly can't see a reason not to use as a flagship device but first make sure it was released in you're area. As having VOLTE and WIFI calling is a pretty big deal breaker for a lot of people now days. Personally my 1III has been going strong. My partner has my old 1II and it's still going strong too.
I don't understand these kinds of questions.
I buy a phone because of the specifications it offers.
I bought it because it had a side fingerprint scanner, no notch, wireless charging, a jack, OLED, >=120Hz and a premium SoC.
You won't find that combination in any other phone, so it had to be this one or compromises had to be made.
I couldn't be arsed about picture quality or cameras in general, whether it was a Sony device and if the screen had this stupidly high resolution which just drains your battery faster. Or VoLTE or Wifi calling since that's been mentioned as well.
I'd just do the same. Look at the requirements you have, see if this phone satisfies your needs and ensure that the price is what you're willing to pay for (and reasonable market price!).
UsernameNotRecognized said:
I don't understand these kinds of questions.
I buy a phone because of the specifications it offers.
I bought it because it had a side fingerprint scanner, no notch, wireless charging, a jack and a premium SoC.
You won't find that combination in any other phone, so it had to be this one or compromises had to be made.
I'd just do the same. Look at the requirements you have, see if this phone satisfies your needs and ensure that the price is what you're willing to pay for (and reasonable market price!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think Sony's UI needs some work but the hardware's all there. It also has expandable storage and that's a huge plus... a 1+tb dual drive power house is what's it's all about. Cloud sucks.
12gb of ram means it should be a running machine for years.
blackhawk said:
Think Sony's UI needs some work but the hardware's all there. It also has expandable storage and that's a huge plus... a 1+tb dual drive power house is what's it's all about. Cloud sucks.
12gb of ram means it should be a running machine for years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Needs more work as in? Afaik it's about as close to stock as it gets with some very minor saucing primarily in added stuff (apps) and changes images/sounds. If they change this too much you're going to get people complaining about Sony trying too hard to be different.
I think they strike a good balance but should add some minor ricing options.
I'm more pissed off about a flagship phone having so much bloatware. Samsung is very upfront about this because the design is so different, but Sony was a not-so-nice suprise.
UsernameNotRecognized said:
Needs more work as in? Afaik it's about as close to stock as it gets with some very minor saucing primarily in added stuff (apps) and changes images/sounds. If they change this too much you're going to get people complaining about Sony trying too hard to be different.
I think they strike a good balance but should add some minor ricing options.
I'm more pissed off about a flagship phone having so much bloatware. Samsung is very upfront about this because the design is so different, but Sony was a not-so-nice suprise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung customization is great. A stock Android is well... a plain Jane. Samsung unfortunately has gone off the rails though sharing Google's lame vision of what everyone must use. Like a big sister they insist. Both forget who pays their bills... or use to.
I simple use Package Disabler to kill the bloatware I don't want. Joke em if they can't take a f...
What do you value? I value roughly in order:
SD Cad slot
Headphone jack
good performance, I don't need great
Rootable
AMOLED screen with 400DPI or more
Battery life
Good camera
This phone is one of very few that has all of that, even more so than the 1 IV which is harder to root from what I gathered, I was looking at the 5 III whcih actually fits my needs more due to having a worse but still amazing screen and thus better battery life, but managed to get a really good deal on the 1 on ebay. So are your values like mine? If yes then it is definitely worth it, I am very satisfied. Do you not care about the card slot or headphone jack? Then probably not.

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