Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

Available now
7th January 2014

We've seen "mini" and "compact" versions of powerful smartphones before, and often these have been a disappointment because they tend to be just midrange devices trying to hang on the coat-tails of their more expensive siblings.

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is different, because in almost all important respects it really is a smaller version of the very powerful Sony Xperia Z1, carrying over the impressive 20.7 megapixel camera, quad-core 2.2GHz processor and 2GB of RAM of the larger phone, and it also maintains the waterproof and dust-resistant features of the bigger handset too.

The main change is the display - the Z1 Compact has a 4.3" 720 x 1280 pixel screen compared to the 5.0" 1080 x 1920 pixel panel on the Z1. A smaller display does mean that the power requirements are less, and the Z1 Compact has a 2300 mAh cell compared to 3000 mAh on the Z1. As a result, the Compact is about 20% smaller and lighter than the full-fat version. Internal memory is 16GB (T-Mobile in the US will have a 32GB version) and there is a microSD slot too.

Also included is LTE support, NFC and an FM radio plus MHL support so you can connect up to an HD TV with an appropriate cable. This is an Android 4.3 device, so all the usual Android features are here such as WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. There is no mention of an upgrade to Android 4.4 although we would be surprised if this was not on the cards.

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact will be available in white, pink, lime and black colours featuring Sony's minimalist but elegant industrial design, and there are also a wide range of accessories available including wireless camera lenses, smart watches and docking stations.

Sony say the Z1 Compact will be available from February onwards, although in the UK Phones 4U will be offering pre-orders from January.  No guidance was given on SIM-free price, but this is a premium device despite the compact size and we would expect to see that reflected in the cost.