The LG G Pad 8.3 isn't the only device joining the Google Play Edition posse today. Sony's Xperia Z Ultra has signed into the vanilla Android ranks as well.
Branded as the Z Ultra Google Play Edition, fans of the phablet-sized gadget can grab it running Android 4.4 by forking over $649 (about £394/AU$708). Unfortunately, the device is limited to the US Google Play Store for now.
The Z Ultra is identical to the Xperia Z Ultra Sony announced in June (not counting the inclusion of KitKat). The same whopping 6.4-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution is there, and the Z Ultra maintains the original's slim 6.5mm-thick, 212-gram figure.
Inside, the smartphone packs a Qualcomm quad-core 2.2GHz processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage. There is a spot for an external microSD/XC card slot.
The large phone also comes with a decent suite of cameras including an 8MP sensor on the back and 2MP front snapper for selfies. A 3,000mAh Lithium polymer battery keeps the Z Ultra Google Play Edition on task.
Playing with the big boys
In a race to cram the biggest phone in consumers' pockets, the Xperia Z Ultra is the largest, beating out its closest rival, the Samsung Galaxy Mega, by a mere 0.1-inches.
Those that want something in the slightly smaller sub-6-inch screen world should look for the still palm busting 5.9-inch HTC One Max or 5.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
Of course the Play Edition of the Xperia Z Ultra holds an appeal for many as it runs stock Android 4.4. Not only does this mean it's not lacquered with bloatware, the handset is primed to receive updates quicker than non-Google Play Edition handsets.
