Though not at E3 2015, the Sony Xperia Z4v was announced this morning as the PlayStation maker's latest US-only smartphone from Verizon.
Like the Sony Xperia Z3v that launched late last year, this Android phone features PS4 remote play that lets you continue to game with the phone and a DualShock 4 controller. That's not a shocker.
What is new in this version is that it boasts a better design and bumped up specs that are closer to the currently Japan-only Sony Xperia Z4 and Europe's Sony Xperia Z3+.
Sony's flagship phones in the US are harder to come by because they're at full price and aren't sold by carriers. But Sony Xperia Z4v's release date is currently slated for summer exclusively through Verizon, so it should see a normal, subsidized price.
Sony Xperia Z4v specs
Other than availability, here's what makes the Sony Xperia Z4v a better phone than the Sony Xperia Z3v. First, the multimedia phone features a octa-core 64-bit processor, instead of a quad-core chip.
The all-important main 20.7MP camera's ISO setting can reach up to 12800 instead of hitting a ceiling of ISO 6400, while the front facing camera is 5MP instead of a mere 2MP.
With a 25mm wide angle lens straight from Sony - the maker of the most popular smartphone camera modules these days - the company is calling this its "best camera."
The phone maintains that popular 5.2-inch display size, but boosts the display to WQHD resolution for four times the detail, according to Sony. We'll have to review it soon to find out if that claims holds water.
Speaking of water, the phone is once again very water resistant, with the same IP rating of 68, and has one extra feature: a capless USB port. No flimsy protective plastic port cover to keep snapping on and off.
We're still waiting on the exact release date and price, but with E3 2015 going on this week and Sony leading the PS4 vs Xbox One debate, at least in sales, Sony Xperia Z4v sure has impeccable timing.
- Tune in for E3's first ever PC Gaming Show tonight
