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Picture Perfect: Sony’s new Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra bring superior camera quality to its mid-range line-up

This morning in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress, 27th February 2016  Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today unveiled two stunning super mid-range models in its refreshed “X” series, Xperia XA1, and its 6” screen big brother Xperia XA1 Ultra. Building on the success of last year’s XA models, the XA1 and XA1 Ultra feature a beautiful borderless design to make the most of the edge-to-edge screen, cameras that are worthy of a high-end premium status and octa-core processors.

Camera expertise are taken from Sony’s digital camera division to deliver a leading rear camera for both XA1 and XA1 Ultra that offers 23MP high resolution with a large 1/2.3” Exmor™RS for mobile sensor, bright F2.0 lens and superior lowlight capability. You’re guaranteed a superfast journey from launch to capture in 0.6s and incredibly fast and accurate Hybrid Autofocus, so even the most spontaneous moments are always in focus.

Front cameras are the backbone of the selfie world and the 8MP, 23mm wide-angle lens on Xperia XA1 will let you capture all the action even in a group selfie without missing anyone out. The XA1 Ultra features a 16MP front camera with Optical Image Stabilizer to eliminate the effects of handshake and improve low-light selfies, plus a smart selfie flash to naturally illuminate your face.  Both models allow you to capture the perfect selfie easily with just a wave via the ‘Hand Shutter’ camera feature.

The beautiful borderless design introduced in 2016 has been refined to create the illusion of a seamlessly never-ending surface whose curvature aids the perfect fit in your hand.  The edge-to-edge HD (720p) 5” screen on XA1 and Full HD (1080p) 6” screen on XA1 Ultra are supported by display technologies to deliver a crisp, sharp viewing experience.

Sony craftsmanship is clear to see with the diamond cut-like finish on top and bottom, along with the choice of materials such as the aluminium sides which create a rich feel in the hand.

With their power-efficient MediaTek Helio P20 octa-coreprocessors you get a quick and smooth experience, whether you browse the web, watch a video or play your favourite game.

Both XA1 and XA1 Ultra are designed to ensure a longer lasting performance over the smartphone’s lifetime. Qnovo Adaptive Charging monitors the battery’s health and adjusts charging current accordingly to avoid damage and maximise lifespan whilst Stamina Mode keeps your battery going for longer when you really need it the most by disabling some of the functions and extending the lifetime. Sony’s Smart Cleaner cleverly manages the performance and memory of your device by clearing the cache and unused apps automatically in order to attain the best speed and performance without degradation over time. Additionally both models support quick charging to give you hours of power in just a few minutes charging.

Xperia Actions is a new addition to the latest Xperia range including XA1 and XA1 Ultra that aims to learn your usage patterns to simplify your daily life by suggesting customisable settings and personalised recommendations. For example, when you go to bed your Xperia can learn your bedtime routine and automatically adjust the screen brightness and call volume.

 

Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra will roll out from Spring 2017 Availability varies by market, please check with your local operators or retailers with Android N at launch and come in a choice of contemporary finishes Colour variants may vary by market, please check with your local operators or retailer ; White, Black, Pink and Gold. Both models have matching Style Cover Stands available in White and Black along with a range of complementary accessories.

Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: [email protected]