Sony seem to have some interesting plans for the smartphone market for this year, as the company has been quite active with their releases, and after we recently saw the Xperia Z3+, the Xperia Z4 and Xperia Z4V, there are now rumors that the Xperia Z5 is next in line. We don’t know how true that is, but it’s certainly possible, even though Sony haven’t really talked about a new device in the line yet.
The rumors don’t stop there though, as they also claim that Sony are going to release this device in 2015 as well, making it a very prolific year in the smartphone market for the company. More precisely, the rumors are talking about a possible September release. It might also not be the only device to hit the market once it’s released, as it could be accompanied by the Z5 Compact and the Z5 Ultra.
It’s worth noting that the IFA tech show in Berlin is going to take place in the beginning of September, lending some credibility to the rumors, but we’re going to have to wait until September to find out the truth. If Sony really are planning this, they likely don’t want to spoil the reveal before the IFA rolls around, which means that we’re not going to hear them talking about the device earlier than that.
In 2014, Sony didn’t want to introduce any high-end devices at the show, but they might have changed their mind now. It’s possible that they liked the attention they got in 2014 and were also paying attention to fan discussions about their releases online, in which case they would have surely seen that people were expecting a more major new announcement.
One thing that would make the reveal of an Xperia Z5 at the event in September is the fact that it would shrink the window of opportunity for the Xperia Z3+ and Z4, giving them very little time to perform on the market before they’re completely replaced by something more relevant. Sony have been trying to stick to a six-month release schedule until now, even though it drew some criticism towards them, and it’s possible that they might want to make some changes in that system now.
The criticism against Sony’s six-month release plan was caused by the fact that people felt like their phones were becoming obsolete too fast. It does feel a bit strange to invest in a new phone only to see it becoming overtaken by something from the same manufacture just half a year later, and it can serve to undermine some people’s trust in the brand.
Which is why it’s probably for the better that Sony are reevaluating their decisions, but we don’t know if they’re going to come up with any better system. They must also stay relevant on the market, which requires regular releases. But making one every few months like that might be a bit of an overkill if they want to avoid fragmenting their market too much.
And actually, market fragmentation is one of the biggest worries that people seem to have with regards to Sony’s release schedule. The company should definitely be careful to avoid splitting up their fans too much and across too many different devices. This will not only be a problem for their brand recognition, but could also cause some issues with their support and maintenance behind the scenes. More phones to support can definitely complicate matters for Sony.