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Sony launches first SA store

Johannesburg - Japanese electronics manufacturer Sony has opened its first South Africa Xperia Care store at Vodaworld in Midrand, Johannesburg. 

The store will act as a customer service centre and Sony branded product retailer, boasting a three-day turnaround time on device repairs. 

The company announced at the store on Thursday that it would be bringing its Xperia L1 and XA1 Ultra devices to South Africa, along with the super-premium Xperia XZ Premium smartphone, which scooped the GSMA’s “Best New Smartphone or Connected Mobile Device at MWC 2017” at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this year. 

READ: Sony shows off new phones, projectors and earbuds

The XZ Premium features a 4K resolution and is able to offer super slow motion shots with its 19 megapixel camera – shooting a massive 960 frames per second – ensuring crystal clarity when videos are slowed down. 

The XZ Premium, however, will go head-to-head with the iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S8+ with a price bracket expected to be between R16 000 and R17 000. 

Sony recently started targeting the mid-range smartphone segment with the launch of mid-tier devices – the XA and XA Ultra. At the Mobile World Congress it announced their Xperia L1 and the 6-inch sized display Xperia XA1 Ultra, which saw major upgrades to their cameras and overall design. 

The XA1 Ultra features a 23 megapixel camera, with superior low-light capability and are able to capture images 0.6 seconds after the shutter is pressed. 

READ: The XZ, featuring Sony's best mobile camera yet

While being packed with features, the L1 is expected to retail at less than R4 000 and the XA1 Ultra less than R7 000, dependent on the exchange rate at the time of sale.

The L1 and XA1 Ultra are expected to reach SA by May, with the XZ Premium reaching the country by June or July. 

Sony is also expected to release the world’s first smartphone projector, the Xperia Touch, to SA by the end of the year. 

A demonstration of a prototype of the device at the store opening showed it is able to project any Android smartphone display onto a flat surface, with the user able to control the phone off the projection with up a to a 10-finger touch.

The Xperia Touch features a 100 lumen projection bulb and is able to expand the size of the smartphone display, while maintaining its quality. 

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