WELL, that was fast. Just days after the Xperia XZ1 officially joined Sony’s premium smartphone lineup at IFA 2017 in Berlin, Sony Philippines sent out invites to the XZ1’s media briefing on September 14.

SEE ALSO: Complete specs of the Sony Xperia XZ1

This could indicate the phone’s domestic release sometime in the immediate future. We’ve yet to hear about pricing details, but the Sony Xperia XZ1 will officially run you $700 across international waters, so we’re inclined to think it would be priced at around P36,000 — well into Android flagship territory. In any case, it should be cheaper than the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, which sets you back P45,490 (roughly $892) in the Philippines.  

In terms of hardware, the XZ1 introduces a new two-piece construction made of metal for a more seamless finish compared to its predecessors. The design remains dust- and water-resistant, too. Inside, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-a-chip with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage should keep Sony’s new Android 8.0 Oreo-based interface running flawlessly.

Sony Xperia XZ1 official product video

The back-facing camera, meanwhile, is 19 megapixels and shoots super-slow-motion video for gag reels. But arguably, the XZ1’s most interesting feature is the ability to capture 3D images that can shared to other apps for viewing or for printing by a 3D printer. It’s promising tech, and we’re excited to do all sorts of cool projects with it. 

Check back in next week for more details about the Sony Xperia XZ1’s Philippine release.

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