T-Mobile to be exclusive carrier for Sony’s Xperia Z smartphone

Five months after unveiling the Xperia Z smartphone, Sony has finally announced that T-Mobile will be the exclusive U.S. carrier for the device.

The Xperia Z features a large 5-inch 1080p HD screen and a high-resolution 13-megapixel rear camera. The device is capable of connecting to T-Mobile’s new LTE network where it is available and it runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

One of the more distinctive qualities of the device is its water resistance. The Xperia Z can be submerged under three feet of water for up to 30 minutes.

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The new device is Sony’s first major phone release since last year’s Sony Xperia Ion, which received poor marks primarily for launching with an outdated version of the Android software. The Xperia Z is also lacking the most recent version of Android (4.2.2), but its software is not as outdated as the Xperia Ion’s.

T-Mobile said the device will be available in Sony’s signature deep black finish as well as a special purple version for a limited time.

The carrier, however, did not say how much the phone will cost or when it will go on sale. T-Mobile only said the device will be available for purchase “in the coming weeks.�

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