Behold the next step in smartphone technology revealed at CES 2014 -- the water-resistant smartphone Sony Xperia Z1s. The new generation of Xperia Z’s are-mind blowing and history-making! Not only can it resist being dunked in water accidentally, it’s fully submersible in 4.9 feet of freshwater for up to a whopping 30 minutes. It is also capable of shooting photos and videos seamlessly underwater with the touch of a button. The touchscreen doesn’t allow ‘finger-taps’ underwater, however, ‘wet-finger’ tracking technology allows phone navigation in rainy conditions.
Between ‘wet-finger’ tracking (a feature consumers have been waiting for), and the underwater media ability, it also has a battery life of 15 hours of talk time. Sony has added a bigger battery with 3,000 milliamp-hours, optimized by two or three times.
Sony’s new features set the bar for android/smartphone companies around the world, leaving Apple shaking in its boots. Other specs include: a 20-megapixel camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB RAM. The Xperia Z1s is exclusive to T-Mobile officially on sale January 22 in the U.S.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Water-resistant Smartphones
- The market for waterproof smartphones is wide open, with opportunities for innovation in the areas of durability, functionality and security.
- Underwater Photography and Videography
- There is a growing demand for smartphones that can take high-quality photos and videos underwater, creating opportunities for camera tech and accessories manufacturers.
- Wet-finger Tracking Technology
- The ability to use a touchscreen with wet fingers has been a long-awaited feature and provides innovation opportunities for smartphone screen manufacturers and accessibility tech developers.
Sectors Adopting This
- Smartphone Manufacturing
- Manufacturers can capitalize on the trend toward waterproof smartphones, creating opportunities for R&D in materials, design, and functionality.
- Photography and Videography
- The trend toward underwater photography and videography creates an opportunity for manufacturers of camera tech and accessories to innovate further in this field.
- Accessibility Technology
- The wet-finger tracking technology provides a new frontier for accessibility tech, which can be integrated into smartphones, tablets, and other devices to provide users with more seamless and accessible touchscreen experiences.
