If you thought Samsung's Galaxy Note II packed a large screen, wait until you see Sony's latest creation. The Xperia Z Ultra will ship with a 6.4-inch, 1080p display that's coming dangerously close to tablet territory.
Hardware specifications are just as jaw-dropping as it's packed with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.2GHz, 2GB of system RAM, 16GB of internal flash storage alongside a microSD card slot for further expansion and a rear 8-megapixel camera. A 3,000mAh battery will supply the necessary juice and we're told the phone will run Android 4.2 out of the box.
Noteworthy is the fact that the handset is only 6.5mm thick (or thin, depending on how you slice it). That's thinner than the iPhone 5 but there is one caveat - it weighs 212 grams which is twice as heavy as Apple's current flagship. How that combination will feel in the hand(s) remains to be seen.
Furthermore, Sony's upcoming phablet is waterproof and dust-resistant. All of that sounds extremely impressive but truth be told, not everyone wants to hold an oversized smartphone up to their ear when taking calls (Sony's words, not ours).
To that end, Sony is including a Bluetooth companion handset with each sale - the SBH52. This device can clip onto your clothing, allowing you to take calls or listen to tunes without having to handle the Xperia Z Ultra.
The smartphone will be available during the third quarter globally in white, black and purple. No word yet on pricing or exact regional releases just yet, however.