The name’s Xperia, Xperia Z4!

Whilst we wait with bated breath for the launch of Sony’s latest phablet, the Xperia Z4, game developers are looking on with even greater anticipation. The bottom line is that significant changes in handset design and capability can make or break the games that they are designing.

In fairness, all the pre-publicity suggests that as a gaming platform the Z4 will continue Sony’s track record for solid dependability. It appears it will have a level of functionality to compete with the likes of the HTC Desire Eye or the Samsung Galaxy S6. But that will not stop game producers having their own concerns.

Bigger screens make for more detailed games

There seems little doubt that the Z4’s rumoured 5.2 inch screen is going to be meat and drink to those offering detailed games, especially casino games. These detailed games can struggle to cram information and graphics onto smaller screens. Various casino reviews have complained about the difficulty of picking out the intricacies of games like blackjack on smartphone screens. In particular, online casinos pandering to UK residents where the introduction of ‘small print’ associated with changes in the gambling laws make a bigger screen a real boon.

Rumours

The Z4 has been not so much surrounded in secrecy as swamped in publicity. All the leaks from Sony HQ and the talk of product placement with 007 have certainly attracted plenty of headlines. For all the embarrassment, there is a sense that it has not done Sony too much harm. Any publicity is good publicity if it ramps up interest in your latest offering.

At the time of writing, we are still uncertain as to when the Z4 is actually going to be launched. Talk is that it will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona in early March. But Sony are even playing it coy on that for the time being.

The name’s Bond…

All that talk of a tie in with James Bond seems pretty apt right now. That is because what is clearly needed is someone with 007’s ability to get to the bottom of what is happening. All the rumours which are suggesting boosted camera capacity and processing power certainly put it in the right ball park for James Bond. And, of course, Ian Fleming’s character was always thoroughly at home in a casino.