Sony Xperia Z2 'high demand' pushes general sale date into May
Sony can't meet demand for its new 4K-shooting flagship phone -- while preorders should go out in April, the general public won't see the Z2 until May.
Sony can't meet demand for its new 4K-shooting flagship phone, with the Xperia Z2 's general sale date being pushed back into May in the UK and Europe.
The Japanese company says it's "working tirelessly to maximise stock levels" of the new waterproof smartphone, but one online retailer is warning customers not to expect stock until 1 May. The phone had previously been expected to go on sale in mid-April.
"Xperia Z2 will be available in the UK during April and we are expecting to deliver to all consumers who have placed a pre-order through our key partners," a Sony spokesperson said in a statement. "We are working tirelessly to maximise stock levels in April but currently we do not expect to meet the high demand across all our sales channels."
Sony was unable to clarify who its "key partners" are, but I would expect high-street retailers such as Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4U in the UK, as well as the major networks. Vodafone is offering a free 32-inch Sony Bravia TV with the Xperia Z2.
The cause of the delay seems to be a small hiccup in the supply line. "Sony advises they had a component manufacturing issue from a third party who make a part for the phone," according to a spokesperson for UK retailer Unlocked Mobiles.
The Xperia Z2's key selling points are its new ability to record 4K-resolution video with its 20-megapixel camera, its waterproof glass and aluminium body, and a fast 2.3GHz quad-core processor. It's not to be confused with the similarly powerful, identically waterproof Xperia Z2 Tablet , a 10-inch iPad rival. Find out more in the video below.
Sony hasn't yet announced whether the Z2 will go on sale in the US. "As with all our global product launches, rollout is phased across markets and channels and exact timing and allocations will vary by market," a Sony spokesperson said in a statement.
