As another devastating move for Sony, the Japanese-based tech giant has announced that it will no longer deliver the Xperia Z4v to the U.S. market.
Although the company did not provide an exact explanation behind its decision, various sources speculated that Sony might have scrapped the project to focus on its next flasghsip device, the Xperia Z5.
Sony along with Verizon, its partner network carrier that was supposed to launch the Xperia Z4v in the U.S., made the announcement on Monday.
"Sony Mobile and Verizon Wireless have made the decision not to introduce Xperia Z4v to the U.S. market," the consumer electronics company said in a statement according to CNET. "Sony mobile remains dedicated to the U.S. market and aims t build a sound stable business in this region."
"Verizon is a strategic partner as we continue having ongoing discussions together as part of our future portfolio," Sony continued.
Verizon made almost the same announcement through its website and noted that despite the failed project, it will still continue working with Sony on future endeavors.
As for the Xperia Z4v, the handset was supposed to come with a Snapdragon 810 processor, a 5.2-inch WQHD display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, 3GB of RAM and a 20-megapixel rear camera, according to The Verge.
The device was originally intended to be the U.S. version of the Xperia Z3+, which was exclusively released in Japan earlier in April, and the Xperia Z4, the international counterpart of the Z3+.
It was first announced in June of this year by Sony and Verizon but since then, the two companies have remained quiet about its development.
As speculated by PC Mag, the reason behind the cancellation of the device may have something to do with the stalled plans of Verizon and Sony. Also, as shown in the recent IFA event in Berlin, it seems Sony has already moved forward after unveiling its next flagship device, the Xperia Z5.
If Verizon pushes through with the launch of the Xperia Z4v, then the carrier would appear as if it's falling behind in its partnership with Sony since company is already focused on its latest device.
But, since both companies did not issue an explanation regarding the death of the Xperia Z4v project, it's hard to speculate regarding the real reason behind its cancellation. However, this only reflects Sony's hardships when it comes to penetrating U.S.' smartphone market.
Although the company has a wide selection of smartphones from its Xperia line, the company is still mainly known for its entertainment devices such as the PlayStation systems.
