For Sony and Android fans who have been waiting it out to get the upcoming Xperia Z4 smartphone, you may have to wait much longer.
According to a report by GSM Arena, the upcoming Android flagship may not see the light of day at the Mobile World Congress in March as it was expected. In the report, the Japanese manufacturer has failed to release or leak any prototypes of the device yet, which could mean that the development for the handset is still on-going.
Last year, before January ended there were already leaked images of the Sony Xperia Z2 and it was already pegged for a MWC 2014 appearance. In comparison, as we end the first month this year, no such appearances have taken place for the Xperia Z4. In fact, no one has seen a prototype of the high-end device.
In the report, the announcement of a purple Xperia Z3 handset could also prove that Sony would not go head-to-head with Samsung, HTC and possibly, LG this time around. Sony may be planning to extend the lifespan of its Xperia Z3 as its flagship contrary to rumors of a looming successor.
Rumors are also pointing to a probable summer release, which will be two or three months late than the usual Sony schedule for its flagship. Despite the lack of announcement details, some alleged specs have already surfaced, making the Xperia Z4 a formidable contender in the Android flagship category.
In terms of specs, the Sony Xperia Z4 is rumored to boast a 5.2-inch display with a whopping QHD or 2K (2560 x 1440) resolution -- the first of its kind in a Sony smartphone. Other alleged features include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, 4GB of RAM and an octa-core CPU.
One of the most popular features of Sony's previous flagships is its high-end 20.7MP shooter at the back. As more Android phone makers are inching closer to that 20MP threshold, Sony are also expected to upgrade their camera to keep its advantage in imaging features.
Meanwhile, HTC, which will allegedly launch its One M9 smartphone at the MWC, has claimed that the leaked images circulating online are not true. However, the Taiwanese phone manufacturer mentioned that its upcoming flagship's front camera looks similar to that of the Desire 826, which has been recently announced at th CES 2015 in Las Vegas.