Sony Makes Wi-Fi-only Xperia Z Ultra 'tablet' Official in Japan

By Jane McEntegart
published

Sony is taking away the Xperia Z Ultra's radio and selling it as a tablet.

Sony announced the Xperia Z Ultra back in June of 2013. The phone was introduced as a larger version of the water-resistant Xperia Z smartphone. Now, the company is hoping to sell the 6.4-inch device as a standalone tablet, too.

Sony Japan this week confirmed that it will be selling a WiFi-only version of the Xperia Z Ultra. Engadget reports that the device will launch later this week and will be priced at roughly $500.


Specswise, you're looking at a 6.44-inch full-HD Triluminos display, a 2.2 GHz quad-core CPU, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on board storage, microSD card support for expansion of storage, an 8-megapixel camera, support for 4G LTE, and a huge 3,000 mAh battery. Of course, it's also water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes, and dust resistant, too.

In terms of hardware, the Xperia Z Ultra doesn't make for a bad tablet. Unfortunately, that price is a little hard to swallow. Sony hasn't said anything about US availability, so we don't know if this device will make it stateside. We can't help but think Sony would be better off making a dedicated Xperia Z-branded tablet as opposed to just cutting the radio from one of its phones.

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Jane McEntegart
5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Sony Japan this week confirmed that it will be selling a WiFi-only version of the Xperia Z Ultra.
    Specswise, you're looking at support for 4G LTE

    Wait... if it supports 4G LTE, then how exactly is this device "WiFi-only"?
    Reply
  • somebodyspecial
    12512126 said:
    Sony Japan this week confirmed that it will be selling a WiFi-only version of the Xperia Z Ultra.
    Specswise, you're looking at support for 4G LTE

    Wait... if it supports 4G LTE, then how exactly is this device "WiFi-only"?

    Exactly, someone needs to explain to jane WIFI is NOT a modem and has nothing to do with a phone call. That is WIRELESS which is LTE/2g/3g etc etc, CDMA/GSM etc etc...Tech you use to make calls with. There are far too many to list, but none of these are WIFI related.

    WIFI is wireless networking (like connecting to your ROUTER, or wifi hotspot), not wireless phone calls (radio to get to your cell TOWER). They said the same a week or two ago and I just shook my head. A tech site that doesn't seem to understand the TECH...LOL.

    They cut the MODEM from the phone to make it a tablet like device which usually have no wireless and for 95% of us it's useless in tablets. I've yet to see someone make a call on a wireless tablet, as you carry a SMALLer phone for that. She's confused, please google wifi, or wi-fi and never do this again. It's not an accident if you keep doing it. You must actually not know there is a difference at this point. Why pay for the modem in a device you'd never use it in?

    Having said that why go 6in with a tablet for $500 when you can go the same on any 10.1 like nexus 10, etc and probably already own a phone nearly as big? That just seems stupid, I still don't understand puny 7in models selling as tablets. I really don't like my dads 10in nexus (I can't even imagine trying the same stuff on the 7 I already hate on the 10), and hope the rumor of 12in in nexus r2 is true. Then again I don't think I can really enjoy it until it's got a K1 in it, 1920x1200 or 1080p and is 13in or bigger. I don't find reading on a 10in enjoyable at all. A few more inches for a movie would be great too. But I won't buy anything over 1920x1200 until 10nm or smaller since anything above this is almost useless for gaming.
    Reply
  • rwinches
    Ahhh, @nobodyspecial wrong again!Many people use 3G (this one with 4G LTE) dongles on their tablets to make phone calls or as a data connect to the internet, in addition you can of course use wifi to make phone calls.Apparently you are not aware of the fact that there is a global market for tablets and therefore different needs.Yes, it is you that is confused.
    Reply
  • Genny
    Sony DOES make an Xperia Z tablet. Article is inaccurate.http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/tablets/xperia-tablet-z/
    Reply
  • somebodyspecial
    12515636 said:
    Ahhh, @nobodyspecial wrong again!Many people use 3G (this one with 4G LTE) dongles on their tablets to make phone calls or as a data connect to the internet, in addition you can of course use wifi to make phone calls.Apparently you are not aware of the fact that there is a global market for tablets and therefore different needs.Yes, it is you that is confused.

    What does a dongle have to do with wifi NOT being a modem?

    Saying wifi is NOT a modem has nothing to do with me using wifi to make a call that STILL requires a internet connection that STILL has nothing to do with cell tower running any LTE etc.

    Read my post again. I never said you couldn't use skype, google voice or whatever to make phone calls on a tablet WITH wifi over IP. I said "WIFI is NOT a modem and has nothing to do with a phone call." and further:
    "WIFI is wireless networking (like connecting to your ROUTER, or wifi hotspot), not wireless phone calls (radio to get to your cell TOWER)."

    I talking radios and towers and explaining the difference between WIFI and a device with LTE/radios (see that WIRELESS PHONE CALLS part?). If you don't have an a hotspot or internet you will not be making calls without a radio. That is the point. This thing doesn't have something to make a RADIO call if they took out the RADIO. ROFL, I have a network plus cert along with many others but that one is enough for this conversation. What does a global market have to do with this? You're now attaching a device that isn't being discussed here to some how show I'm wrong? Adding a dongle just puts back what they removed...Of course you can MAKE a call then via a radio because you dongled it back in with your example...ROFL. If they said they removed the modem but gave you a dongle with it in the same sentence I wouldn't say you can't make WIRELESS calls to a TOWER.

    I said it's useless in tablets for 95% of us, which leaves it USEFUL for the other 5% right? WIRELESS tablets don't sell well, so why sell a modem to 95% of us rather than cheapen it up and make the 5% who DO use this add a dongle instead on their own. You're not getting my point. They took the modem out because Sony DOES get the point. Most tablets are already NEAR the internet. My dads nexus has never left the house so is always on the network and can make calls if desired over that (but he never has...ROFL). As noted I have NEVER seen anyone use a modem in a tablet yet in my presence. I didn't say NOBODY has ever done it, just that I've never seen it and Sony appears to be saying they don't see it much either. I believe they proved this early with the VITA which also didn't sell with a wireless model. It was discounted immediately as they found nobody wanted to make calls on it or do anything else for that matter over the modem. Not many want to run up a phone bill playing multiplayer all day on a phone or tablet (again, we're talking a CELL call here).

    Wrong again? Where was I wrong before? ROFL. So you have some residual hate for me or something? ;)

    To Genny, they are not saying they never had one inside (nor that they don't have it in other models, like the 10in you pointed out), just that they are removing it in at least this model to cheapen things up and sell more (phone version of ultra z must not be selling?). They sell both now in this 6in model ultra z, but this one sans radio which automatically makes it a tablet since it can't call a tower without a radio. The article clearly states they make one WITH a radio and call it a phone, but now are making it without that radio and calling it a tablet. But still they are wrong on a WIFI ONLY tablet having LTE. That is impossible. You can't say it is WIFI only but still has LTE. Well it's not wifi only then, it is wifi with wireless (which is in the phone model, not the tablet one). Either they screwed up the info or tomshardware did, but someone is confused.

    From your link:
    "And if you want it on the go? Xperia Tablet Z keeps everything coming at top speed via LTE/4G.*

    *Not valid for Wi-Fi only models"

    So if it's WIFI only, it has no LTE. Fix the article Jane, can't be wifi only and have LTE as they note here in Genny's link.

    But that's a different model, not Z ultra. But it makes the point.
    Reply