Sony takes aim at Apple iPad with launch of Z4 Android tablet

Sony claims its latest tablet can offer users longer battery life during video playback as it takes aim at Apple’s market share.

It launched its Z4 Android tablet at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona as a rival to Apple's iPad Air 2.

The launch comes amid increased questions about Sony’s future in the mobile space, where the manufacturer has been hurt by weak device sales and mass layoffs.

Sony claims that the Z4 is the world's thinnest and lightest 10-inch tablet, weighing in at as little as 389 grams compared with the iPad Air 2's 437g.

The company also says that the Z4 will offer 17 hours of video playback on a single charge.

Perhaps most interesting is the option of Sony’s BKB50 Bluetooth keyboard, which connects physically to the Z4, offering a laptop-like experience on the device.

The launch of Sony’s first laptop-esque tablet keyboard comes just over a year after Sony announced the sale of its underperforming Vaio laptop segment to Japan Industrial Partners. “We have carefully crafted and considered every aspect of the Z4 Tablet to meet even the most demanding lifestyle,” said Dennis van Schie, the senior vice president of sales and marketing at Sony Mobile.

The Z4 will retail for about €549 (Dh2,257) for a Wi-Fi only version, with an LTE version available for about €649. The keyboard will retail separately for about €180, Sony said. A Sony spokesman said that the devices would be available this spring, giving no details about when they would be rolled out to the Middle East.

The Z4’s launch comes amid tough times for Sony’s mobile devices businesses, with its tablet lines struggling in particular.

The Sony chief executive Hiroki Totoki said in December that tablet sales accounted for just 5 per cent of the company’s mobile device sales in 2013, and that this figure could drop to as low as 3 per cent by next year.

The company was reported in January to be considering a further 1,000 layoffs from its mobile devices division in addition to the 1,000 announced last year, leading to rumours that Sony was preparing to exit the mobile sector.

“They make good quality phones, but they tend to be priced quite high,” said Nabila Popal, a research manager with the industry analyst IDC in Dubai.

"People tend to think: 'If I'm spending so much money I might as well go for an iPhone or a Samsung phone instead.' The Sony brand doesn't seem to justify that higher price point any more."

Sony's only smartphone launch at MWC was the M4 Aqua, the latest in its mid-range waterproof device range.

The company claims that the new handset, expected to retail for about €299, can last for two days on a single battery charge.

The M4 Aqua also sports a 13-megapixel rear camera and offers full waterproofing without the need for a USB port cover.

The handset, which will also be launched in spring, will be available in white, black, coral red and silver.

jeverington@thenational.ae

Follow The National's Business section on Twitter